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Planning Commission approves special permit for new auto-repair shop at 409 West Main Street
Summary
The Norwich Planning Commission approved a special permit for a collision repair facility at 409 West Main Street, subject to conditions addressing final stormwater design, photometrics and bike parking; staff and the city engineer said remaining items may be resolved after approval.
The Norwich Planning Commission on a voice vote approved a special permit for a proposed collision repair facility at 409 West Main Street, an application filed by WM ST Realty LLC and presented by Tak Mahara and Frank Malowski of Cresa.
The project proposes a new one‑story collision repair building with customer parking in front, storage and fenced vehicle holding in the rear, underground stormwater detention and a brick façade on the Main Street elevation. Applicant Tak Mahara told the commission the team expects to resubmit civil and landscape plans “within two to three weeks” to address detailed engineer comments.
Planning staff and the city engineer reported that the application has undergone extensive review. Dan, planning staff, said most comments have been addressed but that the stormwater system remains the main outstanding item; city engineer Jeff Dwey said he was comfortable with the applicant addressing several technical details post-approval. Staff also noted the need for a photometric lighting plan and short-term bike parking for employees.
Commissioners asked about employee parking, fence type and retaining wall heights; Frank Malowski confirmed employee and customer parking is proposed at the front of the building and that vehicles awaiting repair will be stored inside or behind the gated rear area. The applicant showed architectural elevations that include a brick facade and metal side panels.
Kathy Wik moved approval with the staff‑recommended conditions and an explicit superseding of the prior special permit (23‑09); Ella Miles seconded. The commission closed the public hearing and approved the application with conditions requiring final engineering, photometrics and landscape details to be filed and approved by staff.
The approval includes the conditions discussed on the record; staff will circulate the final exhibit list and conditions to the clerk for the record. The item was continued from an earlier hearing and the commission recorded that outstanding technical items will be resolved via the city’s usual post-approval review and permits.
What’s next: The applicant will return final civil and landscape plans for staff review and must satisfy the city engineer’s drainage requirements before full building permits are issued.
