Planning commission closes public hearing and advances proposed Mill Plain service station

The Danbury Planning Commission on April 15 closed the public hearing and moved to consider a special-exception/site-plan application from Danbury Mill Plain Realty LLC for an automobile service station, service garage and convenience market at 85 Mill Plain Road (special exception no. 805). Attorney Josh Pedrera, representing the applicant, told the panel that planning, engineering and construction-services comments had been addressed in revised plans and that the team will continue coordinating with Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) on right-of-way and curb details.

Pedrera said staff comments that were resolved included updating plan revision dates, revising sidewalk transition slopes to a maximum 2 percent at entrances, removing tactile warning strips where not required, and adding a note to meet Connecticut deep FOG permit requirements for on-site operations. He also said the applicant’s engineers reviewed peak-hour queuing and found modest queue lengths (about 8 feet in the morning and roughly 23 feet at evening peak), and that no new fuel dispensers are being added beyond the site’s prior use as a gas station.

Commissioners pressed the project team on a CTDOT comment that driveway width should be narrowed to 18 feet; the applicant said the current design leaves roughly 25 feet to accommodate tanker ingress and that the DOT review is unresolved. Larry Webster, the applicant’s engineer, said DOT may allow the wider driveway or require a mountable curb and that the applicant will keep the city informed pending DOT’s final response. Planning staff (Ali) advised commissioners that DOT feedback is a separate state process and that significant site changes required by DOT would bring the project back to the commission for review.

Members also asked about pump placement and pedestrian access near the store entrance. Webster said pump islands were moved slightly toward the building to reduce the need for a variance for the canopy and noted the layout is similar to the prior station; he agreed that signage asking customers to move to the parking area after fueling could be added as a condition to reduce pedestrian/vehicle conflicts.

With those clarifications, a commissioner moved to close the public hearing; the motion passed by voice vote and the commission moved the application to item 2 under old business for final consideration and action, with the record noting that remaining staff conditions and any DOT-driven changes would be resolved before final permits are issued.