The Norwich Development Review Board recently denied the application of Tiny Seeds Village LLC to repurpose a residence and pool house into kindergarten and daycare facility. The property is located at 251 Route 5 North, with secondary access from Goodrich Four Corners Road. The parcel’s size is approximately 23 acres.
My layman’s reading of the DRB decision is that the Board’s denial was primarily based on shortcomings in the proposal with respect to parking and traffic circulation. The Board also noted problems with ADA access.
The applicant proposed using the main floor of the residence for a Montessori “Preschool and Kindergarten program with up to 35 children and 8 staff members,” said the July Project Proposal in the DRB packet. Also, the applicant wanted to use the pool house as a “Child Day Care center with up to 30 children and 8 staff members.” In addition, the lower level of the residence would serve as a residence for a Montessori staff member and family. Pictures of the property are on Zillow.
In a letter supporting the application, counsel for the applicant noted the “high community demand for day care and schooling opportunities in the current COVID-19 world.”
The decision in this matter is technical, tracking the criteria for site plan and conditional use review in the zoning regulations. I asked Planning and Zoning Director Rod Francis, who provides advice and support to the DRB, if he would like to summarize or comment on the decision for my blog. His email reply said: “The decision is that of the DRB, I have no further comment.”
As noted above, my reading of the decision is that the applicant failed to meet site plan review standards regarding parking, traffic circulation and ADA access.
In addition, the decision observes a failure to provide information.”No review of the development application has been conducted by the Norwich fire or police department,” says numbered paragraph 27. “No copies of the Fire Marshal review were submitted with the amended application. No request for a sign permit was included in this amended application.”
I don’t know why the applicant failed to provide needed information or why the DRB did not hold the case open pending receipt.
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