Planning Board – Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, November 22, 2022 - 6:00 p.m.

Westerly Town Hall | Town Council Chambers

45 Broad Street, Westerly, RI 02891

 

A. CALL TO ORDER –

 

Mr. Hopkins called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.

 

B. ROLL CALL AND ATTENDANCE

 

Members present:           Chair Justin M. Hopkins, Vice Chair Richard W. Constantine, Andrew Delisio, Tabitha Harkin, Matthew O’Neil, and James Hall IV

 

Members absent:             Auxiliary Member Karen Lentz Madison

 

Staff present:                   Assistant Solicitor for Planning & Zoning Atty. Scott Levesque, Principal Planner Alyse Oziolor, and Information Technology Technician Lanny Fuller

 

Mr. Hopkins said Planning Board members Joseph Montesano and Kevin Lowther officially resigned from the Board. Mr. Hopkins thanked them for their service. He added that former Board member James Hall IV has rejoined the Board and will be voting tonight. Another new member, Matthew O’Neil, was present at the meeting to participate but not vote. Town Council Liaison Phillip M. Overton was absent.

 

C. APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

1. October 18, 2022 – Mr. Delisio made a motion to approve the October 18, 2022 Planning Board meeting minutes as presented. Mr. Constantine seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

D. CHANGES TO THE AGENDA –

Review, discussion, and possible action by the Planning Board on changes to the agenda, such as known continuances and the order in which items will be heard.

 

            There were no changes to the agenda.

 

E. OLD BUSINESS

 

            There was no old business to discuss.

 

F. NEW BUSINESS

 

1. 2022-DPR-06: Trestle Park Storage (123 Oak Street | Assessor’s Map 48, Lot 79) Review, discussion, and possible action and/or continuation to a future meeting by the Planning Board on request for Development Plan Review of a proposed expansion to an existing ministorage facility (Trestle Park Storage) at 123 Oak Street.

 

Attorney Christopher D’Ovidio was present to represent the applicants, Bob and Erin Celico, who was also present at the meeting. The application requested DPR approval and a favorable recommendation to the Zoning Board for relief requested. Project architect Megan Moynihan, of Oyster Works Architecture, landscape architect Thomas Benjamin, of Wellnesscapes Design LLC, civil engineer Joseph Cherenzia, of JCE Engineering, and the project’s draftsman Tyrel Rhodes, of ARM Engineering, were also present at the meeting. Each professional representative provided a synopsis of the various aspects of the project.

 

The applicant indicated he is working with the Planning Office to ensure the plan set meets all standards for DPR and the standards the ARB set at the November 3 meeting. The applicant will readdress the ARB’s concerns at the next ARB meeting on December 1.

There was discussion on the details of the plan and the phasing of the project.  Mr. Delisio commented that Mr. Celico has done a great job with the project.  Mr. Hopkins expressed concerns over the plans not having been prepared by an architect, and therefore not having completed a code analysis for the building.  He stated that the proposed building could change significantly after a code analysis is completed.  He said it is rare that the ARB is not able to make an advisory opinion with the amount of information provided to them.  Mr. O’Neil expressed concerns that construction equipment would need to drive over the proposed underground infiltration chambers during construction of Phase 2.  The Applicant’s engineer indicated the weight of heavy equipment can be distributed so that it isn’t a problem. Mr. Constantine was concerned about displacement of renters during construction.  The Applicant indicated that at most renters would be limited in access to their units for a few days, or if they need to vacate their units Trestle Park would handle it for them.  There was further discussion and recommendations regarding landscaping, lighting, traffic, hours of operation, and proposed window locations.

Atty. Levesque noted important meeting discussion points; that the lighting plan could be required in the final plan submission, the issue of a crash gate, which isn’t indicated on the plan and should be, and plantings should be indicated on the plan to discern where the crash gate is located, understanding that curb cut will be changed on the Town road, Spuchy Drive, and should be a condition of the Final Plan, a code analysis of the building, and that the Planning Board could require the applicant to return to the Planning Board for Final Plan review. Atty. Levesque explained that the Planning Office prepared an eight-page memo dated November 3, 2022, which was marked Board’s Exhibit 1, with a draft a motion to grant Preliminary Plan approval starting on page 7 to page 8, with 6 conditions with sub parts, and additional conditions will be: 7. a photometric plan showing no light trespass, 8. Identification of crash gate with plantings, 9. fire approval including decision on dry or wet system and utility sign off, 10.  permit for the curb cut on Town road Spuchy Drive, and 11. sequencing of construction indicated on site plan. Ms. Oziolor suggested condition 6 be modified so that the soil erosion and sediment control plan may be subject to that condition, as well.

Mr. Hall made a motion that the Westerly Planning Board approve the Preliminary Plan as stated in Board’s Exhibit 1 and including staff’s comments on the additional conditions. Mr. Delisio seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

Mr. Constantine made a motion that the Westerly Planning Board render a favorable advisory to the Zoning Board as noted in Board’s Exhibit 1. Ms. Harkin seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

2. 2023 Regular and Special Meeting Calendars Review, discussion, and possible action by the Planning Board on adopting regular and special meetings calendars for 2023.

 

            Mr. Constantine and Mr. O’Neil said they cannot attend the April meetings. There was some discussion on reserving all first Tuesdays of the month for any potential needed meetings to prevent long regular meetings. Mr. Delisio made a motion to adopt the 2023 Regular and Special Meeting Calendar as presented. Mr. Constantine seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

G. ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S REPORT

 

1. Administrative Actions

• None

 

2. Development Project Status Report (updated 10/26/2022) Town of Westerly

 

Ms. Oziolor presented the report. There was no discussion.

 

H. ASSISTANT SOLICTOR FOR PLANNING AND ZONING’S REPORT

 

            There was no report.

 

I. CONFIRMATION OF QUOROM FOR NEXT REGULAR MEETING

 

1. December 13, 2022 Special Meeting at 5:00pm

• Capital Improvement Program (CIP) Recommendation to Town

 

2. December 13, 2022 Regular Meeting at 6:00 pm Members of the Planning Board are asked to notify the Administrative Officer if they will not be present at the next regular meeting. The following topics are anticipated to be discussed (pending completeness review):

 

• Flynn Residence Addition – DPR – Preliminary Plan

• Cozi, LLC Commercial Development (92-100 Granite Street) - MJLD – Preliminary Plan

• St Pius X Multifamily Residential Development – MJLD Comprehensive Permit – Master Plan

• 111 Wells Street Multifamily Development – MJLD Comprehensive Permit– Combined Master & Preliminary Plan

• 50 Wells Medical Office – MJLD – Master & Preliminary Plan

 

J. ADJOURNMENT –

 

Ms. Harkin made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:56 p.m. Mr. Delisio seconded the motion. The motion CARRIED by unanimous vote with no abstentions.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

Stephanie J. LaSota

Minute Taker

 

Approved by vote of the Board on December 13, 2022