'A Project We Like to Call Victoria Place'

Many residents believe plans for a 160,942-square-foot retail store at 2 Victoria Drive will be a Walmart and passionate arguments have been made for and against the proposal. But planning and zoning commissioners must put any personal feelings aside and evaluate Kimball Land Holdings LLC's special permit application on whether or not it complies with Monroe's zoning regulations.

At last Thursday's public hearing, commissioners asked questions of the applicant's experts based upon things such as lighting, traffic flow and noise.

Though the application is in the public hearing phase and tailored to a specific tenant, the name of the store has been kept secret with computer renderings of the building only showing "Retail Name" on the signage.

"I'm here for a project we like to call Victoria Place," Kevin Solli, the project engineer, told the commission.

About 154,000-square-feet of the building would be used for retail, in addition to an enclosed garden center and seasonal sales areas outside the main facility. It would have 621 parking spaces with room for 41 additional spaces if needed. The store would be a 24/7 operation.

Bicycle racks and a crosswalk are planned where the Rail Trail goes through the 39-plus-acre property — across from Victorinox Swiss Army's headquarters. A sidewalk would be put in in front of the building and Solli said talks with the Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority about bringing a bus route there are ongoing.

The property would have its own onsite water treatment plant and fire hydrants would be installed.

The project includes a widening of the driveway at the mouth of Victoria Drive and of the intersection with Main Street with two through traffic lanes northbound.

Solli said intersection improvements at routes 25 and 111, Purdy Hill and Judd roads and Spring Hill and Tashua roads, as well as improving the timing of traffic signals, will lead to no adverse impact on traffic.

The proposal is in an Industrial 3 zone.

Of noise made from trucks backing up, the developer, John Kimball, said, "We have Swiss Army Brands with eight truck bays and no retaining walls — nothing for noise. This has a sound attenuation wall. It will exceed all the noise standards."

By Martin's reasoning, Kimball said, "We would have to close the school bus yard because they back up at 6 a.m."

Martin asked, "How noisy is the wastewater treatment?"

Solli said, "It's fully enclosed and baffled to ensure no noise."

Managing Construction

Town Planning Administrator Will Agresta asked that construction traffic avoid commuter peak hours. 

P&Z Commission Chairman Patrick O'Hara asked if there is a plan to manage construction traffic and materials?

Solli said, "As part of our traffic analysis, we include the trips associated with this site once fully built." He added that 54,000 cubic yards will have to be removed from the site.

Pedestrian Access

Commissioner Jim Weinberg said, "A lot of people would be coming off the bus, workers and some customers, doesn’t it make sense to have a walkway along 25?"

Solli said a paved concrete sidewalk is not included in the wetlands approval, so Kimball Land Holdings would have to have a new application.

Weinberg also asked how pedestrians and bicycle riders would be able to safely use the crosswalk for the Rail Trail with such a high volume of traffic anticipated for the site. Solli said they would look into that.

Martin said, "I have concerns about people not stopping for the crosswalk with the volume of traffic. Maybe there can be a split-rail fence or something so people know there's a crosswalk here."

Solli said yield to pedestrians signs are being considered for both directions. "But we can do more," he added. 

Parking & Lighting

O'Hara asked if berming could be considered along the walkways. 

Commissioner Jane Flader noted how the truck route around the building seems to be bisecting the parking.

Solli said the plan is consistent with developments with trucks going around the perimeter of the parking lot, adding interaction between trucks and customers' vehicles is infrequent.

The lighting plan calls for all LED cutoff lighting. P&Z Commission Vice Chairman Bill Porter and Martin both wanted to see alternate light fixtures used.

Martin asked if signage will be lit 24/7 and Solli said it will be illuminated for the hours of operation. 

Landscaping

A landscape plan is meant to enhance the natural buffers between neighboring property owners and beautify the property with plantings of junipers, spruces, cherry trees and native plants to promote wildlife habitats. American Elm trees would be planted along Main Street.

O'Hara asked if any of the landscaping will have different colors and was told entrance shrubs will have seasonal colors.

Martin said Eastdale Drive seems to be higher than the floor elevation of the building and asked if screen-walls and extensive green buffer will be augmented with this application.

Flader expressed concern that light from the building would still be visible looking down upon the roof. Solli said the dense vegetative buffer will obscure the building from neighbors, adding there would be no illumination on top of the roof.