Danbury Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting – July 9, 2026

The Danbury Zoning Board of Appeals convened at 7:00 PM on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in City Council Chambers at 155 Deer Hill Avenue. Chairman Juan Reeves presided. The board unanimously approved minutes from the May 28, 2026 meeting. Three applications were addressed: a variance for solar array landscaping (26-10), a variance for a residential addition (26-11), and a continued variance for a flashing sign (26-09). All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• Unanimous approval of meeting minutes from May 28, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public spoke in favor or opposition for any application.

Discussion Items

• Application 26-10 – 65 Sandpit Road (ELC Energy Solutions): Douglas McLaughlin requested a variance from Zoning Section 8C3B1 to eliminate the requirement for at least one tree per parking lot island to accommodate a solar array carport. He proposed removing both trees from four of eight islands and trimming/pruning trees on two other islands, maintaining a total of eight Bradford pear trees. The fire marshal required a 10-foot clear perimeter around the arrays. Board members asked about trimming versus removal on certain islands; the applicant could not answer immediately due to the absence of the design engineer. No public comment.
• Application 26-11 – 9 Bronson Road (aka 2 Baxter Drive): Alex Bellina, representing the Bonastales, requested a rear yard variance (from 35 feet to 20.1 feet) and an increase in maximum building coverage (from 20% to 20.7%) to construct a 640-square-foot addition connecting the existing house to a detached garage. The existing garage is structurally unsound, and the lot is legally non-conforming and undersized. The addition would include a first-floor garage and a second-floor playroom. Letters of support from two neighbors were submitted. Board members asked about square footage and future plans; the applicant confirmed no further expansion is planned.
• Application 26-09 – 70 Newtown Road (ShopRite Singhari Family Markets) – Continued from May 28, 2026: Russ Hasman of National Sign Corporation and Joe Singhari presented a variance for a pylon sign with a message center that changes content at intervals of no less than 2.5 minutes (sections 8E5B and 8E6D). At the previous hearing, board members observed that the existing sign at the Padanaram store had a message hold of about 15 seconds instead of the approved 2.5 minutes. Mr. Hasman reported that the hold time was corrected to 3 minutes the next day due to software limitations, and new software will allow the exact 2.5-minute interval. Administrative password locks will prevent unauthorized changes. Mr. Singhari apologized and committed to compliance. Board member Keegan Williamson requested affidavits from the owners to ensure compliance at both stores.

Key Outcomes

• Application 26-10 (65 Sandpit Road): Motion to approve the variance under Section 8C3B1 to eliminate landscape requirements for parking island trees for the solar array carport. The board found the variance is the minimum necessary and will not adversely affect public health, safety, and welfare. Motion passed unanimously.
• Application 26-11 (9 Bronson Road): Motion to approve variances to increase maximum building coverage from 20% to 20.7% and reduce rear setback from 35 feet to 20.1 feet for the construction of an addition. The board found the variance will not adversely affect public health, safety, and welfare. Motion passed unanimously.
• Application 26-09 (70 Newtown Road): Motion to approve the variance to permit an illuminated sign to change content at intervals of no less than 2.5 minutes. The approval is subject to the submission of an affidavit from the owner ensuring compliance at both the Padanaram and Newtown Road stores. Motion passed unanimously.
• The next regular meeting is scheduled for July 23, 2026.