Redding Planning Commission
Redding Center, Connecticut 06875-1028
Site Walk Minutes
Application #513 – Pay Dirt LLC, 52 Mountain Road
Sunday, February 25, 2018, 9:30 a.m.
Attending: Applicant – Bill Deickler, Pay Dirt LLC
For the Redding Planning Commission: Toby Welles, Nancy King, Anda Cumings, Steve Gagnon, Claire Matzke, Regina O’Brien, Chuck Cilo
Several Neighbors.
We observed the installed drainage as called for in the subdivision approval and found most of it already installed except for one or two catch basins and galleries. We observed that there had been digging adjacent to the inboard side of the wall at the road to determine that there were other acceptable ways to collect and infiltrate stormwater runoff without requiring excavation along Mountain Road, originally called for in the approved plan.
We walked up the driveway to a point near the top of the ridge where the applicant seeks to fork off a driveway access to the as-yet undeveloped lot 54. We walked along a staked and flagged line through the woods to the house site on lot 54. This route would require a cut and fill to gradually climb up and over the western shoulder of the exposed ledge at the top of the ridge. Since this route is in close proximity to the front lot, lot 51, and a 10’ setback is required, there is some concern that the filling required could create some intrusion onto Lot 51, either from storm water runoff, or erosion and slump. An adequate plan for preventing this should be part of the submission, and the layout for the common driveway easement width requirements.
The other issue is that this driveway what intrude on the existing ridgeline easement in a portion of its path, extending approximately 15 feet into the southwestern edge of that easement. This being a driveway with little visible intrusion on the land contours above grade, the visual impact on the ridgeline would be negligible. It should be examined whether any blasting would be required to complete this driveway, with a discussion of the impact of such blasting should it be found to be required.
We examined the path of the currently approved driveway, which follows a deep, rocky and steep path to Mountain Road. If the proposed driveway can be made to fit within our regulations, if it can be built without burden on neighboring properties and if the intrusion on the existing ridgeline easement is acceptable, this would be a safer route for access to lot 54 and would also require one fewer curb cut on Mountain Road.
We adjourned at 10:05 a.m.
Toby Welles, Chair – Redding Planning Commission