Danbury planners close public hearing on Grenadier auto dealership after engineer details flood-control and circulation changes

The Danbury Planning Commission closed its public hearing on Nov. 20 for a proposed INEOS Grenadier auto dealership at 17 Myrie Brook Road after the applicant presented revised plans addressing drainage, circulation and parking concerns.

Attorney Megan Miles, representing Riedel Deal Realty LLC and Curry Automotive, said the applicant has received most departmental comments and has responded. Engineer Emily Jones of Civil 1 detailed changes including clarified customer and employee circulation, designated employee parking and interior service bays, and a revised flood-storage approach using shallower concrete infiltration chambers sized to H‑20 loading. Jones said soil borings found "nice sandy soil, great for infiltration," and that a camera inspection of the site’s 15‑inch outfall pipe found no obstructions. The team also increased a hydrodynamic separator to meet Connecticut water‑quality flow calculations and updated planting and sight‑line plans.

Several residents and a city councilor spoke about traffic and pedestrian safety. Paul Rotello, who identified his address as 13 London Place, asked whether site access would include curb cuts on both Myrie Brook and Wallingford roads. City Council member Benjamin Chaney, representing the 6th Ward, urged consideration of crosswalks across Myrie Brook Road to address potential pedestrian crossings to nearby communal parking. The applicant’s team said customer access is intended to be from the existing Myrie Brook driveway and that the rear Wallingford driveways are intended primarily for employee circulation and loading; the team also said it extended the sidewalk installed with the adjacent Mercedes project to the Wallingford crosswalk and will coordinate with traffic staff about any further pedestrian accommodations.

Planning staff told the commission that applicant responses are under review and that remaining engineering comments can be made conditions of approval. Staff recommended closing the public hearing and allowing staff and the applicant to resolve outstanding technical items with the city’s engineering reviewer.

Commissioner Kevin Hass moved to close the public hearing; the motion was seconded and the chair closed the hearing. The commission did not take a final approval vote that night; commissioners said unresolved engineering items will be incorporated into any future resolution and site‑plan conditions. The applicant also noted that FAA filings for building corners and a temporary crane were approved but FAA review for light poles is still pending; Miles asked that final FAA approval for the light poles be submitted to planning staff when issued.

Next steps: with the public hearing closed, staff and the applicant will continue to work on outstanding engineering comments and conditions for a future decision by the commission.