ZONING
COMMISSION
P.O.
BOX 308
MAY
21, 2007
TOWN
HALL
- 7:00 p.m.
I.
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman
Robert Martin called the regular meeting to order at 7:04 p.m. Members Jill Conklin, Ray Hafford,
Robert Martin, and Alternate Member Daniel Fraro (seated for Anita Calder) were
present and constituted a quorum.
Patrice Carson, Town Planner was also present.
II.
INTERVIEW DESIGN REVIEW BOARD CANDIDATES
– There were none.
III.
MINUTES APPROVAL
A
motion was made by Jill Conklin, seconded by Ray Hafford and unanimously voted
to approve the minutes of the May 7, 2007 meetings as
written.
IV. OLD
BUSINESS
a.
Site Plan Application for Somers Crossing Phase II, 87 South Road, Somers
Crossing, LLC
Staff
met with the applicant and his representatives today and Mrs. Carson gave a
summary of what was discussed. She
noted that she has heard from residents living near Somers Crossing who are
planning to walk to the site and requested that adequate walkways and sidewalks
are provided. The applicant has
been made aware of this and is willing to accommodate
this.
The
offices and businesses will be designed in a colonial style. No box style buildings will be
included.
The
applicant will be meeting with the Planning Commission this Thursday night, May
24. They will be coming before this
Zoning Commission again at the end of June.
b.
Other
– There was no other Old Business.
V.
NEW BUSINESS
A
motion was made by Jill Conklin, seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously voted to
take Item c, New Business, out of order.
c.
Special Use Permit Application for Home Occupation for Computer Repair
& IT Business, 7 School Street,
Diakostavrianos
Applicant
Nick Diakostavrianos explained that he currently has a business in town on South
Road. He is going to be closing up
the shop and is applying to have his office out of his home. Since his business involves mainly
service calls out of his home, he is not expecting to have customers coming to
his home. He does not expect to
have any employees. He does have
space for a few cars, but doesn’t anticipate using them. He would like to have a sign and will be
contacting the Zoning Enforcement Officer to discuss the
requirements.
The
residence is a raised cape style.
Mr. Diakostavrianos presented a floor plan showing the home
office.
A
motion was made by Jill Conklin, seconded by Dan Fraro, and unanimously voted to
accept Diakostavrianos’ Special Use Permit application for a home occupation for
a computer repair and IT Business at 7 School Street, refer it to the Planning
Commission, and set a public hearing for Monday, June 4, 2007 beginning at
7:00pm in the Town Hall.
a.
Special Use Permit Application for Gravel Bank, 164 Hampden Road, Grower
Direct Farms
The
Commission reviewed plans for Grower Direct’s application to renew their Special
Use Permit for gravel operations.
He is proposing to continue to remove gravel from the site so as to
create a suitable growing area.
b.
Special Use Permit Application for Gravel Bank, Stafford/Root/Wood Roads,
Wood Gravel Operation, LLC
Mrs.
Carson described this site and noted that the bank on the north side has
currently been hydro-seeded. She
has not received any comments from the neighbors regarding the
site.
A
motion was made by Jill Conklin, seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously voted to
accept Grower Direct’s Special Use Permit application for a gravel bank at 164
Hampden Road, and accept Wood Gravel Operation, LLC’s Special Use Permit
application for a gravel bank at Stafford/Root/Wood Roads, refer them to the
Planning Commission, and set a public hearing for Monday, June 4, 2007 beginning
at 7:00pm in the Town Hall.
d.
Other
A
motion was made by Jill Conklin, seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously voted to
add Site
Plan Application for Change of Use from Photography Studio to Gift Shop, 102
Main Street, Danielle
under New Business Other.
Mrs.
Carson explained that she is seeking the Commissioners’ input as to whether or
not they would like this application to be handled before the Zoning Commission
or in-house by staff. The applicant
is seeking to open an antique, gift shop, photo shop where the photography
studio used to be at 102 Main Street.
The shop will be 540 square feet.
Since
the usage of the site will be for a retail business of a similar nature to the
previous shop at the site, it was the consensus of the Zoning Commission that
the application be taken care of in-house by staff.
VI.
DISCUSSION: PLAN OF
CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Mrs.
Carson received notice of the presentation of CRCOG’s model farm friendly
regulation project on June 27, 2007 at Bloomfield Town Hall and also on July 11,
2007 at Ellington Town Hall. She
highly recommended that the Commissioners attend one of these presentations and
give their input.
Mrs.
Carson reminded the Commissioners of the public hearing on Thursday, May 31,
2007 at the Somersville Grammar School regarding Somersville Center. She also presented a preliminary draft
of the regulations for the Center which need to be completed by the August
moratorium deadline and asked that the Commissioners review it and give her
comments and feedback.
VII.
STAFF/COMMISSIONER REPORTS
The
Commission reviewed Zoning Enforcement Officer Joy O’Connor’s letters since the
last meeting.
Mrs.
Carson explained that Pleasant View Farms came into the Land Use Office to ask
about the requirement of a permit to sell ice cream at their farm. She noted that they have a café permit
for beer, a restaurant permit, and have been selling hot dogs, ice cream and
other foods out of their building.
Therefore, she doesn’t think that they would need an additional permit to
sell ice cream out of the same building.
If they were seeking to put up an additional building, then they would
need a new permit. The Commission
agreed.
Dan
Fraro went to the Land Use Academy Class 1 of 3 sponsored by UConn and explained
that it was very good. It was
informative and explained how helpful the Commission is for the community as a
whole. He shared a copy of a
handout he received from a slide show.
Mrs. Carson will make copies for everyone.
VIII.
CORRESPONDENCE AND BILLS
A
bill was presented from the Journal Inquirer in the amount of $173.14 for the
public hearing on April 16, 2007. A
motion was made by Jill Conklin, seconded by Dan Fraro and unanimously voted to
pay the bill.
A
motion was made by Ray Hafford, seconded by Jill Conklin and unanimously voted
to adjourn the May 21, 2007 Zoning Commission meeting at 8:15
p.m.
Respectfully
submitted,
Wesley
Smith, Secretary
Robin Timmons, Recording Secretary
MINUTES ARE NOT OFFICIAL
UNTIL APPROVAL AT A SUBSEQUENT
MEETING.