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DRB recesses remanded fuel-canopy hearing after Legion raises safety and insurance concerns
Summary
The DRB recessed a remanded application for a new fuel canopy at 129 Main St. after extensive testimony from applicant representatives and the American Legion; the board asked for an insurance-company review, signage and traffic/safety plans and will reconvene on the matter in March.
A remanded application to install a new fuel canopy at 129 Main Street drew sustained public comment and questions about circulation, deliveries, fire suppression and adjacent property safety before the Development Review Board recessed the matter until March.
Town staff confirmed the application was remanded from the Vermont Superior Court and that updated exhibits were received. Applicant representatives described a redesigned canopy footprint with a single dispenser (a concession from the original submission) and two vehicle-circulation options intended to allow passenger vehicles to maneuver safely, including three-point turns for drivers with trailers. The applicant said the proposed canopy would include lighting, a concrete pad with grooves to capture spills and a fire-suppression system; Tom Frawley said the suppression design meets NFPA 30 and offered a dry-chemical extinguisher as an extra measure.
The American Legion, an abutter represented by Ned Bowen, raised safety concerns tied to delivery trucks, proximity to the building’s fire escape and the potential for spills to run toward the Legion structure. Bowen said the current parking/delivery pattern is chaotic and submitted photographs; he asked that the Legion’s insurance company review the updated plans before any DRB approval. “The existing parking situation is a ‘poop show,’” Bowen said, citing delivery trucks that have parked close to the Legion’s building and fire escape. Counsel for the Legion, Brian Bouchard, said the redesign addresses some circulation problems but urged the board to require an insurance review and specific signage to restrict certain vehicles.
Board members asked about delivery locations, employee responsibilities to assist with maneuvering, the proposed NO TRUCKS/NO DIESEL/NO TRAILERS/NO PARKING signage, and how emergency egress for the Legion would be maintained. The DRB polled members and reached consensus that the Legion’s insurance feedback should be provided to the board; the panel then voted to recess the hearing to the March meeting to allow the insurance review and a refined signage/traffic plan to be submitted. Motion: George Tucker, Jr.; second: John Boehrer. Motion passed unanimously.
