By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Less than a week ago was the first time some planning board members saw the paperwork involved in an application for a Dollar General to be built in Naples.

On the evening of the meeting, the company presenting the plans altered the building sketch by adding details that had been mentioned by citizens. Those included real windows instead of faux shutters and a cupola on the rooftop.

On Tuesday, the Naples Planning Board tabled the major site plan application submitted by Dollar General to develop one of its stores on the property between Gary’s Olde Towne Tavern and Moose Landing Marina. Dan Craffey owns that unpaved piece of land that Dollar General is seeking to develop. He was not present at the planning board meeting.

Main-Land Development Consultants President and Senior Chief Engineer Bob Berry presented the plan as it was laid out in the application. He highlighted some of the changes.

“We are making some concessions,” Berry began. “Originally, we were doing faux shutters. But people said they’d like windows so people can see into the store. They said, ‘Please dress up the wall toward Gary’s.’ We added a cupola on the top of the roof to break up the appearance of a square building. A standard Dollar General building would be metal. This is a far separation from that. The siding is made to look like wood. It’s called Hardie board. It holds paint better than wood over the years.”

Board members cited not having enough time to digest the application, and wanting to do a site walk to really see the orientation of the plan and to have other questions answered.

The entrance off Route 302 was of some concern. Limiting it to one curb cut was suggested since that area is busy. Lighting was another issue that worried abutters and was brought up by board members.

One representative said the store will close at 9 p.m. and the lighting would dim to 50 percent at closing and shut off an hour after closing, or by 10 p.m.

Berry presented a plan with the parking toward the street to appease neighbors. He did know there was an ordinance, directing developers to place parking away from Route 302 and possibly behind business.

“I did talk to some people. Two abutters asked, ‘Where is the parking lot? Will it be visible?’ They like the idea that parking lot away from them, toward Route 302,” Berry said. “Despite the ordinance, we thought that was a better layout of this site.”

Planning Board member Jenn Leeman spoke up, saying she wanted to address the elephant in the room. 

“I would not feel comfortable making a decision on this application at this point. I would like to have legal weigh in: What is a complete application versus an application handed in? Whether or not we can make a decision that it’s complete,” Leeman said.

Planning Board member Martina Witts agreed.

“I don’t think any of us are prepared to make a decision,” Witts said. “We have had this paperwork for six days, and now we are seeing a different [sketch of the exterior]”

Leeman was concerned about the parking lot layout that defies the town ordinance.

“If the parking lot goes against ordinance — we don’t have the power to grant something that’s against ordinance regardless if the neighbors like it or not,” she said.

Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Kate Matthews said that request does not rule out reviewing the application. 

“It should be considered. We don’t have the authority to approve it. We have standards for a reason,” she said.

Planning Board member Marty Zartarian asked about scheduling a site walk first.

“I request a site walk to have a feeling for what it will do for abutters and what the property lines are all about,” he said.

Also, Zartarian asked Berry for a breakdown of how much of the footprint is pavement versus the building.

Witts asked that the landscaping plan be converted from gallon buckets to the height of plants to match Naples’ ordinance.

“Will these landscaping areas be landscaped with mulch and maintained by a gardening service? Or do they just plop it in there and hope for the best,” Witts asked.

Berry said he wasn’t sure about the landscaping, and said he would find out

“Having read the phosphorous analysis, I am going to ask for a third-party review,” she said. “There is a lot going on. This is Brandy Pond and Long Lake.”