Traffic Study For Mt Pleasant Office Building Proposal Gains Endorsement

By Andrew Gorosko

Police Commission members have endorsed the findings of a developer’s traffic study on the proposed construction of a 20,000-square-foot office building at 174 Mt Pleasant Road (Route 6), near the Bethel town line.

At a May 6 session, Police Commission members unanimously endorsed the traffic study prepared by Tighe & Bond of Shelton for developer Mount Pleasant Road, LLC.

The Police Commission, which is the municipal traffic authority, makes traffic recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). The P&Z is scheduled to again review the office building proposal on May 15.

On May 6, Police Commission member Duane Giannini said the traffic study was suitable. “It was good. It was well done,” he said.

Police Commission members had briefly reviewed the traffic aspects of the office building proposal on April 1, but then opted to obtain individual copies of the document to allow them to closely review it before the May 6 session.

Traffic engineer Joe Balskus of Tighe & Bond has said that the driveway entrance for the office building at Mt Pleasant Road would provide safe access to the site. There are good sight distances for motorists traveling in the area, according to Mr Balskus. Mt Pleasant Road there has a 45-mph speed limit.

“The proposed development-generated traffic will not have a significant impact on the [traffic] operations at the studied intersection and roadway system,” according to the traffic report.

Mount Pleasant Road, LLC, is seeking a special zoning permit for the proposed two-story office building in a B-2 Business zone.

The proposed 20,000-square foot office building would be constructed on a site directly north of an existing 12,000-square-foot building that holds Grace Christian Fellowship Church. A single driveway extending from Mt Pleasant Road would serve both structures. The new building would be set back 450 feet from Mt Pleasant Road.

The church group has received P&Z approval to construct a new church off Hawleyville Road (Route 25), near Exit 9 of Interstate 84. The church would move to its new quarters after they are constructed. It is unclear how the building that now houses the church would be used in the future.

The building lot that holds the current church is 1.2 acres. The proposed office building would be constructed on a 2.8-acre lot. The overall site would contain a total 150 parking spaces. Of that number, 90 spaces would be reserved for the proposed building, and 60 spaces designated for the existing building.

Equale and Cirone, LLP, an accounting firm, would relocate its Danbury and New Milford facilities to the new office building after it is constructed. A financial services firm also would locate there.