Danbury Planning Commission Meeting Summary - January 7, 2026
Danbury Planning Commission Meeting Summary - January 7, 2026
The Danbury Planning Commission held a virtual meeting on January 7, 2026, with a quorum of Chairman Arnold Finaldi Jr., Vice Chairman Bob Kyokio, and Commissioner Helen Hofstetter. The agenda included the acceptance of previous minutes, a continued public hearing for a residential development at Ridgetop, and a series of statutory referrals regarding a lease renewal, a water main extension, a utility easement condemnation, and a zoning amendment for self-storage in the CG20 district. The commission voted to continue the major public hearing and issued one positive referral for the zoning amendment petition.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of December 3, 2025, were accepted unanimously.
- The commission noted the scheduled date for the next regular meeting as January 21, 2026.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Steve Sullivan (Haley Ward): Expressed full support for the BRT Sconset LLC application to amend the Ridgetop cluster development. Mr. Sullivan presented the engineering proposal, emphasizing that the project generates less than 3% of existing peak hour traffic, utilizes underground stormwater attenuation systems, increases conservation easement area to 61.4% of the property, and maintains the traditional character of the neighborhood. He stated the traffic analysis by VHB is positive and that sight line vegetation trimming is the recommended maintenance action.
- Mara Newell (72 Architects): Expressed full support for the project, stating the architectural goal is to co-ordinate and complement existing buildings with varied traditional New England styles to ensure a "family of buildings" rather than identical copies.
- Commissioner Bob Kyokio: Expressed concern regarding the retrofitting nature of the Salem Plaza self-storage petition, noting that self-storage facilities typically bring truck traffic and heavy moving equipment not originally intended for commercial office spaces, and questioned if the existing building design supports such use.
- Commissioner Helen Hofstetter: Expressed strong opposition to the zoning amendment for self-storage in the CG20 district. Ms. Hofstetter argued that the petition runs counter to the commission's recent policy decision to restrict self-storage inventory due to overabundance in the city, stating that allowing it via text amendment for a single site sends a mixed message and appears to be a localized request rather than a necessary general policy change.
- Commissioner Waleed (Planning Director): Expressed a neutral but concerned position, noting the complexity of the self-storage petition and the tension between the city's previous goal to limit self-storage and this specific request. He stated the staff would not stand against the application but would not fully endorse it due to the risks of unintended consequences, suggesting the commission consider adding more conditions to limit the scope.
- Commissioner Arnold Finaldi: Expressed opposition to the self-storage text amendment, stating that zoning should not be used as a general rule to benefit a single specific piece of land, especially when it reverses a recent policy shift, and indicated a likely vote for a negative referral.
Discussion Items
- Ridgetop (BRT Sconset LLC) - Revised Special Exception: The commission discussed the proposed addition of 12 small homes on Damien Drive. Staff noted that the hearing remains open pending the submission of a required environmental analysis and final planning staff report, specifically regarding the adequacy of proposed pedestrian walkways versus sidewalk requirements under section 4A6. The applicant acknowledged the need to address the sidewalk issue and provide an updated traffic/grading analysis. The commission determined the hearing could not close due to missing documentation regarding the Department of Health and Human Services review.
- Salem Plaza LLC - Zoning Amendment (83A Referral): The commission deliberated on a petition to amend the CG20 district to allow up to 15% self-storage in existing warehouses on lots of 5+ acres. Discussion focused on the counter-intuitive nature of the request following a recent amendment to limit self-storage in industrial zones. Concerns were raised about the potential for this localized amendment to set a precedent or inadvertently apply to other properties (e.g., Federal Road), and the philosophical objection to granting a text amendment for a single site. The chair emphasized the lack of consistency with the city's conservation and development plan regarding self-storage.
Key Outcomes
- Ridgetop Application: Motion to continue the public hearing to the January 21, 2026 meeting was passed unanimously (Aye). The commission is awaiting the environmental analysis, final staff report, and resolution of the sidewalk/pedestrian walkway compliance before proceeding.
- 824 Referral (Duck Pin Bowling): Unanimous positive referral granted for the five-year lease renewal for Danbury Duck Pin Bowling Lanes, subject to Corporation Council approval.
- 824 Referral (Water Main Extension): Unanimous positive referral granted for the water main extension at 68 Morgan Avenue, subject to standard DPW language and Corporation Council approval.
- 824 Referral (Utility Easement Condemnation): Unanimous positive referral granted for the condemnation of a utility easement on Lombardy Street to facilitate water main installation for 1875 Development LLC, subject to Corporation Council approval.
- 83A Referral (Salem Plaza Self-Storage): Unanimous negative referral granted. The commission voted against the request, citing the inconsistency with the recent policy to limit self-storage facilities and the inappropriateness of using a text amendment to resolve a single-site issue. Motion made by Ms. Hofstetter, seconded by Mr. Kyokio. The meeting was adjourned with a suggestion to schedule a workshop with city legal counsel for the commission upon the addition of new members.
Meeting Transcript
You and welcome everyone to the January 7th, 2026 meeting of the Danbury Planning Commission. I will open with the roll call, Mr. Kyokio. I think you muted, Bob. You're still muted. I see you, and I see your I see your lips moving. I know you're not. How's that? Better. Yes, there you go. All right. He's here. Thank you. Miss Hof Setter. And uh we uh believe it or not, uh, ladies and gentlemen, we have no other regular members or uh alternates at this time. So it's Chairman Finaldi, uh, Mr. Kyokio and Miss Hofstetter. We do let the record show we do have a quorum. Um I'll open with the Zoom introduction. This meeting of the Danbury Planning Commission is being held on Zoom as a virtual meeting, even though this meeting is a virtual meeting. Members of the public and interested parties continue to have the opportunity to participate in the meeting in a couple of different ways. You can participate via Zoom and see the audio and the video, or you can call in by phone and participate via audio only. Please be aware that we may have to mute your microphone or telephone to avoid an echo or some other background noise. Instructions on how to participate in the meeting appear on the City of Danbury website, and all of the documents and materials that apply to the matters to be discussed during this meeting, including the agenda, are also available on the City of Danbury website. As always, if you have any questions regarding how to participate in the meeting, please contact the City of Danbury Planning and Zoning Department as a reminder. The entire meeting will be posted on and can be seen on the City of Danbury website. We will follow the posted agenda for standard practice. If prior to the meeting, any questions or comments on agenda items were submitted via email to the planning and zoning department. Those comments will be read during the appropriate portion of the meeting. Finally, please remember that technology glitches sometimes do occur. Please be patient if that happens. Um the first item on our agenda is acceptance of the minutes of December 3rd, 2025. Unless there's any discussion or corrections, I'll entertain a motion to accept those minutes. Mr. Chairman, so moved. Thank you, Helen. Second. Second by Mr. Kyokio. Any discussion? All in favor, please say aye. Aye. Opposed. The minutes are accepted. Let the record show that our next regular meeting will be scheduled for January 21st, 2026. Also, the um previously submitted application uh for MSM 44 Old Ridgebury Road LLC has been withdrawn. Uh, as shown on the agenda, it was withdrawn on October 21st, 2025. If anyone was tuning in this evening uh to hear um any testimony or anything else on that particular application, again, it has been withdrawn. MSM 44 Old Bridgebury Road LLC. We do have one new public hearing on our agenda this evening.
openpublica.com