MINUTES
DESIGN REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Wednesday, March 21, 2007, 6:30 p.m.
Conference Room
Basement Level, Town Hall

1. Call to Order - The meeting was delayed several minutes waiting for a representative to arrive for Application No. 78-2007. Mr. Bockstael called the meeting to order at 6:34 p.m. and proceeded without that representative.
2. Roll Call - Members in attendance: Bruce Bockstael, Andrea Boyle, Jay Hallinan, Joe Hickey, and Tony Margiotta. Also present: Denise Bradley, Assistant Planner

   Members absent: Steve Hine.

3. Public Comments - There was no one from the public in attendance.
4. Minutes - Minutes of the February 21, 2007 meeting.

   Mr. Bockstael asked if the DRAC members had corrections for the above minutes. Mr. Hallinan said he had one clarification to the minutes under Project Reviews: 5.1 - Application NO. 76-2007 - Mr. Hallinan said that his recommendation to change the appearance of the side of the building was not to suggest that the building appearance needed improvement, but that the side of the building faced the street and should have an appearance more like the front of a building. Ms. Boyle recommended correction of two typographical errors in Project Reviews: 5.1 - Application NO. 76-2007. They are "handicap-design rooms" should be changed to "handicap designated rooms", and "severeal" should be changed to "several". Ms. Boyle also recommended changes under Project Reviews: 5.2 - Application NO. 77-2007. Regarding landscape design, the minutes did not reflect discussion of a possible option to have some tree islands and leaving the pavement near the storage garages as painted pavement only.

   Mr. Hickey made a motion to approve the minutes as amended, Mr. Hallinan seconded, and all members voted in favor of approval.

5. PROJECT REVIEWS
   • 5.1 APPLICATION NO. 78-2007 - Allstate Insurance - Seeking review of new signage proposed for property located at 312 Silas Deane Highway. Mr. Bockstael started by noting that no representative was present on behalf of the applicant. Ms. Bradley said that the application appeared to conform with Town requirements. Mr. Hallinan said the sign should be consistent with other signs in the area. He asked if others along that section of Silas Deane Highway were ground signs like the one in the application. Ms. Bradley said the signs in that area are of the type where the sign is between 2 posts. Mr. Hallinan also asked if there would be ground treatment around the sign. Mr. Hickey agreed that the sign should be consistent with those in its area and that there should be ground treatment. There were no other comments. Ms. Bradley said that she would convey the comments back to the applicant and have them come back another time for review with the Committee .
   • 5.2 APPLICATION NO. 79-2007 - Vincent Fabi - Seeking review of new signage proposed for property located at 350 Silas Deane Highway. Vincent Fabi was present to discuss the signage proposal for the Fabi Professional Building and the minor changes he would like to make to the application as submitted. He would like to increase the size of the "P" and the "B" of "Professional Building" on the sign, but keep all of the lettering in "Professional Building" smaller than "Fabi". Mr. Fabi said that the lettering is gold-colored, brushed aluminum over a black vinyl base. Mr. Bockstael asked if a professional installation company will be performing the installation, and if the existing lighting illuminated the sign. Mr. Fabi answered yes to both questions. Ms. Bradley said that there is no existing sign, and that the proposed sign is within the size limitations. Mr. Hallinan made a motion to approve, Mr. Bockstael seconded, and all members voted in favor of approval.
   • 5.1 APPLICATION NO. 78-2007 - CONTINUED - Mr. Saraci, owner, arrived during review of the previous application under 5.2. Mr. Bockstael asked Mr. Saraci to come forward to continue the discussion from earlier in the meeting. Mr. Hallinan said that signs in that area are the type where the sign is between 2 posts, and asked if the proposed ground sign could be changed to be consistent with the others. Mr. Saraci said the ground sign is a design by Allstate Insurance Company. He said he also preferred a sign between 2 posts, and would ask Allstate if a 2-post design is acceptable. Mr. Hickey asked if there is landscaping planned in conjunction with the sign. Mr. Saraci replied that a landscaping plan had already been submitted. Mr. Hallinan made a motion to approve a 2-post sign design, with the condition that Mr. Saraci come before the Committee again if Allstate still wants to have a ground sign. Mr. Hickey seconded the motion, and all members voted in favor of approval. Mr. Saraci asked for clarification whether he could go ahead without further notice and install the sign if Allstate approved the 2-post design, and if the size and all other aspects of the proposal are approved. Mr. Bockstael replied yes to both questions.
   • 5.3 APPLICATION NO. 80-2007 - Vincent DeFillippo - Seeking review of new construction for property located at 1912 Berlin Turnpike. Mr. DeFillippo was in attendance along with his attorney, Brad Rieger of East Haven. Mr. Rieger started by passing out sets of the latest revised plans, and said that he thought that these plans addressed all of the Committee's previous comments. Mr. DeFillippo said the building design had been changed so that the back sides were more symmetrical, and the existing building would be removed.

     Mr. Bockstael asked whether there is a conference or reception area planned for the first floor, and Mr. DeFillippo confirmed that there is such an area. Mr. Bockstael noted that the rooms are very small, and asked whether there will be one or multiple businesses occupying the buildings. Mr. DeFillippo agreed that the rooms are small. He does not want to enlarge the footprint of the building so that a variance would be required. He also said that he does not know now how many businesses there will be, and that the design is flexible - it can accommodate either single or multiple businesses. Mr. Rieger said that small rooms are in demand, often times by businesses looking for a small space for a satellite office location. Mr. Bockstael said that the Committee would need to see wall diagrams to fully evaluate the building design. Mr. Margiotta said he thought there would be problems with water in the basement. Mr. DeFillippo said that water problems were not an issue, and that the basement was planned for storage only - not for occupancy.

     Mr. Bockstael and Ms. Boyle asked about: the building exterior; the approach to the site; and landscaping. Mr. DeFillippo said that the exterior material will be vinyl siding with a cedar pattern. The color is not final, but will either be white with black shutters and roof, or beige with brown shutters and roof. He also said the approach to the building is level, and that landscaping will be low to allow visibility - but in any case will be dictated by Planning and Zoning. Ms. Bradley noted that the proposed impervious cover is 60% - less than the 65% maximum allowed. Mr. Margiotta and Ms. Boyle asked if the side of the building towards the Berlin Turnpike would have windows or remain plain. Mr. DeFillippo said there would be no windows, but planned signs later, so the building side would not be plain.

     Mr. Bockstael asked if the modular construction would put the building floor above grade and be a complication for handicap access. Mr. DeFillippo said that the building bottom will rest on a "stepped-down" inside edge of the foundation so that the floor will be a grade. Mr. Bockstaehl said that the Committee should see this stepped-down design in cross section, but the current proposal contains no cross section.

     Mr. DeFillippo said that a cross section meant appearing before the Committee again and felt that was unfair. He said that he felt he was being stymied by the Committee. He said that Planning and Zoning would dictate the building design and there was no need for him to return. Mr. Bockstaehl said that Design Review typically reviews cross sections of building designs, so it is not asking for something unusual of Mr. DeFillippo. Mr. Bockstaehl also said that the Planning and Zoning Commission would also need to review a cross section, so it is something that would need to be produced anyway. Mr. DeFillippo said that he had planned to present his proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission on April 4th, but getting a cross section to Design Review would cause him to miss that meeting. Mr. Hickey suggested that Design Review convene early for its next meeting, at 6:00 p.m., also scheduled for April 4th. This way, Design Review could review the cross section and Mr. DeFillippo would still have time to get to the Planning and Zoning meeting the same night and avoid delay.

     Mr. Rieger reviewed the items he had noted about which the Committee had asked for more information for the next meeting: wall diagrams, lighting, signage and building cross section. Ms. Bradley said that Planning and Zoning had told her they had not yet received copies of the plans - they would need 16 sets for the next meeting. Mr. DeFillippo said he would have the sets prepared for Planning and Zoning and return to Design Review on April 4th at 6:00 p.m.

6. Other Business - The next Committee meeting is on the regularly scheduled date of April 4th. However, the start time has been changed to 6:00 p.m.
7. Adjournment - Mr. Bockstael made a motion to adjourn the meeting at 7:26 p.m. Mr. Hickey seconded and all members voted in favor to adjourn.

Respectfully submitted,

Kevin T. Sullivan
Committee Recording Secretary