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07/10/2020 12:00 AMTidal Basin, a new residential complex proposed for 4-6 Indian Neck Road, seeks to change course from a previously-approved plan to build a 34-room hotel and instead construct a 30-unit multi-family building on the 1.2+ acre parcel beside the Branford River. The project is drawing fire from some neighbors who feel the addition of more residents will only compound the increased traffic, congestion and noise generated by the Stony Creek Brewery at 5 Indian Neck Avenue.
The applicant, Edward Crowley of Branford, also owns and operates Stony Creek Brewery. Both the brewery and proposed Tidal Basin development fall within the PZC's 2018-approved Branford River Planned Development District (PDD), which was split off from the now-neighboring Anchor Reef PDD.
As proposed, Tidal Basin's three-story building would top out just under the Branford River PDD's maximum building height of 50 feet. It will incorporate 39 parking spaces in a ground-floor garage constructed to meet requirements of the area's flood plain.
On July 2, Branford's Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) opened a remote public hearing on the matter, which will be continued on Thurs. July 16 at 7 p.m. (visit www.branford-ct.gov to sign on to the meeting). In news related to the neighboring Anchor Reef PDD, also on July 16, the PZC opens a public hearing from applicant Sal Marottoli requesting a modification/master plan amendment of the Anchor Reef PDD to bring in Mariners' Landing, a mixed-used community at 60 Maple Street that would include four buildings with 147 residential units as well as some commercial spaces along the Branford River (see related story).
The first part of the Tidal Basin hearing on July 2 brought in the applicant's team with an overview of the modification proposal before the PZC opened the floor to the public. The PZC also was notified that a petition, signed by 87 area residents opposing the plan, had been received by Town Planner Harry Smith. Smith said he would review petition to determine if enough signers are within the project location threshold required to validate the petition for PZC consideration.
The petition was spearheaded by residents Gia Polio and Pat Dugan. On July 2, Polio expressed concerns about the new plan. She felt a 30-unit building could create as many as 60 additional vehicles in the area, should residents have more than one car.
"That's a lot more traffic," said Polio, who also noted that current traffic conditions at peak times of day already make it difficult enough to enter Indian Neck Avenue at the intersections of residential streets including Harding Avenue and Terhune Avenue.
Polio also asked for clarification on the applicant's traffic study report, prepared by David Sullivan of Milone & MacBroom (Cheshire). The report shows the residential building would create a minimal decrease in the traffic that would have been generated by the hotel.
The report, which also upheld the prior traffic analysis for the hotel as valid, concluded the change from a 34-room hotel to a dwelling of 30 multi-family units will result in a small decrease in peak-hour traffic for residents either coming into the building or traveling out. It showed peak morning hour traffic generating a total of 15 trips vs. the hotel total of 18 trips; and weekday afternoon peak hour residential building traffic generating a total of 18 trips vs. the hotel total of 20.
Dugan said her concern and the concern of many of her neighbors who signed the petition involve increased traffic in a neighborhood that's already experiencing a change in its character due to the operation of the brewery. She said the brewery attracts vehicles, boats on the river and pedestrians to the area, especially during outdoor music events, which also create an "un-neighborly noise level."
"People are concerned about the additional traffic, noise, flooding, density and congestion that already exists here," said Dugan.
She said Crowley already has a significant "footprint" in Indian Neck due to the brewery, and that she is "extremely concerned about his next footprint."
"Turn it down," Dugan asked the PZC. "Enough is enough."
Perry Maresca, chair of the town's Economic Development Commission, spoke in favor of the modification. He noted that the proposal is positive as seen from an economic development standpoint and also pointed out it complies with the area's Transit Oriented Development (TOD) recommendation supporting multi-unit residential dwellings in the vicinity of the train station. Additionally, as noted by Town staff, the Town Center Revitalization and Review Board supports the Tidal Basin application.
Speaking on behalf of the applicant, attorney Meaghan Miles (Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey LLP) addressed public concerns raised during the July 2 public hearing. In addition to discussing the slight decrease in vehicle trips as shown by the traffic study, she noted that the development would allow for a maximum of 39 cars but that its location nearby the town's commuter train station will assist with decreased parking demand and vehicle use by residents.
With regard to noise concerns, Miles said the comments underscore the site should be developed for residential rather than commercial use.
"I understand that there's concerns about the brewery and events," said Miles. "This is not a brewery. Residential use is the quietest use that could be implemented."
Miles also addressed concerns raised by others who spoke during the public hearing regarding the area's flood plain. She noted the plan has to comply with the town's flood ordinances and that the building uses a "flood resilience design" which includes ground floor parking; with residential units lifted to start a floor above parking.
Regarding pedestrian safety, Miles said the design would incorporate a plan that was approved with hotel with a crosswalk from the proposed building which includes signage and a flashing beacon; but will further comply with the Town staff recommendation to add another flashing beacon/crosswalk for pedestrian traffic on Indian Neck Avenue where pedestrians cross at the brewery's overflow parking lot. Miles said adding the two pedestrian cross walks and beacons will also help to "significantly slow down traffic" in the area.
The Proposed Plan
According to the Tidal Basin application, modifications are being sought to the existing PDD master plan to allow for the residential building based on the results of a feasibility study conducted after the hotel use was approved. According Zoning Staff comments on the master plan, the applicant's study found that "...the previously approved hotel use for this parcel was not supported by the current market demand."
Both the applicant's team and the Zoning Staff, represented by Town Planner Harry Smith, told the PZC on July 2 that the changes being requested for the new use were minimal. The proposed residential building has been designed by architect Joseph Sepot (Branford) who also designed the brewery facility.
Tidal Basin's plans call for a single building with a mix of six two-bedroom units (average size, 1,248 square feet), 18 one-bedroom units (828 square feet each) and six studio units (650 square feet per unit). The modified plan calls for a building of 39,638 square feet, while the approved hotel building was 34,200 square feet with another 4,820 square feet to be used for an open space deck. Like the approved hotel, it would rise three stories above an ground-floor parking and lobby space, with a total building height of 49.5 feet. The permitted maximum building height in the Branford River PDD is 50 feet.
The completed development would provide public coastal access, as had been previously approved for the hotel. That includes granting the Town a 10-foot wide public access right of way from Indian Neck Avenue to the mean high water line, and a contribution from Tidal Basin of $25,00 toward the construction of a proposed pedestrian boardwalk along the river. Plans for the boardwalk are currently under review by the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Additionally, following a discussion raised by PZC chair Chuck Andres on July 2 regarding the goal of consistently addressing the need for affordable housing when reviewing development applications, the applicant's team described the difficulty involved with managing the few affordable housing units that could reasonably be incorporated in this type of development. The applicant's representatives indicated the applicant would be in favor of a fee-in-lieu option; which would result in $5,000 contributed by the applicant towards a fund dedicated to affordable housing or as a contribution towards the development of an affordable housing plan.