Town of Bennington Planning Commission MINUTES July 25, 2001 5:00 p.m. Town Office Building 205 South Street, Bennington, Vermont 05201 Members Present: Barry Horst - Chair, Bob Burgess - Clerk, Michael McDonough, Sharon Yorke Also Present: Dan Monks, Zoning Administrator Jim Sullivan, BCRC Transportation Planner The meeting was called to order at 5:00 p.m. Northside Drive Traffic Congestion - Jim Sullivan, BCRC Transportation Planner, was present to discuss Northside Drive Traffic Congestion issues with the Planning Commission. Jim Sullivan noted that the Agency of Transportation was not accepting recommendations for any new projects. He suggested that the Town could apply for a Planning Grant from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development to study the Northside Drive Corridor. Based on the results of the study the Town could then apply for an Enhancement Grant from the Agency of Transportation. The Planning Commission then discussed specific concerns regarding access to the Monument Plaza. The Planning Commission agreed that the following steps should be taken: 1) The Town (through the Zoning Administrator) should work closely with the Act 250 District Coordinator, Warren Foster, to ensure that the Development of the plaza complies with all conditions imposed by Act 250 regarding traffic congestion, especially traffic light sequencing/timing. In addition, the Town (through the Zoning Administrator) will work with the Agency of Transportation officials to optimize signal timing on Northside Drive. 2) The Town (through the Zoning Administrator) should contact the Developer of the plaza to discuss access issues, including the Developer's thoughts for improving the problem, and review the Developers initial plan to build a fourth leg at the Route 67A/7A intersection accessing the plaza. 3) The Planning Commission will urge the Development Review Board to review carefully all curb cuts (new or modified) in the Northside Drive corridor. The Zoning Administrator will notify the Planning Commission of all new and modified curb cuts on Northside Drive so that the Planning Commission may offer its comments to the Development Review Board. 4) The Planning Commission will work with Burn Rock, Inc., the consultant working on the Town Bylaw Revision project, to incorporate additional access management techniques in the Zoning Bylaw. 5) The Planning Commission (through the Zoning Administrator) will prepare an application for a FY 2002 Municipal Planning Grant for a study of Northside Drive Traffic Congestion and pedestrian traffic issues from the 67A/7A intersection to Benmont Avenue (where the current Agency of Transportation study terminates). The Planning Commission, by consensus, also agreed to advocate strongly for an additional access point to the Monument Plaza at the Route 67A/7A intersection. The Planning Commission, by consensus, asked the Zoning Administrator to advise the Select Board of its plan of action regarding the Northside Drive Congestion issues. Pedestrian Access in Kocher Drive/Northside Drive/Route 7 Area - The Zoning Administrator discussed a proposal from an Agency of Transportation consultant regarding pedestrian access in the Kocher Drive/Northside Drive/Route 7 area. The Agency of Transportation Consultant is working on a study of the Benmont Avenue to Park Street corridor. The proposal contained two alternatives for pedestrian access - one that involved a sidewalk along Kocher and Northside Drive and one that involved a pedestrian route along Lover's Lane and Memory Lane. The Planning Commission unanimously endorsed the alternative that involved sidewalks along Northside Drive/Kocher Drive. The Planning Commission believed that this alternative was most likely to be used because it provided the most direct access to businesses in the area. The meeting was adjourned at approximately 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Daniel W. Monks Zoning Administrator K:\Building & Zoning\Dan\Planning Commission\MINUTES\2001\07-25-01 Minutes.wpd