MINUTES OF THE
January 16, 2003
Planning & Zoning Commission
Members Present: John Atwood, Chairman, and members John White, Chris
Brownawell, Linda Cheezum and Dan Swann.
Staff Present: Tom Hamilton, Town Planner,
Matt Davis, Assistant Town
Planner, Mike Kenney, Current Planner and Stacie
Sauca, Planning Secretary.
Mr. Atwood called the meeting of the Planning & Zoning Commission
to order at 1:00 p.m. The first item on the agenda was the
approval of the December 19th minutes. Upon motion of Mr. White
seconded by Mr. Brownawell the Commission voted 5-0 to approve the December
19th minutes.
The first item discussed was a request from Mr. Stephan Garland
for a sketch site plan review of Big Bats Café a 7,576 square foot restaurant.
The property is located at the corner of Teal and Pintail
Drive behind the Talbot Bank and is owned by W. Rembert
Simpson. The applicant is proposing architecture for the proposed building
which includes brick and represent a baseball stadium. There will be an outdoor
seating area which will be fenced. Mr. Thomas Davis of McCrone agent for the applicant explained that 129 parking
spaces are shown; however, the requirement calls for 152 spaces. The applicant
is requesting the Commission waive 23 spaces. Mr. Garland, owner, of Big Bats
stated that 129 spaces would be adequate to operate his business. He stated
he operates a similar business on Kent
Island and the parking proposed here
is adequate. The applicant has included sidewalks from the parking areas to
the building as required and has also included a sidewalk along both streets.
The Commission requested they provide a 5 foot grass strip between the curb
and sidewalk. The landscaping proposed appears to comply with the Town’s requirements.
The Commission would like to see renderings of the other two sides of the building
with attention to the architecture so it doesn’t appear to be a rear and is
not offensive to adjacent properties. The Commission also wants to see a plan
showing location and elevations of the free standing signage. Upon motion of
Mr. White, seconded by Mrs. Cheezum the Commission voted 4-1 (Mr. Swann opposed)
to grant approval of this site plan and waive 23 parking spaces. The applicant
is to resubmit site plan addressing the Commission’s concerns. The Staff is
to forward the plans to the Commission and poll the members.
The next item discussed was Riverwest at the Holly’s Subdivision
requesting sketch plat review of an amendment to the Holly’s Subdivision. The
property is located on the south side of Holly Road
between Route 50 and the South Beechwood Subdivision.
The Holly’s Subdivision is an eleven lot residential subdivision which was recorded
in 1989. All of the lots front on the south side of Holly
Road, to date, no improvements or houses have been
constructed. The new owner, Riverwest at The Holly’s, is working with the Town
Engineer to update the Improvement Plans.
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January 16, 2003
The Commission recently approved a lot line revision which created reserved
strip across what was lot 11 of the subdivision. Said strip is for a future
street which is proposed to eventually tie Holly Road
with the east side collector south of the Lakeland’s
PUD (currently under review). All lots are in conformance with the R-10A zoning
except for the minimum width of the building envelope. The ordinance requires
a minimum building envelope of 55 feet by 54 feet. The lot meets the 55 foot
depth but do not comply with the 54 minimum width requirements. The building
envelopes proposed are about 49.96 feet on average and the proposed houses fit
on the lots within the building envelope proposed. Upon motion of Mr. Brownawell,
seconded by Mr. Swann to approve the sketch plat and make favorable recommendation
to the Board of Zoning Appeals. The Commission’s approval is subject to the
Board of Appeals granting relief from the building envelope width standard.
The next item was Lakeland’s PUD requesting PUD sketch plat
review of a 143 unit PUD townhouse subdivision for Cherrywood Development LLC. This project is a resubmittal
of a site plan which was first reviewed at September 2002 Planning Commission
meeting. The Commission was very concerned with the traffic and aesthetic issues
for this subdivision. The property is located south of South Beechwood
subdivision on the east side of route 50. Access to the site is via the east
side connector or Beechwood
Road which connects to Route 50. Staff was concerned
with the design of the intersection with route 50 as it relates to the proposed
site plan. Ken Schmied, traffic Consultant for the
applicant explained that he had been working with JMT Traffic engineers and
State Highway officials
to address route 50 access issues. While this project will not cause the ultimate
intersection to be constructed, the site plan must not preclude the intersection
construction in the future. The Town engineer, Tim Glass stated that the JMT
design was adequate and that the site plan does not preclude its construction.
The access to the project will be a right-in, right-out design onto Route 50
from Beechwood Drive. Other issues
involving architecture and landscaping were addressed to the Commission’s satisfaction.
Renderings and photos of similar structures were used to demonstrate the architecture
and landscaping proposed. The Commission voted 5-0 to recommend approval of
the site plan and forward a favorable recommendation to the Easton Town Council
for the PUD classification.
The next item was Easton Utilities Water and Wastewater Department
requesting review for a one million gallon elevation water storage tank. The
property is located at the end of Hickory Ridge Road
and Clifton Roads, south of Clifton
Industrial Park. The property is
a Town park which is not improved and is remote from any town residential subdivision.
The site does abut South Clifton Subdivision bus is partially screened by existing
wooded area.. This location appears to be an ideal
location
Planning & Zoning Meeting
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January 16, 2003
hydraulically which has little impact on abutting uses. Mr. Tim Glass, Town
Engineer,
explained that erecting a new tower will increase
water pressure for the entire town. The Commission was in agreement that the
location and all other aspects of having a water tower at this location was consistent with the Comprehensive Plan and in compliance
with the site plane requirements found in the Zoning Ordinance. There were
several residents from the South Clifton neighborhood
present at he meeting who spoke in opposition to the
location of the Tank. Upon motion of Mr. White, seconded by Mrs. Cheezum the
Commission voted 5-0 to support the request. Mr. White’s motion included a
recommendation that the Town Council hold a public hearing in regards to the
water tower being erected at this location.
The next item on the agenda was for a parking waiver for 508
Idlewild Avenue. The applicant, Henry
Phillips, would like to change the existing Hill’s Pharmacy located on Idlewild
Avenue into a carry out restaurant. This request
requires a parking waiver as the drug store was allocated 16 parking spaces
and the new restaurant will primarily be a carryout deli, however, there will
be six tables seating 24 patrons. The parking standard for such use would require
37 parking spaces. Mr. Phillips currently operates a similar carryout business
on Washington Street and
feels as though 16 spaces would be adequate. The applicant is to construct a
4’ sidewalk from the rear of the building out to Idlewild
Avenue to facilitate deliveries. The staff supported
the waiver but would like to see the applicant extend sidewalk in front of business
to the street and provide sidewalks along the lot frontage of Idlewild
Avenue. Mr. Phillips stated that the additional
roof mounted mechanical equipment and dumpster will be screened from view.
Upon motion of Mr. White, seconded by Mr. Brownawell, the Commission voted 4-1
(Mrs. Cheezum opposed) to grant the parking waiver allowing no more than 16
parking spaces and should the applicant need a variance for the roof sign the
Commission would be in favor of such request.
Upon motion of Mr. Brownawell, seconded by Mr. Swann
the Commission voted 5-0 to authorize the Chairman to sign the final plats for
Easton Club East once the Town Engineer has signed.
Upon motion of Mr. White, seconded
by Mr. Brownawell the Commission voted 4-0 to re-appoint Mr. Atwood as Chairman.
Also, upon motion of Mr. Swann, seconded by Mrs. Cheezum the
Commission voted 4-0 to re-appoint Mr. White as Vice-Chairman.
The next item was from staff concerning Norris Ford sign.
Mr. Bill Stagg, representing the applicant explained they would like to replace
the existing pole sign with a new sign. The sign face is of the same square
footage as that of the monument sign and actually less than the existing sign.
Mr. Stagg explained that the total height of the new sign is actually less than
that of the existing sign. Upon motion of Mr. White, seconded
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January 16, 2003
by Mr. Swann the Commission voted 4-1 (Mr. Brownawell
opposed) to approve the request to remove sign and replace with new standard
sign subject to the applicant receiving a letter from the State Highway Administration
stating that said sign may encroach into their Route 50 right-of-way.
There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 4:45
p.m. by motion of Mrs. Cheezum, seconded by Mr. Atwood.
Respectfully submitted,
Stacie M. Sauca
Planning Secretary