Stamford Planning Board Meeting - April 14, 2026
Stamford Planning Board Meeting - April 14, 2026
The Stamford Planning Board held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, at 3:45 PM. The meeting began with introductions of new board members and a discussion of the shift in board composition toward built-environment professionals. The board then considered a referral for a zoning map change (Melrose Place/Fairfield Avenue), two variance applications, and tabled items due to a brief loss of quorum.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of March 24, 2026: Motion to table due to lack of quorum; later resumed and approved unanimously after quorum was restored.
Discussion Items
- Zoning Board Referral – Map Change (Melrose Place LLC, 27, 29, 31 Melrose Place and 445 Fairfield Avenue): The applicant, represented by Bill Hennessy and Madison Smith, presented a request to rezone four parcels on the north side of Melrose Place from R6 (one- and two-family) to MG (General Industrial). The properties are encumbered by nonconformities dating back decades; the applicant argued that the MG zone would conform with the industrial uses to the north and allow property owners to reuse or redevelop their lots. Board members asked about compatibility with adjacent residential uses and the potential for spot zoning. After discussion, the board voted unanimously to recommend approval.
- ZBA Referral – Wishing Well Lane (Variance, Tables 12.6 & 12.5): Brian Cleveland, representing Paul G. Pulos and Georgia Menagios, sought a variance to allow parking in the front yard within nine feet of the street line (instead of ten) and to permit parking within the building line. The applicant wishes to convert a two-car garage into a fifth bedroom for a family member with mobility issues, requiring three parking spaces. The board clarified that the driveway would not be expanded and that the space lacks a full kitchen, making it not an ADU. The board approved the variance unanimously.
- ZVA Application – Glenbrook Road (Variance, Table 2): Ben Alander requested a variance for a side yard setback of 3.9 feet (required 6 feet) to construct a second story over an existing finished garage that is non-conforming (built before zoning). The board approved the variance unanimously.
- ZBA Referral – Taconic Road (Variance, Table 2): Joseph J. Capalbo representing Rafael Bassendowski sought a front yard setback variance of 57.8 feet (required 60 feet) and a front yard street center setback of 82.8 feet (required 85 feet) to complete construction of a single-family dwelling on a foundation built from an inaccurate survey. The board approved the variance unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- Melrose Place Rezoning: Approved unanimously to recommend approval to the Zoning Board.
- Wishing Well Lane Variance: Approved unanimously.
- Glenbrook Road Variance: Approved unanimously.
- Taconic Road Variance: Approved unanimously.
- Tabled Items: The lease for Courtland Avenue (school bus parking) was tabled due to incomplete documents.
Meeting Transcript
All right. Good evening. This is the uh Tuesday, April 14th meeting of the Stanford Planning Board. Um, before we proceed with our agenda, I would like to go ahead and um uh welcome some new members to our board as well as to celebrate the re um confirmation and a little shift in position for um one of our existing members. Um so I'll first I'll just go ahead and introduce myself and say a little bit about how long I've been on, and then we can go around if you want to just introduce yourself, what brought you to this. Um so I'm Jennifer Godzeno. Uh I am uh uh currently chair and have served as chair for um about um two a year and a half. Um I I first joined the board as an alternate um uh a little over 10 years ago and then was confirmed as a full member um in 2015. Um I am in professional urban planner. Um I'm so glad to be able to bring that expertise to this work. Um Chet, you want to go ahead? Well, sure, sure. Um so so my name is Chet Salett. Um I also uh joined as an alternate um two and a half years now ago. And um just this past um um well, yesterday, as a matter of fact, I was sworn in as a regular member. Um happy to do that. Though though the last year and a half, it it's felt like we were regular members anyway, you know, because we were essentially voting on at every meeting. Um so uh I'm happy to be here in that capacity. Thank you. Thank you, Chet. Um, and just something of note, Chet, um just background of architecture and uh your service on the uh school committee, school construction committee. Correct, correct. Uh specifically the uh school construction committee and and and the West Hill High School uh planning committee. So they're they're technically I think still two different committees, though one could be a subcommittee of the other. I'm not quite sure. That sounds right. Yeah. Um Ashley, would you like to go next? Sure. Um I'm Ashley Lye. I am a professional urban planner as well. Uh prior to being on the planning board, I was on the board of representatives for four years, representing District 20, and I served on the operations committee, the state and commerce committee, the charter revision committee, and the um housing and social services committees during that time. And then before that, I was on the environmental protection board for about six years, starting as an alternate and then a full-time member. Thank you. And Drew. Good evening, everyone. Uh Drew McKay, um, a project executive for a construction management firm in uh in Connecticut. Um I've been in construction and development for the better part of 20 years now. Um, mostly in uh the New York City and Tri-State area and uh recently I've transitioned into the Connecticut uh region. I've been a Stanford resident for over 10 years now. Uh kids go to Davenport Ridge up in uh um over uh in North Stanford area. And I'm I'm glad to be here. Okay. All right, great. Um I'm glad to that all of you were able to be um confirmed into those roles. Um I do want to note um and thank uh Bill Levin uh who had been serving as one of our alternates for many years. Um also brought a background as a professional urban planner. Um and uh now with the appointment of some new members will no longer be a member of our board, but was uh he was on before I started. Um and uh really appreciate his long service to the city. Uh Jeremy, I don't think introduced himself.
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