Norwich ― The city Planning Commission gave a lukewarm favorable recommendation to the City Council Tuesday on the proposed second business park in Occum, voting 3-2 to say the plan complies with the city’s plan of development.

But some commission members and an outside consultant hired to provide an impartial review of the plan proposed by the Norwich Community Development Corp. said it should be modified to address specific deficiencies.

The City Council serves as the zoning board and will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Kelly Middle School on the proposed zone change to create the Business Master Plan District for the 384 acres.

NCDC has a purchase option for the 17 parcels on Canterbury Turnpike, Lawler Lane, Route 97 and Interstate 395 in Occum for the purchase price of $3.55 million. The property, including the former Tarryk and Doolittle farms, had been proposed for a golf course resort but that plan fell through in the early 2000s.

Consultant Donald Poland told the commission he found the zone change application and accompanying master development plan about “90% there,” but questions remain about building heights, buffers for residential properties and how the parcels would be developed.

The application by NCDC described the future business park as a “common interest community,” owned by an association, similar to condominiums. But commission members asked if it should be considered a subdivision, especially since a proposed major access road off I-395 Exit 18 would effectively divide the property.

Poland recommended city officials ask NCDC for a sample or draft “common interest community declaration” to explain how it would be organized and how parcels divided by the public road could still be considered contiguous.

NCDC attorney Mark Block said the proposed common interest community would give the agency flexibility with future proposed development on specific parcels, since the master plan layout is conceptual. Block said a declaration statement would be premature at this point.

Commission member Kathy Warzecha expressed the strongest objections to sending a favorable recommendation to the City Council. She asked, unsuccessfully, to table the review and ask for more information from NCDC. Commissioner Ella Myles agreed.

But three other members said the questions and “ambiguities” should be handled by the City Council which acts as the zoning board. The council in 2021 approved zoning regulations for the Business Master Plan District, and commission member P. Michael Lahan said those regulations cannot be changed for an application that is submitted already.

Nearly 100 residents attended a neighborhood meeting last week hosted by NCDC at the Norwich Worship Center on Lawler Lane to learn about the project. Most speakers objected to the development saying it is incompatible with the rural residential area.

“Based on the existing commercial zoning, the proposed BMPD zone and the overall layout of the Master Plan, it appears that compatibility with neighboring land uses can be achieved,” Poland wrote in his 13-page report to the City Council and planning commission. “However, the Master Plan needs to give greater attention to ‘buffer areas’ in locations proximate to residential uses.”

The motion approved Tuesday stated the commission “strongly urges the City Council to review more carefully the Regulations of Section 3.11 (on the Business Master Plan District) to make more clear requirements of the Master Plan that are ambiguous such as signage, lighting, parking, etc.”

c.bessette@theday.com