Danbury planning commission continues public hearing on proposed Mill Plain convenience store and gas station

The Danbury Planning Commission on Feb. 18 heard a detailed presentation for a proposed convenience store and fueling facility at 85 Mill Plain Road but voted to continue the public hearing to its March 4 meeting to allow staff and the applicant’s traffic and environmental specialists to complete their reviews.

Attorney Josh Pedrera, counsel for Danbury Mill Plain Realty LLC, told the commission the applicant has revised plans and submitted response letters this week and wanted to introduce the project and answer preliminary questions. “We did provide our responses in revised plans,” Pedrera said, adding the team expected a more substantive conversation at the March 4 session.

Pedrera introduced owner Sammy Jamal and the design team from Benish, including site engineer Larry Webster and design engineer Connor McNamara, who then shared the site plan. Webster described several changes intended to improve circulation: removal of a rear addition to allow unidirectional east‑in/west‑out flow, narrowed curb cuts, repositioned fuel islands and a new concrete mat with grooves designed to contain minor spills. “Those grooves will contain up to a 3 to 5 gallon spill and make sure that it stays within the concrete area,” Webster said, describing spill containment and the location for a spill kit.

On traffic, the applicant said a prepared traffic report showed no significant adverse operational impact; Pedrera summarized the study as adding roughly “40‑something” AM and “50‑something” PM trips and leaving levels of service in the A–D range. Staff (Ali) said the city’s traffic comments emphasized pedestrian safety and site ingress/egress, and that because Mill Plain Road is a state route the state has primary responsibility for roadway capacity comments.

Commissioners pressed the team for technical details. Webster said the existing underground fiberglass tanks were installed in 2005 (about 21 years old), that Connecticut DEEP allows a 30‑year baseline lifespan and that tanks meeting DEEP requirements may receive a 10‑year extension after equipment upgrades — meaning the existing tanks could remain in service under current rules for many more years if properly tested and monitored. He said tank replacement would add substantial immediate cost — “on the order of a $100,000 just for the tanks” — and that tanks will require static and operational testing and continuous monitoring before being returned to service.

During a screen share, McNamara and Webster walked commissioners through parking, pedestrian paths and loading. The team said pump islands are arranged to permit fueling from both sides and accommodate up to four vehicles at once; rear parking is expected mainly for employees and longer‑stay visitors, while short‑stay customers are expected to use pump‑adjacent spaces. Deliveries, the applicant said, are expected by six‑wheel box truck rather than tractor‑trailer.

Commissioners requested the applicant’s traffic engineer attend the March 4 meeting and requested staff finalize written comments before that session. Commissioner Helen moved to continue the public hearing to March 4 so that the traffic engineer and the environmental specialist can attend and so staff reports can be completed; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Bob and carried by voice vote.

What’s next: the applicant’s traffic engineer and the environmental specialist are expected to attend the March 4 session and staff reports will be finalized in advance of that meeting. The commission did not take a final vote on the special exception at the Feb. 18 meeting.