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Busy Corner- Walgreens Proposal Draws Concerns At P&Z Public Hearing 

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Busy Corner—

Walgreens Proposal Draws Concerns At P&Z Public Hearing 

By Andrew Gorosko

A proposal to construct a large pharmacy on the busy corner of South Main Street and Mile Hill Road has drawn concerns about the practicality of the site design, potential traffic problems, and environmental issues.

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) held a public hearing October 2 on Newtown Main, LLC’s, proposal for a 13,640-square-foot Walgreens at 47-49 South Main Street. The building would include a 48-foot-tall tower on its southwest corner, plus a mezzanine.

In the application, the firm is seeking a zone map change to create a Special Development District (SDD-3) under the terms of the South Main Village Design District (SMVDD) overlay zone in that area, which has underlying B-2 (Business) zoning. The application is the first phase of a multiphase application process required by the zoning rules.

Walgreens has long been interested in having a pharmacy at the 1.45-acre property. The applicant has an option to purchase the site from TB Newtown, LLC, of Westport for an undisclosed price. Existing buildings on the site would be demolished to make way for a pharmacy and a 56-space parking lot.

The site, which has been vacant for the past several years, formerly held Newtown Tire and Service, Newtown Oil Company, Trudeau Service Center, and Trudeau Oil Company, among other businesses. The Republican Town Committee currently has its election campaign headquarters at 49 South Main Street.

A sticking point in the zoning application has been Walgreens’ proposal to place a drive-through window at the rear of the pharmacy. Although the P&Z historically has allowed banks to have drive-through service, it has typically not granted other businesses approval for drive-through service.

The applicant is seeking drive-through service under the terms of the SDD zoning rules, which allow much latitude in the specifics of a commercial project, provided that the P&Z and the applicant can agree on those specifics.

In July 2007, the P&Z created the SMVDD regulations as a mechanism to respectively preserve and promote the New England appearance of existing and proposed commercial development and redevelopment projects along South Main Street.

A July 2005 proposal to build a Walgreens at the site, which was pursued by a another developer, did not materialize. That proposal included a request for drive-through window service, which proved to be a stumbling block for the project.

Attorney Elizabeth Suchy of Stamford presented the developer’s application at the October 2 P&Z session, introducing a range of specialists for the developer who spoke on behalf of the project.

Ms Suchy noted that the Walgreens proposal includes a drive-through window on the northeast corner of the building where a canopy would be positioned above that window.

That drive-through would be a single lane drive-through, said Tony Rubino, a real estate manager for Walgreens.

The drive-through lane would have space for six vehicles to wait in line for service, said Craig Tompkins, of Bohler Engineering of White Plains, N.Y., representing Walgreens.

A steep entrance driveway extending onto the site from Mile Hill Road would lead to the drive-through window. The main entrance/exit for the property would be on South Main Street.

P&Z member Dennis Bloom, who served as P&Z chairman at the October 2 session, asked whether environmental studies had been performed on the site, in light of its past automotive uses.

Robin Eshaghpour, the managing member of Sutphin Properties of New York City, representing Newtown Main, LLC, said that the property has been the subject of environmental studies.

Mr Eshaghpour said those studies will be presented to the P&Z for review. The developer would take the environmental steps that are required to make the site suitable for redevelopment, he said.

 

Traffic Issues

P&Z member Robert Mulholland raised issues about the practicality of the site’s traffic design, as did P&Z members Daniel Cruson and Richard English.

The site’s traffic design would result in congested conditions there, said Mr Mulholland. He termed it “an accident waiting to happen.”

Traffic engineer John Harter of Atlantic Traffic & Design Engineers of Warren, N.J., representing the developer, explained the project’s traffic design.

According to a traffic study performed by the firm, the project “will not significantly impact traffic conditions in the vicinity of the site.” The proposed design would “provide safe and efficient access,” it adds. Also, proposed parking and drive-through facilities on the site “will adequately accommodate anticipated customer demands,” it adds.

Mr English asked whether westbound motorists on Mile Hill Road would cut onto the site’s Mile Hill Road entrance driveway to directly reach northbound South Main Street, and thus avoid the traffic signal at the congested intersection of Mile Hill Road and South Main Street. Such cut-through traffic would pose travel hazards, Mr Mulholland said.

Mr Rubino said the presence of a drive-through window adds sales volume to a Walgreens store. Modern pharmacies have drive-through windows, he said. Not having a drive-through puts Walgreens at a competitive disadvantage, he said. “In most cases, it’s a deal killer for us,” if a drive-through is prohibited at a Walgreens, he said.

Mr Bloom said that some Walgreens have recently been built in Connecticut which do not have drive-throughs.

Architect Mark Stettler, representing the applicant, described the building proposed for the site.

Mr Mulholland criticized the lighting design, likening the building to a “Christmas tree” due to its multiplicity of lighting sources. The design should be more subdued, he said, adding that the design does not match the visual quality of the local landscape.

 Public Comment

Blanca Sheehan of 72 Queen Street told P&Z members that she has watched traffic increase in the area over the years, making for hazardous conditions.

South Main Street has many curb cuts, resulting in much crossing traffic, she said. “It’s already a very scary [traffic] situation…It’s a nightmare right now,” he said. The road cannot handle additional traffic, she said.

Louise Neves of 74 Queen Street said, “I think Newtown does not need another drug store.”

The developer has not addressed the traffic issues that would face Queen Street due to the presence of a nearby Walgreens, she said.

The tower on the building would be an “eyesore,” she said.

Gary Sheehan of 72 Queen Street asked whether there would be as few truck trips to the site as was stated by the applicant. Also, trash pickup at such a facility poses problems, he said.

Mr Sheehan challenged the applicant’s traffic statistics, saying that traffic would pose bigger problems than portrayed by the developer.

He also asked whether the past uses of the site could result in future water contamination issues in the area.

Mr Sheehan also asked why the store needs a 48-foot-tall tower.

Lawrence Keane, representing the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) of 11 Mile Hill Road said the presence of a Walgreens would worsen existing traffic problems in the area. The NSSF is concerned about the existence of a drive-through window and the potential for traffic congestion in front of the NSSF building, he said. “Our general concern is traffic,” he said.

Raising concerns about the past automotive uses of the site, Mr Keane said he wants to review the environmental studies that were done on the property.

 Mr Harter, the traffic engineer for the applicant, said the project’s plans call for the elimination of some curb cuts on South Main Street. The traffic study performed for the project is a valid study, he added.

The developer is willing to widen South Main Street in the vicinity of the pharmacy to alleviate traffic congestion, he said.

But the presence of a Walgreens store would increase traffic flow on Queen Street, Mr Mulholland said.

Mr Harter said, “This [Walgreens] is much less of a [traffic] generator than other potential uses.”

P&Z member James Belden said the presence of a Walgreens would change local traffic patterns. The effects of such development on Queen Street should be studied, he said.

Land Use Agency Director George Benson said the town would provide the developer with all pertinent traffic studies that have been performed on the area.

The public hearing on the Walgreens application will resume at an upcoming P&Z session.

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