Plaza South—

P&Z Urges Shopping Center Design Changes

By Andrew Gorosko

The applicant for a 68,000-square-foot shopping center at 266-276 South Main Street, known as Plaza South, is reworking the layout of the project, following Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members’ criticisms of the proposal focusing on potential traffic flow problems within the complex.

Plaza South, LLC, is seeking to modify its special permit to construct the complex on a 12.35-acre site on the west side of South Main Street, just south of Sand Hill Plaza and north of Cold Spring Road. Plaza South would be the largest shopping center to be constructed in Newtown in a decade.

The site has M-6 (Industrial) zoning. The wooded, sloped property is a former sand-and-gravel mine. The site is in the town’s Aquifer Protection District (APD).

The planned intersection of Plaza South’s driveway, South Main Street, and Button Shop Road would be controlled by a four-way traffic signal. Button Shop Road links South Main Street to Toddy Hill Road.

The applicant had received P&Z approval in April 2005 to construct a 68,000-square-foot complex, but did not build that project and is now seeking P&Z approval for a reconfiguration of the plan.

The initial version of Plaza South that received P&Z approval included two retail buildings — one 64,000-square-foot structure that would contain multiple large tenant spaces, plus a separate 4,000-square-foot bank building.

The current proposal involves the construction of four retail buildings with smaller tenant spaces. The applicant proposes that the previously approved 64,000-square-foot building be reconfigured as three buildings containing 32,000 square feet, 17,000 square feet, and 15,000 square feet of space, respectively. A 4,000-square-foot bank also would be constructed.

The developer has not disclosed the identities of potential retail tenants.

Peder Scott, an architect and engineer representing the applicant, told P&Z members at a July 6 public hearing that the “upscale” shopping center potentially could house up to 18 retail tenants, plus a bank. Three of those 18 tenants could be eateries, Mr Scott said. The shopping center would contain 340 parking spaces.

After reviewing the design drawings for the complex, P&Z Chairman William O’Neil said, “There’s a whole series of problems as far as traffic flow goes.” The layout “doesn’t look practical,” he said, adding that the design would create a faulty traffic-flow pattern on the site.

Similarly, P&Z member Lilla Dean voiced concern about traffic flow. “It just looks awkward,” she said.

Mr O’Neil suggested that the proposed bank building not be located in the middle of the complex, but instead be located to one side of the facility. Some P&Z members suggested that the bank be attached to one of the three larger buildings.

P&Z members also raised questions about the design of a loading area, which is proposed near a parking area behind a retail building on the western edge of the site.

Mr O’Neil pointed out that the design plans for Plaza South do not indicate the location of a planned interconnecting private driveway between Plaza South and Sand Hill Plaza.

Such a driveway would extend northward from Plaza South’s northeastern corner or from its northern section, Mr Scott replied. He added, however, that town staff members had informed him to remove that driveway from an earlier version of the Plaza South plans.

Mr O’Neil said the P&Z needs a commitment from Plaza South, LLC, that it will eventually participate in constructing that interconnecting driveway.

When Sand Hill Plaza recently gained P&Z approvals for some modifications to that property, the P&Z required that Sand Hill Plaza eventually participate in constructing the interconnecting driveway.   

P&Z members sought such a driveway to make it simpler for shoppers to travel between the two adjacent shopping centers, thus alleviating some traffic pressure on the congested South Main Street.

The cost of such a driveway would be shared by the two shopping centers, said attorney Camille DeGalan, representing Plaza South.

The approximately 160,000-square-foot Sand Hill Plaza, which has been in operation for more than 15 years, has a Super Stop & Shop supermarket as its prime tenant.

Mr Scott said that he will rework the design plans for the Plaza South project, addressing the various concerns which were raised at the July 6 session.

The public hearing on Plaza South will resume at an upcoming session.

Public Comment

During the public comment section of the July 6 hearing, Tom Williams of 13 Kay Lane said he is concerned about the location of waste dumpsters at Plaza South and the also about nighttime lighting.

 Mary Curran of 41 Cold Spring Road said the southernmost building on the site would be visible from Cold Spring Road, having a visual impact on that residential area. She asked about the structure’s appearance as viewed from Cold Spring Road.

Ms Curran expressed concerns about smells and noises stemming from the use of waste dumpsters on the site. Ms Curran also inquired about the bank’s hours of operation.

Mr Scott responded that the rear of the retail building nearest Cold Spring Road would have gables to create a pleasant appearance. Nighttime lighting would designed to avoid annoying nearby residents, he said.

In April 2005, the P&Z approved the initial version of Plaza South following a six-month review of repeatedly revised development plans. That controversial development proposal had initially drawn opposition from the owners of the adjacent Sand Hill Plaza, as well as nearby residents.

In early 2004, the Plaza South applicant had sought to revise the zoning regulations regarding maximum store sizes in order to allow individual stores within shopping centers to occupy up to 60,000 square feet of floor space.

P&Z members, however, rejected that request, letting stand an existing 40,000-square-foot size limit on individual stores within shopping centers. P&Z members had approved that 40,000-square-foot size limit in 1996, a move that has deterred large-store retailers from seeking local quarters.