Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members on October 1 held a fourth set of dual public hearings on a mixed-use development proposed for Hawleyville, which includes a 180-unit rental apartment complex in six multistory buildings, a diner, and a church on 42 acres west of Hawleyville Road (State Route 25) and south of the Exit 9 interchange of Interstate 84.

The Police Commission is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, October 6, to discuss the traffic aspects of the mixed-use development proposal.

The P&Z hearings last week touched on a range of subjects, with the traffic which would be generated by the project and vehicular access to the site among the prime topics discussed.

Developer Anthony Lucera of Brookfield, of Covered Bridge Newtown, LLC, proposes the apartment complex on Covered Bridge Road and also the diner at 13 Hawleyville Road.

Grace Family Church Inc, proposes the church on Covered Bridge Road to replace its church about one mile away at 174 Mt Pleasant Road (Route 6).

Traffic engineer Michael Galante of Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc, of Fairfield, representing the developers, told P&Z members that the peak traffic flow generated by the church would occur during the 30-minute period on Sunday mornings between the end of the first church services and the beginning of the second church services.

In response to questions from P&Z members, Mr Galante said he would ask whether the church is willing to allow a 45-minute period between its two Sunday services to decrease the traffic pressure in the area.

P&Z members also discussed a proposal to create a “bypass lane” on northbound Hawleyville Road at its intersection with Covered Bridge Road to facilitate northbound traffic flow there. Such a bypass lane would allow northbound traffic to pass to the right of motorists who are waiting to make a left turn onto Covered Bridge Road.

P&Z Chairman Robert Mulholland noted that many tractor-trailer trucks travel on Hawleyville Road in asking Mr Galante whether the bypass lane arrangement would allow one large truck to drive to the right of another large truck.

The travel lane design would allow such passage, Mr Galante responded.

Mr Galante said he would be submitting a formal request to the state Department of Transportation (DOT) for the installation of traffic signal at the three-way intersection of Hawleyville Road and Covered Bridge Road.

Mr Galante has told P&Z members that the projected traffic flow in the area would be insufficient to warrant traffic signal installation. Mr Mulholland, however, has insisted that such a traffic signal approval be formally sought from the DOT.

P&Z member Fred Taylor pointed out that if there is no traffic signal present, it would be difficult for motorists to make a left turn from eastbound Covered Bridge Road onto northbound Hawleyville Road.

Mr Galante said the DOT will have the final say over whether a traffic signal is allowed at the intersection.

P&Z members then decided that the public hearing on the church proposal will resume on October 15.

Apartments/Diner Hearing

Mr Lucera told P&Z members he plans to submit some changes in the apartment/diner development plans to the Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) for review.

The developers had IWC public hearings on September 23. Those two IWC hearings are scheduled to resume on October 14.

Mr Mulholland noted that such design changes also must be submitted to the town engineer for technical review.

Engineer Dainius Virbickas of Artel Engineering Group, LLC, of Brookfield, representing Covered Bridge Newtown, said the developer soon expects to receive a conceptual drawing of a new covered bridge that would be built to span Pond Brook at the site.

An existing deteriorated covered bridge would be removed and be replaced by the new covered bridge. The new bridge would have a span of 63 feet and a width of 34 feet, compared to the existing bridge’s 19-foot span and 16-foot width. The new bridge would have a vehicle clearance of about 15 feet.

Also, Mr Mulholland asked Mr Virbickas to get a ruling from the IWC on whether a two-lane driveway could be built to allow traffic to flow in both directions between the rear parking lot of the proposed diner and Covered Bridge Road.

The developer has proposed a one-lane driveway which would only carry traffic from Covered Bridge Road to the diner. The road width issue hinges on environmental factors.

Noting that some of the residents of the proposed 180-unit apartment complex likely would have bicycles, Mr Mulholland asked whether there are plans for bicycle parking.

Landscape architect Abigail Adams of A2 Land Consulting, LLC, of Brookfield, representing the developer, said the bicycle parking issue will be addressed.

The proposed complex would more than 700 parking spaces, including 432 spaces for the apartments, 196 spaces for the church, and 80 spaces for the diner. The entire complex would contain about 294,000 square feet of enclosed space, including about 265,000 square feet for the apartment complex, about 24,900 square feet for the church, and 4,160 square feet for the diner.

Mr Virbickas said he will check with the town fire marshal regarding the specifications for an emergency accessway that would provide an alternate means of entry/exit for the apartment complex. Such facilities typically have a secondary means of access in the event the main access is blocked to traffic.

Also, Mr Virbickas presented a variety of lighting diagrams to P&Z members describing the nighttime illumination levels planned for the site.

Mr Lucera said the apartment/diner complex could be built during a 13-to-15 month period.

Public Comment

During the public comment section of the apartments/diner hearing, Patrick Napolitano of 13 Whippoorwill Hill Road used a diagram to illustrate his concerns about traffic congestion problems that would be created by the presence of the mixed-use complex.

P&Z member Frank Corigliano said he also is concerned about potential traffic problems, adding that such concerns are why the P&Z is seeking to have a traffic signal installed at the intersection of Hawleyville Road and Covered Bridge Road.

Mr Corigliano later said that it currently is difficult for motorists to exit Covered Bridge Road during the morning rush.

“We are all very concerned about that intersection,” Mr Mulholland said.

 Corinne Cox of Pond Brook Road presented a statement of P&Z members about the project, expressing her environmental concerns. Ms Cox is a Democratic candidate for a seat on the P&Z in the November 3 elections.

Ms Cox said she is very concerned about the large size of the development project and its environmental effects on Pond Brook in the area downstream, where she lives.

Pond Brook traverses the development site. Pond Brook carries water from Taunton Lake to the Lake Lillinonah section of the Housatonic River. It runs parallel to Pond Brook Road before entering Lake Lillinonah.

 Ms Cox said that increased water temperature in Pond Brook, which would be  caused by a reduction of shade due to tree cutting at the Hawleyville development site, could damage the trout and other fish that live in the brook. The planned construction could cause increased toxin levels in the brook, she said. Also, the project could cause siltation problems in the brook, she said.

Janet McKeown of Hillcrest Drive told P&Z members that motorists do not observe the posted speed limits on Hawleyville Road, driving faster than is legal.

 Ms McKeown said there are better places to construct such an apartment complex, where its presence would not heavily affect an existing residential neighborhood. The Hillcrest Drive/Covered Bridge Road neighborhood has eight homes. Both streets are dead ends.

Heather Wilson of Hillcrest Drive also said there are better places to construct such a residential complex.

The existing covered bridge over Pond Brook has historic value to people living in the neighborhood, she stressed.

 Mr Mulholland asked Mr Lucera whether there is the prospect of moving the existing bridge to another location. Mr Lucera responded that the existing bridge is in poor physical condition.

P&Z members decided to resume their public hearing on the apartments/diner application on October 15.

The Police Commission, in its role as the local traffic authority, will discuss the traffic aspects of the development proposal this evening. The session is scheduled 6:30 pm at Town Hall South, 3 Main Street.

The Police Commission is expected to make a recommendation to the P&Z on the traffic aspects of the application.