NEW BUSINESS

STILLWATER DISTRIBUTION - (ID#: 22-01) Master Plan Review-

Informational Meeting

Major Land Development - AP 45 / Lot 18 and AP 46 / Lots 71, 72, 73, 74 & 76

295 George Washington Highway

92 Acres (approx.) / Highway Commercial (HC), Planned Corporate (PC)/ Economic Growth Overlay (EGO)

Applicant: Wharton Smithfield, LLC

Owners: Jake Development Co., LLC & Rollingwood Acres, Inc.

Engineer: DiPrete Engineering

a.   The Board will review and discuss the proposed submission with the project proponent.

b.   The Board will conduct a public informational hearing to receive input on the proposed project.

c.   The Board may schedule a site visit or waive the requirement.

d.   The Board may approve the Master Plan as submitted, approve with changes and/or conditions, deny the application or continue the meeting to a future date.

e.   The Board may make a recommendation to the Zoning Board of Review on required dimensional relief required for the project.

f.    The Board may make a recommendation to the Town Council on requested zoning ordinance amendments, zoning map amendments and Comprehensive Plan amendments as may be required for the project.

g.   The Board may authorize the Town Planner to prepare a written decision consistent with the Board’s findings of fact and motion for signature by the Chair and subsequent recording.

Attorney Michael Kelly represented the applicant and stated that this project involves a 1.12 million square foot building and one 120,000 square foot building having lesser impact on traffic than the mixed-use village concept plan that previously received Master Plan approval by this Board.  Attorney Kelly stated that they have submitted a full traffic report, an initial landscape plan and an initial economic impact study which results in a substantially lower cost of services to the town.  Atty. Kelly stated that the economic impact analysis also addresses the impact of, not only the business use, but the approximately 500 employees will have on the surrounding area.  Atty. Kelly stated that they are also investigating the potential of a joint driveway with the abutting property owner. 

Attorney Michael Kelly stated that the Technical Review Committee comment was that the frontage requirement is 125 feet but, in the Economic Growth Overlay District, it is measured from the back of the sidewalk and are in conformance with that requirement.  Atty. Kelly stated that they have filed with RIDEM for verification of wetland edges as well as a plan to resolve slightly elevated levels of arsenic pm the property.  Atty. Kelly stated that the project is in conformance with the amended ordinance, the Economic Growth Overlay District and the Comprehensive Community Plan.  Atty. Kelly added that there was an issue with the lot having the building located on Route 7 is a split zone comprised of highway commercial and planned corporate but that the Building and Zoning Official has indicated the majority area of the lot is the zoning that is applied.

Jennifer Hawkins stated with 500 employees that 1,200 parking spaces is in excess and seems unnecessary and understands that the phasing of construction will be built out based on market demand but questioned when will the traffic light be installed?  Atty. Michael Kelly replied that it is his understanding that the light will be installed at the time construction starts and before the large building is in operation.  Atty. Kelly added that the number of parking spaces of 1,200 is required by the ordinance and provides for trucks delivering to the warehouse and shift overlaps.

Mike Moan questioned whether the Board will require phasing information at the Master Plan and Town Planner Mike Phillips replied that it is his understanding that this is a one phase project.  Attorney Michael Kelly added that they are before the Board for review of the entire project but that there will be phasing of construction and as tenants are engaged the building will be constructed. Atty. Kelly added that they are estimating building one building at a time and, at this time, they do not intend to have more than one user in the warehouse.

Len Bradley, DiPrete Engineering, reviewed the plan set with the Board and stated that they will work with the abutting property owner for shared access.  Mr. Bradley stated that there will be a second access point where the existing driveway is located on George Washington for Smithfield Peat and a third access on Lydia Ann Road. 

Len Bradley reviewed the landscaping plan and stated that there are 92 acres and they are required to provide 5% open space but are providing closer to 20% with the goal of creating both screening and to provide active outdoor areas for people working in the buildings.  Mr. Bradley stated that the building will be tucked back as far away from Douglas Pike and George Washington Highway as possible.

Attorney Michael Kelly questioned a Technical Review Committee comment with regard to vegetation in the detention basins and Len Bradley replied that the goal is to landscape the basins in order to blend into the site.

Curtis Ruotolo questioned whether there are any renderings of what the building will look like and Len Bradley displayed some sample buildings that his client has previously constructed.  Mr. Ruotolo suggested pulling back some of the loading spaces.

Mike Moan questioned whether they foresee the possibility that the amount of parking may not be needed as the project moves forward?  Len Bradley replied that they don’t have a tenant yet and have designed the site to meet with the Town’s by-laws and that, for a distribution warehouse, truck parking is an important aspect for the client to be able to market this site.  Mr. Bradley added that, as a tenant is identified, the site plan may be revised to address the tenant’s needs.  Jennifer Hawkins concurred with Mr. Moan and suggested the applicant ask for zoning relief on parking.  Ms. Hawkins caution against building a building for one tenant and questioned what happens if that tenant evaporates and Attorney Kelly replied that the type of tenants they are talking to are not subject to economic downturns but are national entities.

Mike Moan questioned what the developer’s history is with past developments and alternative energy, such as solar, and Michael Kelly replied that solar energy is actively being explored.

Paul Bannon, with Beta Group, stated that he was asked to assess the potential impact on traffic and to make recommendations.  Mr. Bannon stated that he prepared an existing conditions analysis for Douglas Pike and George Washington Highway and that most traffic is oriented to 295.  Mr. Bannon stated that Route 7 averages 23,000 vehicles per day and George Washington Highway averages 13,000 vehicles per day.  Mr. Bannon stated that the morning peak hour was between 7:30-8:30 a.m. pre COVID to the Fidelity and Bryant campuses and the afternoon peak saw 3,400 vehicles on Route 7 and 1,700 on George Washington Highway.  Mr. Bannon stated that he reviewed the roadway geometry and found no issues for site distance and safety.  Mr. Bannon stated that future traffic volumes are estimated at 891 trips in a.m. peak and in the p.m. peak is estimating approximately 1,200 trips.  Mr. Bannon stated that, for this type of use, they try to establish shift changes at off peak hours and that the traffic associated with Fidelity is not currently there due to COVID but that they have conservatively used pre-COVID numbers.  Mr. Bannon stated that the project will be in conformance with the Corridor Access Management Plan.  Attorney Michael Kelly questioned whether there are any substantive impacts and Mr. Bannon replied that he feels there are easy mitigation opportunities to help improve the peak hour condition which will depend on what happens in the corridor in the future.

Mike Moan questioned whether any consideration was given to pedestrian activity associated with the use and transit demand and Paul Bannon replied they are going to provide internal connections on their site, will have a sidewalk connection to the signalized intersection, pedestrian crossings on Route 7 and will coordinate a bus route and bus stop location with RIPTA.

At 7:42 p.m. the public informational meeting was opened.

Attorney John Bolton, with Hinckley Allen & Snyder, represented Crossroad Entrerprises’ Richard Conti who owns the property adjacent to the north, and stated that that they are not opposing the application but questioned whether the building foot print and how many stories?  Attorney Michael Kelly replied that the building is one story and one million square feet.  Atty. Bolton questioned the location of the compactors proposed at the front of the building and a concern for noise.  Len Bradley replied that the building will have dumpsters or compactors depending on the type of tenant as required by ordinance.  Atty. Bolton questioned whether there is requirement for the applicant to do a noise study and Town Planner Michael Phillips replied that the Board can ask for any number of studies, including noise, at this point.  Atty. Bolton stated that he spoke with Attorney Kelly about potential improvements to the roadway but is concerned with his access and how those roadway improvements might impact his client’s access to his properties.  Atty. Bolton stated that he is also concerned with the location of a detention basin along the side of his client’s property and Len Bradley replied that the basin exists today and they can coordinate access with less peak hour traffic and the need for a left turn lane.

Ken Orabona made a motion, seconded by Curtis Ruotolo, to waive a site visit for this project.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Town Planner Michael Phillips stated that he has a proposal from Crossman Engineering to conduct a peer traffic review and he is looking at a civil engineering review but asked the Board to think about what environmental studies they may want to request.

Jennifer Hawkins made a motion, seconded by Ken Orabona, to continue the application to the March 17, 2022 meeting.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

Ken Orabona made a motion, seconded by Al Nani, to adjourn the meeting at 8:04 pm.  The vote on the motion was all in favor and the motion carried.

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, March 17, 2022 at 6:00 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna A. Corrao, Recording Secretary