Stamford Planning Board Regular Meeting - February 8, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Stamford Planning Board Regular Meeting - February 8, 2023
The Stamford Planning Board held a regular meeting on February 8, 2023, via Zoom webinar. The board approved minutes from the previous meeting, considered a zoning board referral for an indoor ice rink, and initially approved a conservation easement amendment that was later rescinded and denied without prejudice after the applicant disclosed significant discrepancies in the proposed square footage exchange.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of January 24, 2023: Approved unanimously by the three voting members present (Chair Theresa Dell, Vice Chair Jay Tepper, and Member Michael Pacino). Alternates William Levin and Stephen Perry did not vote as they were absent from that meeting.
Discussion Items
- Subdivision #3279 – Estate of Cesare Mangiapani – 76 Emerald Lane: The applicant sought to amend the boundaries of a conservation easement to allow installation of a swimming pool on a lot that had an existing house encroaching on the preserve. Staff presented the proposal as a win-win, with a reduction of 5,657 sq ft of preserve on the north side and an addition of 5,670 sq ft of wooded area on the east side. The board initially approved the subdivision unanimously. However, after the vote, the applicant's representative, Ida (last name unclear, representing the owner), stated that the correct numbers were 8,888 sq ft to be removed and 7,373 sq ft to be added, and that final plans might change further due to health department soil testing. She explained that the change was made at the request of the Environmental Protection Board (EPB) to also remove the existing house from the easement. The board reopened the item, debated whether conservation easements should be evaluated by area rather than monetary value, and voted unanimously to deny the application without prejudice, allowing the applicant to resubmit with correct square footage numbers, updated site plans, and a supporting letter from the EPB executive director. The resubmission is scheduled for the February 21, 2023 meeting.
- Zoning Board Referral #223-01 – 50 Barry Place – Indoor Ice Rink: Applicant Continental Family Holdings and Wings Manager, LLC, represented by William Hennessy of Pullman & Comley, proposed constructing a 35,500 sq ft indoor ice rink on Parcel B of the property. The use (indoor ice skating rink) is allowed by right in the MG zone; the only reason for the referral was the building size exceeding 20,000 sq ft. The project involves demolishing a 22,500 sq ft antiquated building and replacing it on the same footprint. The rink will be a practice facility for youth hockey and figure skating clinics, leagues, and tournaments, with potential limited open skating. The board discussed traffic studies and noted that the Transportation, Traffic and Parking Department (TTMP) was satisfied pending minor adjustments. The board unanimously approved the site plan, architectural plans, requested uses, and special permit. The applicant will return later for a subdivision application to create separate lots.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Minutes of January 24, 2023 (unanimous).
- Approved: Zoning Board Referral #223-01 for the indoor ice rink at 50 Barry Place (unanimous).
- Denied Without Prejudice: Subdivision #3279 – Conservation easement amendment at 76 Emerald Lane, due to inaccurate square footage figures (unanimous). The applicant was instructed to resubmit with corrected plans and an EPB letter for the February 21, 2023 meeting.
- Next Meeting: February 21, 2023 (with a public hearing moved to March 7, 2023).
Meeting Transcript
Okay. Recording. Yes, sorry for the play having some zoom problems. That's okay. Welcome, Michael. Nice to see you. Although we're only seeing you from the nose up. There you go. Or my zoom problems. There you go. We'll wait for Bill to get back and then I'll read everything in. Bill, are you there? He went to go get his gloves. Oh. I thought you were going to say it's Parker. There he is. Welcome back, Bill. Okay. Good evening. I would like to welcome everyone to the Stanford Planning Board meeting. Tonight is a regular meeting. It is Tuesday, February the 7th, 2023. Tonight is a Zoom meeting and it is a Zoom webinar. The members of the planning board had their invitation to get onto the website. Everyone else who wishes to speak was either given the proper passcodes and our agenda had them all for the phone. And also for the iPad or their computers, they could log in. Our panelists, our applicants will be able to speak if any of them wish to. Lindsay has the capability of putting them on when we get to their applications. And as I said, everything for this meeting was on our agenda and it was filed with the clerk. So we thank everyone for being here this evening. I'd like to introduce everyone. I'm Theresa Dell, the chair. We have Jay Tepper, Vice Chair, Stephen Perry, who is our alternate, William Levin, who is our alternate, and Michael Pacino, who is a regular member. Jennifer Godzino and Michael Totillo, who are regular members are absent this evening. And they asked to be able to skip tonight, and they will be with us on the uh 21st. And I'd like to welcome Lindsay, who is our associate, and she is uh going to be um monitoring our meeting this evening. Welcome, Lindsay. So the first item on our agenda are the minutes for Tuesday evening, January the 24th of 2023. Uh William Levin and Stephen Perry are not able to uh vote on the minutes as they were not at the meeting. Uh but Michael Bacino, Jay, and myself can do so. Uh so the minutes were sent to everyone. Did anyone have any questions or changes to the minutes? If not, may I have a motion to approve. Move approval by Jay. Michael, we'll second. All in favor, show of hands for the three of us. So it passes unanimously by the three. Pepper, Pacino, and Dell. So the next item on our meeting is a subdivision. It is subdivision application number 3279.
openpublica.com