On Tuesday the Greenwich Planning & Zoning commission discussed an application from Toyota at 75 East Putnam Ave to alter and add to an existing non-conforming use.
The car building for the dealership and repair service was built in 1971.
While Toyota is legally non conforming in their use, they are not allowed to expand that non conformity, though they are within their allowed FAR.
The property is partly in the “P Zone: (P for parking) in the back – a zone the commission has eliminated – and LB (local business) zone in front.
P&Z commission chair Margarita Alban suggested the lots be merged to be entirely in the LB zone.
On Zoom for the applicant were Clint Steen and architect Andreas Stresemann.
Eric Brower represented the applicant and shared a bit of history. He noted the operation was founded 50 years ago by Mr. Steen’s father.
“They have been responsive to neighbor concerns in terms of screening and lighting,” Brower said, adding that four or five years earlier Mr. Steen spent $15,200 on fence replacing, repairs and landscaping to help with screening and turned the existing lights to a different angle to be less visible to neighbors.
“He wants to be a good neighbor,” Brower said. “We’re all heading in the right direction in terms of making the neighborhood friendly.”
The front exterior is proposed to have an updated façade in keeping with current Toyota design standards. Rendering, Granoff Architects.
“This application is being driven by Toyota,” Brower continued. “These are things the manufacturer is driving to provide a better customer experience.”
The proposal is for a 1150 sq ft addition to the front right corner of the existing building to accommodate interior renovations and improvements to the customer waiting area, rest rooms, break room and sales areas. They also propose an enclosed service drop off area of 840 sq ft added to the left side of the building.
Today, customers arriving for service are outside in the driveway, even in the rain or hot weather.
There are no plans to increase the number of service bays.
Today a second story mezzanine level is used for conference rooms and storage, but after the reconfiguration of the first floor, some of the back office functions would be relocated to this area.
“We have been very particular about intensification and expansion of non-conformity. We are very much reliant on case law,” Ms Alban warned.
The P&Z chair said there had been complaints about the fake turf in front of Toyota on East Putnam Ave. Oct 20, 2024 Photo: Leslie Yager
Also, she said, “The whole neighborhood dislikes that green turf thing in front.”
“We have residents on the street behind you, on Sachem Lane, who are kept awake by your lighting and have to have black out shades when you turn them on in the winter,” Alban added.
The lights are for security, to protect the car inventory.
“It is great that you’re going to do a facelift and modernize. That sounds exciting. Our experience with car dealerships in the past is there is significant pressure from the mother ship on their standards. Our most significant one was the Lexus application over on Old Track. It was a huge facility because that was the model at the time.”
Back in 2011, Lexus of Greenwich proposed to demolish vehicle storage on Old Track Rd and construct a service center with 24 service bays.
During public comment, Cos Cob resident James Walsh noted the security lights intruded on homes on Cross Lane and Sachem Lane.
“If you walk those streets at night, especially in the winter, you’ll notice that the light intrudes into the upper floors of the homes,” Walsh said.
“Another neighbor was talking about the speaker/intercom system. I don’t know if there is a way … that sound doesn’t bleed into the back yards of those on Cross Lane all day long. I don’t know if it comes under the noise ordinance, but it is kind of an annoyance and irritation.”
Ms Alban told Mr. Steen that, “It will be huge for how the neighborhood perceives you when you are going forward with those changes because it will be so positive in Cos Cob.”
“I’ve been hearing from the neighbors for 20 years,” Alban added.
Mr. Steen said he was unaware there was an issue and would “do whatever it takes to figure it out.”
Ms Alban noted the architect, Mr. Stresemann, was familiar with the town’s new lighting regulations and would help with “getting something non-intrusive that keeps the inventory safe.”
The discussion concluded and the applicants will next be scheduled to appear before the Architectural Review Committee.
75 East Putnam Ave within blue lines.
