For Retail Center—

Police Panel

To Review Traffic Plan

By Andrew Gorosko

After briefly reviewing plans for a retail center proposed for 146-148 South Main Street, Police Commission members this week decided they want to discuss the traffic aspects of the project with its developer before making traffic-flow recommendations to the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z).

Police Commission members reviewed plans for Berkshire Plaza at a July 5 session. The Police Commission serves as the town’s traffic authority and makes traffic recommendations to the P&Z on development proposals.

The New Haven-based Monaco Properties, LLC, proposes the retail center for the west side of South Main Street. The steep 2.35-acre property is in a B-2 (Business) zone, across South Main Street from Newtown Self Storage. A parking lot proposed for the site would contain approximately 100 spaces. The developer would extend the United Water public water supply approximately 350 feet southward along South Main Street to serve the project.

In April 2004, the developer withdrew an application for the project from P&Z consideration, saying it would rework the specifics of the design and then reapply. A P&Z public hearing on that revised application is scheduled for August 4. The applicant is seeking a special exception to the zoning regulations.

In its earlier application, Monaco proposed constructing a two-level, 20,400-square-foot commercial building that would contain eight stores on the lower level and four offices on the upper level.

Monaco has purchased the site from Gian-Santa Associates. Gian-Santa received town approvals in 1989 and 1992 to commercially develop the property under a plan similar to one proposed by Monaco. Gian-Santa performed some site work on the land, including grading and the construction of a foundation and retaining wall, but its commercial building never materialized.

Police Chief Michael Kehoe pointed out that entering and exiting the site could pose problems due to its location on a curve on South Main Street, which would limit motorists’ sightlines. The project would require the steep site to be regraded, he said. The state Department of Transportation (DOT) will also review the project because it is located on a state road (Route 25), he said.

Police Commission Vice Chairman Gerald Finnegan, who served as chairman in the absence of Carol Mattegat at the panel’s July 5 meeting, said that the site proposed for development poses a “sight line issue” for motorists.

At issue is whether there would be sufficient sight lines for motorists who are exiting the property and seeking to make a left turn onto northbound South Main Street, he said. Such motorists would be looking to the left toward a curve from which relatively fast traffic would be approaching them in the southbound lane of South Main Street.

Police Commission members then agreed that they want to discuss the traffic aspects of the project with the developer at their August 2 session.

Developing the hilly site would require earthen cutting and filling to create a usable area. Visual screening would be placed on the site to obscure the development. A section of South Main Street near the site would be widened to facilitate traffic flow.

At an April 2004 P&Z public hearing on the initial version of the project, some nearby residents expressed concerns that such development could pose additional traffic hazards along an already hazardous section of South Main Street.