Wellington Planning Commission approves site plan for Community Services Center

The Wellington Planning Commission approved a site development plan to convert an existing garage and lot on West Harrison Avenue into the Wellington Community Services Center, a permanent home for the town’s long-running food pantry and office space for social services.

Planner Aiden Czechet presented the proposal and told commissioners the site is a little over half an acre just west of the railroad and north of State Highway 1. He said staff found the proposed uses consistent with the comprehensive plan and the C-1 community commercial zoning and recommended approval with conditions. "Site plan reviews are considered by the planning commission at a public meeting like we have here today," Czechet said, explaining that the commission may approve with conditions, adopt staff conditions, or deny the application.

Applicant representatives and partners described the project as a consolidation and modernization of services. "The food bank itself has been operating in Wellington for over 40 years," said Steve Sardo, a board member of the Community Services Center, describing a recent transition to a leased modular building that allowed the group to increase distributions to three days per week and test operational needs ahead of a permanent facility.

Staff’s recommended conditions require the applicant to (1) revise the site development plans to identify the future east-building footprint and eastern parking spaces as future improvements and (2) revise and resubmit plans to address all town staff comments and redlines. Staff also noted site details for the record: both buildings shown would have footprints just under about 2,400 square feet; the project shows 15 parking spaces in total (9 serving the west building and 6 associated with a future east building); drainage will route to a detention pond on the southeast corner; landscaping meets town standards; the proposed loading area will accommodate smaller delivery vehicles but not large semis; and one ADA space will be installed and properly signed though it does not meet van-accessible dimensions in the initial plan.

Commissioners asked whether the existing building’s setback deficiency would jeopardize the project. Staff clarified the building is a nonconforming structure (not a nonconforming use) and that the town code allows modifications so long as they do not increase the degree of nonconformity.

Commissioner White House moved to approve the site plan as presented with the staff-recommended conditions; Commissioner McAffrey seconded. The commission took a roll-call vote and all voting members recorded yes, approving the application. After the vote, commissioners asked staff and the applicant to provide information about the mental-health space noted in the presentation so they could assist in outreach to potential providers.

The planning commission’s approval is subject to the two conditions of approval described above; staff will return final redlines and resubmittal materials as the applicant addresses the conditions.

The commission then moved on to other business and scheduled engagement on remaining agenda items.