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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Stamford Planning Board Regular Meeting - October 30, 2024

Planning Board — Wednesday, October 30, 2024

BodyStamford, Connecticut

SessionPlanning Board

DateWednesday, October 30, 2024

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 3:00:00

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:02

Okay, so the webinar is started and so has recording.

0:06

This is a regular meeting of the Stanford Planning Board.

0:09

It's Tuesday, October 29th, 2024, and the time is 6.31 PM.

0:17

I'd like to introduce myself, Jay Tepper, I'm the chair.

0:20

Jennifer Godzino is vice chair.

0:22

Prasad Tunga is uh secretary and members, uh Ravi Subramanian and alternate Bill Levin and Chet Sallett.

0:34

Um the first item on the agenda is uh the minutes of the October 22nd meeting.

0:41

And with that, uh given that my voice is uh giving out a little bit, I will turn the meeting over to Vice Chair uh Jennifer Godzino.

0:52

All right.

0:53

Glad to step in, Jay.

0:54

Hope you get your voice back soon.

0:56

Um so as Jay said, the uh the first uh item on the agenda is the approval of the uh minutes from October 22nd.

1:07

Uh present at that meeting were Jay, myself, Chris, and uh Ravi and Chet and absent uh was Bill.

1:18

So voting on this will be um me, Jay, Chat, and Robbie.

1:24

Um are there any um amendments uh corrections to the minutes?

1:31

All right.

1:34

Okay, I have a second.

1:37

Uh seconded by Ravi.

1:40

Um uh all in favor of approving the minutes.

1:44

And it passes unanimously.

1:49

All right.

1:50

Um so the second item on the agenda um is um I believe one and two are paired together.

2:00

Um, but the first is a capital project close out recommendation uh for um project C56080 um out of the main library building restoration and the close out amount is eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars from bond funding.

2:18

Um Lindsay, is it should I also read the second item in since they're connected?

2:25

There we go.

2:26

Um let's see.

2:28

Um I would defer to Lou on that one, but um we did receive them together.

2:35

So I would I know we'll have to vote on them separately, but uh then yes, I would yeah, let's let's read them in together so they can be discussed together.

2:45

Um so that the second related item is uh for library HVAC equipment replacement, which is uh CP2750, and the request is for um the same amount $850,000.

3:00

And so effectively between the two uh transferring money from one library fund to the other.

3:05

Um so Lou or Alice, um, is there any additional context that you'd like to add.

3:18

I think Lou is.

3:19

Hello, you're on mute.

3:22

Sorry, thank you.

3:24

Um Lou Castillo, City Engineer.

3:26

Uh Alice Kapp is here if you have any particular questions on the library.

3:30

But this is basically a transfer from city bond to ARP funding.

3:36

Um probably are well versed at what Tony Romano has told you in the past about ARP and the um the imminent deadlines to um obligate funds uh in accordance with this ARP policy.

3:51

And so there is an obligation uh period, I think of December 2024, where ARP funds have to be obligated, committed.

4:00

And uh the library does fit into that category because it's related to HVAC.

4:05

So basically the first item is a capital project closed out of $850,000 in bond funds.

4:13

And the second item is basically a request for um $850,000 in ARP funding.

4:21

This is um this is a first phase of an HVHC replacement project in the library.

4:26

Uh the project's going out to bid to tomorrow, uh, or the 31st, rather, uh, two days from now.

4:33

And uh so it's basically coupling uh 850,000 of bond money to ARP with the uh previously authorized ARP money that is in the uh in the budget of 1.2 million dollars.

4:50

Ravi.

5:00

So last uh in the last meeting, I think uh Tony was you know, he had a list of items which were of similar nature being transferred from uh bond to ARP.

5:08

I'm just curious.

5:10

Is this some you know is this is this uh continuous process where we evaluate ongoing projects to see whether they can be funded under ARP or this is a one-off.

5:22

I'm just curious because last meeting he had a list of about 2025 items on which we voted of similar nature.

5:29

So I'm wondering why this did not.

5:32

Yeah.

5:33

So um, I'll take a stab at this.

5:35

I I don't believe Tony or OPM is present at the meeting to give you a better explanation.

5:40

Uh, I believe this is like a one-off.

5:43

I don't think this is would be a continuous um uh process.

5:46

I I don't know that for certain, but but this one came after the fact.

5:52

Okay, thank you.

5:53

You're welcome.

5:54

Any further questions from the board?

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Zoning████████████████████████████████████36%

Vision Zero██████████10%

Procedural█████████9%

Transportation Safety█████████9%

Planning and Zoning████████8%

Capital Budget█████5%

Engineering And Infrastructure█████5%

Traffic█████5%

Public Engagement███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Stamford Planning Board Regular Meeting - October 30, 2024

(Note: The meeting transcript and agenda indicate the meeting was held on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, but the instruction specifies October 30, 2024. This summary uses the provided date.)

The Stamford Planning Board held a regular meeting on October 30, 2024, at 6:31 PM via Zoom. Chair Jay Tepper presided, later handing over to Vice Chair Jennifer Godzino. The board approved several capital project items, a subdivision, a zoning text change, and zoning board referrals, while rejecting one variance request and tabling another.

Consent Calendar

Minutes of October 22, 2024: Approved unanimously.

Supplemental Capital Appropriation Requests

Capital Project Closeout (C56080) - Main Library Building Restoration: $850,000 bond fund closeout. Approved unanimously.
Library HVAC Equipment Replacement (CP2750): $850,000 transfer from ARPA funds. Approved unanimously.
Pavement Management (CP5059): $593,388 reimbursement from Eversource Gas for paving costs. Approved unanimously. Discussion included concerns about the lengthy approval process; staff suggested future blanket approvals.
Old Long Ridge Road Bridge #135007: $140,000 for design engineering, leveraging a 50% state grant. Approved unanimously.
Mill Road over Brook Bridge #135008: $270,000 for design engineering, also with 50% state grant. Approved unanimously.

Presentation

Vision Zero Action Plan: Luke Buttenwieser presented draft recommendations, including policy goals (collaborate, analyze, redesign) and project proposals for the High Injury Network. An open house is scheduled for December 10, 2024. The plan will come before the board for final approval. No vote taken.

Subdivisions

Subdivision #4052 - 34 Konandreas Drive (2 lots): Applicant proposed subdividing a lot to create a new buildable lot (Lot 51) in the RA1 zone. Approved unanimously after reading the legal notice and revote.

Zoning Board Referrals / Text Amendment

ZB #224-31 (MOD) - Zoning Text Change (Housekeeping): Ralph Blessing presented numerous amendments, including definitions for permitted obstructions, market value, pet stores, corner lots, mixed-use buildings, bike/EV parking, street trees, and more. Approved unanimously.

Zoning Board of Appeals Referrals

ZBA #035-24 - Catholic Academy of Stamford (1184 Newfield Avenue): Special permit for four new classrooms. Approved unanimously as compatible with the neighborhood.
ZBA #037-24 - Michael Nawrocki (67 Iroquois Road): Variances for rear setback (1.3 ft vs 30 ft), side yard (2 ft vs 6 ft), and building coverage (40% vs 25%). Board found deviations excessive and inconsistent with low-density character. Motion to disapprove passed unanimously.
ZBA #039-24 - McDonald's (1103 East Main Street): Request to add a second drive-through lane and associated signage. The board expressed concerns about traffic, city policy against drive-throughs, and lack of updated traffic comments from TTP. Motion to table until receipt of TTP comments passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

All five capital appropriation requests were approved.
The subdivision was approved.
The zoning text amendment was approved.
The Catholic Academy special permit was approved.
The 67 Iroquois Road variance was disapproved.
The McDonald's application was tabled pending further traffic review.
The Vision Zero presentation was received; final approval pending.

Note: The December 10, 2024 date for the Vision Zero open house conflicts with the planning board's capital budget meeting.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, so the webinar is started and so has recording. This is a regular meeting of the Stanford Planning Board. It's Tuesday, October 29th, 2024, and the time is 6.31 PM. I'd like to introduce myself, Jay Tepper, I'm the chair. Jennifer Godzino is vice chair. Prasad Tunga is uh secretary and members, uh Ravi Subramanian and alternate Bill Levin and Chet Sallett. Um the first item on the agenda is uh the minutes of the October 22nd meeting. And with that, uh given that my voice is uh giving out a little bit, I will turn the meeting over to Vice Chair uh Jennifer Godzino. All right. Glad to step in, Jay. Hope you get your voice back soon. Um so as Jay said, the uh the first uh item on the agenda is the approval of the uh minutes from October 22nd. Uh present at that meeting were Jay, myself, Chris, and uh Ravi and Chet and absent uh was Bill. So voting on this will be um me, Jay, Chat, and Robbie. Um are there any um amendments uh corrections to the minutes? All right. Okay, I have a second. Uh seconded by Ravi. Um uh all in favor of approving the minutes. And it passes unanimously. All right. Um so the second item on the agenda um is um I believe one and two are paired together. Um, but the first is a capital project close out recommendation uh for um project C56080 um out of the main library building restoration and the close out amount is eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars from bond funding. Um Lindsay, is it should I also read the second item in since they're connected? There we go. Um let's see. Um I would defer to Lou on that one, but um we did receive them together. So I would I know we'll have to vote on them separately, but uh then yes, I would yeah, let's let's read them in together so they can be discussed together. Um so that the second related item is uh for library HVAC equipment replacement, which is uh CP2750, and the request is for um the same amount $850,000. And so effectively between the two uh transferring money from one library fund to the other. Um so Lou or Alice, um, is there any additional context that you'd like to add. I think Lou is. Hello, you're on mute. Sorry, thank you. Um Lou Castillo, City Engineer. Uh Alice Kapp is here if you have any particular questions on the library. But this is basically a transfer from city bond to ARP funding. Um probably are well versed at what Tony Romano has told you in the past about ARP and the um the imminent deadlines to um obligate funds uh in accordance with this ARP policy. And so there is an obligation uh period, I think of December 2024, where ARP funds have to be obligated, committed. And uh the library does fit into that category because it's related to HVAC. So basically the first item is a capital project closed out of $850,000 in bond funds. And the second item is basically a request for um $850,000 in ARP funding. This is um this is a first phase of an HVHC replacement project in the library. Uh the project's going out to bid to tomorrow, uh, or the 31st, rather, uh, two days from now. And uh so it's basically coupling uh 850,000 of bond money to ARP with the uh previously authorized ARP money that is in the uh in the budget of 1.2 million dollars. Ravi. So last uh in the last meeting, I think uh Tony was you know, he had a list of items which were of similar nature being transferred from uh bond to ARP. I'm just curious. Is this some you know is this is this uh continuous process where we evaluate ongoing projects to see whether they can be funded under ARP or this is a one-off. I'm just curious because last meeting he had a list of about 2025 items on which we voted of similar nature.

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