DRB approves final plan for 67 Lincoln Street, allows lot-coverage waiver to 70.4%

The Essex Junction Development Review Board on Nov. 20 approved the final site plan for 67 Lincoln Street and granted a conditional lot-coverage waiver allowing up to 70.04% coverage, the board’s staff said. The approval was contingent on applicants submitting lighting cut sheets, a landscaping plan consistent with state guidance, and a sewer allocation request with fees before the zoning permit is issued.

Nick Daley, a member of Lincoln Street Station LLC and the project applicant, described the work as interior renovations and reconfiguration of an unused commercial space. He said the project would add two residential apartments and split remaining commercial space into two units: "to renovate that existing empty space into 2 additional residential apartments, and then splitting the remaining commercial space into 2 separate commercial units for a total of 5 residential apartments, 2 commercial spaces upon 1 commercial space upon completion." City staff told the board the applicant’s site-plan updates addressed outstanding comments in the packet.

Staff explained the waiver request arose because the property already had 67.7% lot coverage — over the MFMU-2 district maximum of 65% — and the proposed relocation of a shed (230 sq ft) onto the parcel and a new 126 sq ft walkway increased coverage. Staff recommended a narrowly tailored waiver: "to grant the applicants their requested waiver, increasing the proposed lot coverage to 70.04%." The staff recommendation said the waiver should be recorded and the applicants must revise their zoning-permit application to reflect that specific increase before permit issuance.

The board’s final approval included several written conditions read into the record: all staff comments must be addressed to staff’s satisfaction; applicants must submit manufacturer cut sheets or similar technical specifications to confirm light fixtures comply with section 7.04 of the local development code (LDC) and dark-sky requirements; new landscaping must meet the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry guidance cited in section 7.19(f) of the LDC; and applicants must submit a sewer allocation request and pay applicable fees prior to issuance of a zoning permit. Staff said the lot-coverage condition and the findings will be recorded in the minutes.

John Alden, chair of the DRB who did not attend, submitted written comments read by staff emphasizing adherence to limits on waivers and the need for a planting plan; his written comment included: "Kicking the can down the road is the 1st step to not doing anything." The board voted to approve both conceptual and final plans in separate motions that passed on voice votes.

Next steps: applicants must update the zoning-permit paperwork to reflect the higher lot coverage and provide the specified documentation for staff review before a permit will be issued. The board recorded the conditions and the waiver in its meeting minutes.