By Sarah Opdahl

On Tuesday, January 13, New Fairfield’s Permanent Building Committee (PBC) discussed and advanced plans for the bus lot that is contemplated for 302 Ball Pond Road. As they ready documents to enter the Zoning Commission’s approval process, the design team is simultaneously preparing materials for bidding, as they plan to expediently move forward following possible approval.

Having discussed the bus lot informally at a recent Zoning Commission meeting, the PBC has a good idea of what the members are seeking, including a two-way entrance/exit at the north side and an exit only on the south, which helps to relieve fears that the neighbors on Ball Pond Road had of excessive traffic and headlights across from their homes. The design is essentially the one proposed by the engineer, Mr. Ben Doto, who conducted the feasibility study last year, combined with elements of the original design. PBC Chair Mr. Don Kellogg said, “I thought it was a very fruitful discussion with the Zoning Commission. They expressed a desire to see something that took up a little less of the green space. So we are going to take what we have learned from the Ben Doto [design]…and kind of merge it with  one of the previous versions of the site layout.”

It was acknowledged that there is still a good amount of work to be done to prepare the documents before submitting them to Zoning, especially since the design team would like to ask Town Engineer Tony Iadorala’s to complete a full review by the time of submission.

There were a handful of questions regarding that design, with PBC members learning that the elimination of some parking lot islands is not possible due to lighting requirements in the lot’s particular zone, which have 12-foot maximums. In addition, there were questions surrounding adding genders to the bus depot’s restrooms and whether or not both bathrooms need be accessible. The soil on the lot was briefly discussed and it was explained that everything on the site is deemed “clean” and that the hope is to not need to haul any fill on or off the site.

Colliers International’s Mr. Mark Schweitzer relayed the news that there is some movement on the legal issues surrounding the elementary school’s playground failures. He said that all information was provided to the town attorney for review, so “we’ll be looking to set up a meeting with the town attorney and town [officials] probably as soon as next week.”

There was some pushback from PBC members regarding structural charges that were submitted by JCJ Architecture to ready documents for the Zoning Commission. Kellogg asked, “The building hasn’t changed, except for the one water closet, which does not have a structural impact, correct? So, I don’t understand why they are trying to get additional structural (costs)  here.” To which Schweitzer replied, “Part of it is escalation.” Kellogg asked that the original contract be pulled for review, “the building has not changed from the original design, and so we have paid for the structural design on that, in my head, unless it is proven otherwise…I don’t buy that we didn’t buy it already.”

Schweitzer shared that there is work ongoing to close out both school projects with the state. For the high school “we have the FF and E [Furnishings, Fixtures, and Equipment] booklets and the majority of the closeout documents for the school, at least electronically. We need to get them paper, the paper closeout documents.” Colliers is gathering the as builts, which will be reviewed by both the design team and O&G before being submitted to Iadarola for review.

The next regular New Fairfield Permanent Building Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, January 24, 7:30 p.m.