[NOTE: These minutes are made available to the public prior to Design Review Advisory Committee acceptance.]

MINUTES
DESIGN REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Wednesday, September 5, 2007, 6:30 p.m.
Conference Room
Basement Level, Town Hall

1. Call to Order - Mr. Bockstael called the meeting to order at 6:33 p.m.
2. Roll Call - Members in attendance: Bruce Bockstael, Andrea Boyle, Jay Hallinan, Joe Hickey, and Steve Hine. Also present: Denise Bradley, Assistant Planner

   Members absent: Tony Margiotta.

3. Public Comments - There was no one from the public in attendance.
4. Minutes - Minutes of the July 11, 2007 meeting. Mr. Bockstael suggested that the matter of the minutes be tabled so that the Committee could begin to consider the applications.
5. PROJECT REVIEWS
   • 5.1 APPLICATION NO. 89-2007 - 61 Arrow Road LLC - seeking review of new construction for property located at 61 Arrow Road. No one was present on behalf of the application, so Mr. Bockstael tabled its consideration to later in the meeting. After review of project 5.4, the Committee returned to project 5.1, and noted that the information submitted was insufficient. A simple structural design had been submitted without an architectural drawing.
   • 5.2 APPLICATION NO. 90-2007 - Arby's Restaurant 1151 Silas Deane Highway - seeking new construction review. Mr. Andrew Daly, Arby's construction manager, was present on behalf of Arby's. Mr. Daly showed the Committee a revised building concept, which has 2 different shades of brick for the exterior.

     Mr. Bockstael said that this latest design was a significant attempt to modify the Arby's prototype and make it more consistent with the architectural context of Wethersfield. Ms. Boyle, Mr. Hallinan and Mr. Hine all agreed that the contextual design was now much better for Wethersfield. Mr. Bockstael asked whether the traffic circulation issues had been worked on. Mr. Daly said yes, that he had just met with the Planning and Zoning Commission last night. Ms. Bradley said that Arby's will need to come back before the Committee once more for review of proposed signage. Mr. Bockstael said that no motion or vote was needed, but that the building design was a significant improvement, and that Arby's will need to come back for review of signage

   • 5.3 APPLICATION NO. 92-2007 - seeking review of proposed façade improvements funded by the Façade Loan Program at 912 Silas Deane Highway. Present on behalf of the application were Philip Vellieux, architect, and Dave D'Amica, building owner. The existing building is linear in shape and has a green wooden façade that is deteriorating. The plan is to replace the wood with metal paneling, add a decorative arch and different shades of paint to break up the monolithic nature of the building exterior. They plan to use the same landscaping scheme, but replace it with new plantings since the existing ones have become overgrown from lack of maintenance. The large maple trees will not be removed, but trimmed. Mr. Hallinan said the plan represented a great improvement, and asked if raising the sides has been considered to increase screening of the roof. Mr. D'Amica said the extra screening would be considered. Mr. Hickey made a motion to approve the façade improvement plan. Ms. Boyle seconded, with the condition that the extra roof screening be explored, and the vote showed all in favor.
   • 5.4 APPLICATION NO. 93-2007 - KFC Restaurant / Hines Sudden Service - seeking new construction review at 31 Town Line Road. Gwen Ashbaugh, engineer-project manager, and John Martin, architect, were present on behalf of the application. Ms. Ashbaugh said that the plan is to completely demolish the two existing buildings, and build a new 2,900 sq. ft. restaurant with a drive thru in the rear. Mr. Bockstael said that the drive thru should be shielded with shrubs, and that the menu boards will count toward the total amount of signage allowed on the site.

     A new 3,500 sq. ft. office building will be added to the property toward the end of the property near Silas Deane Highway. A prototype office building design was shown to the Committee. The building will have two floors and have a raised wall section for screening of mechanicals on the roof. Mr. Hine asked if windows could be added to break-up the large, plain outer wall of the garage part of the building that faces the street. Mr. Bockstael said that it will be a significant improvement to have a nice office building located on the corner of the property to replace what is now a large expanse of empty pavement.

     The plan would decrease the amount of impervious surface on the site, and more trees would be planted near the Silas Deane Highway for consistency with the Silas Deane Master Plan. Mr. Hickey noted the strips of green planned for adjacent to Town Line Road and suggested plantings such as bayberry that would tolerate exposure to large amounts of road salt.

     Mr. Martin presented a building design for the new restaurant building and said that it was newer than the one in the application. Several committee members said that they preferred the design in the application. None of the members felt the newer design fit well the contextual design of Wethersfield. Concern centered on the tent-like ornamental roof design over the entrance, and the monolithic, bright red exterior. Mr. Martin said that the design is important to KFC as recognizable branding.

     Ms. Boyle said that she would encourage the addition of some kind of accenting to break-up the large, plain red exterior. Mr. Hallinan said he would much prefer to see a brick exterior over the bright red paint as planned. Mr. Bockstael said the Committee liked much better the cleaner lines of the older design and did not like the tent-like rooftop on the new design.

   • 5.5 APPLICATION NO. 94-2007 - review of Municipal Streetscape Improvements for the Intersection of CT Rt. 99 and Church Street. Ms. Bradley showed the Committee the plans submitted for the streetscape improvements, consisting of granite curbing, new curb cuts, stamped (decorative) concrete, and a revised driveway drop-off area. The consensus of the discussion was that the improvements were overall very good. However, the Committee felt that the driveway drop-off area was a large visual detraction from the improvements, would be confusing to visitors, and may continue some of the current traffic problems caused by the driveway off of the Silas Deane Highway. The Committee felt that it would be important to know what is the need for the driveway drop-off. Mr. Bockstael recommended that the Town use high-strength concrete so the stamped design lasts longer.

     Mr. Bockstael made a motion that the plan represented a significant improvement, including the removal of the access to storage area in the building and removal of the parking lot on the Silas Deane side of the building. Mr. Hickey seconded, and the vote showed all in favor. Mr. Bockstael made a motion that high strength concrete be used to retain the paver look in the stamped concrete. Mr. Hickey seconded, and the vote showed all in favor. Mr. Bockstael made a motion that the Committee recommend removal of the driveway drop-off, pending more information on the need for the drop-off on that side of the building. Mr. Hickey seconded, and the vote showed all in favor.

6. Other Business - Mr. Bockstael said that a new committee is being formed to review whether the town should make a renewed effort to adopt the zoning overlay zone in the Silas Deane Master Plan.
7. Next Meeting Date: September 19, 2007 (regularly scheduled date).
8. Adjournment - Mr. Hines made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:41 p.m. Ms. Boyle seconded, and the vote showed all in favor of adjournment.

Respectfully submitted,

Kevin T. Sullivan
Committee Recording Secretary