Stamford Planning Board Regular Meeting Summary – August 26, 2026

The Stamford Planning Board met on August 26, 2026 (noted in the agenda and transcript as August 25, 2026, per instruction to use the provided date). The meeting began at 6:30 PM and adjourned at 9:01 PM, covering a capital appropriation, subdivision matters, a zoning text change, a hospital campus expansion, and several variance referrals. The board approved multiple items and forwarded recommendations to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

Consent Calendar

• Minutes of August 11, 2026: Approved without corrections.
• Supplemental Capital Appropriation – Fire Apparatus (Project C63005): $150,783.07 from an insurance settlement to replace a fire apparatus damaged in a motor vehicle accident. Approved unanimously.
• Subdivision #3009 – 1589 Newfield Avenue (Joseph Altamura): Modification of Condition #1 from a 1978 certificate to allow a separate driveway. Approved unanimously.
• Subdivision #4063 – 13 Wire Mill Road: 90-day extension to file the final map, new expiration January 4, 2027. Approved unanimously.

Zoning Board Referral – Parking and Mobility Text Change (ZB #226-27)

• Staff Presentation: Senior Transportation Planner Luke Buttonweezer presented a zoning text change to comply with Connecticut Public Act 25-01 (House Bill 8002) regarding residential parking requirements and to update Section 12 (Mobility) per the Comprehensive Plan. Key changes include eliminating parking minimums for developments with 16 or fewer units (except in designated traffic mitigation zones covering up to 4% of Stamford's land area), updating parking ratios based on a parking study, streamlining parking categories, and adding annual fee-in-lieu options.
• Discussion: Board members questioned the impact on existing developments (prospective only), the benefit of reduced parking costs for housing affordability, and the targeting of mitigation zones (denser inner neighborhoods: Glenbrook, East Side, Cove, West Side, etc.). Staff noted the state mandate and the flexibility for developers while emphasizing market demand for parking.
• Vote: Approved 3-2 (Ravi abstained; one other abstention recorded). The motion passed with three in favor and two abstentions.

Zoning Board Referral – Stamford Hospital Campus Expansion (ZB #226-17 and ZB #226-18)

• ZB #226-17 – Map Change: Request to rezone 171 Stillwater Avenue and 17 & 0 Stillwater Place from VC (Village Commercial) to HCD-D (Hospital Complex Design District) to allow parking and future redevelopment. The property includes a 75-foot buffer along Stillwater Avenue intended for eventual active use (e.g., retail, staff housing) per the Comprehensive Plan's ME-1 and Res-2 designations. Approved unanimously.
• ZB #226-18 – Special Permit: Proposal to construct a ±73,000 sq. ft. Bennett Cancer Center (§275 million investment) and a ±355-space parking structure on the southwest corner of the campus, plus relocation of behavioral health and rehab services. Existing campus has 1,400 spaces; post-completion total will be about 1,696 spaces. Surface parking on Stillwater Avenue (49 spaces) was a concern; the hospital committed to removing it once the new garage is operational (condition tied to certificate of occupancy). The board also requested an updated Transportation Demand Management (TDM) plan to reduce single-occupancy vehicle trips. Approved with conditions.

Zoning Board of Appeals Referrals

• ZBA #034-26 – 19 Berkeley Street (Brendan Hutchings): Variances for tandem parking and parking between building lines in an R-MF zone. Applicant seeks to legalize rear-yard parking and convert front-yard asphalt to grass. Staff supported as an improvement. Approved unanimously.
• ZBA #035-26 – 47 Wellington Drive (Cliff Rodgerson): Variances for front street line setback (35.8 ft vs. 40 ft) and center street line setback (60.8 ft vs. 65 ft) to enclose an existing entryway. Minor change; approved unanimously.
• ZBA #036-26 – 144 Shadow Ridge Road (Kumud V. Desai): Variances for front, side, and combined side yard setbacks to add a two-story garage with living space. Previously recommended denial (May 2026). Applicant reduced the number of variances from five to three and minimized dimensions. Hardship arguments included aging-in-place and impervious surface reduction. Board split: 3 recommended approval, 2 recommended denial (citing unclear hardship and precedent). Matter forwarded to ZBA.
• ZBA #037-26 – 262 Strawberry Hill Avenue (Toby Schaffer): Variances for building coverage (27.98% vs. 20%), lot coverage (40.13% vs. 40%), and rear yard setback (17.8 ft vs. 30 ft) for a ground-floor bedroom/bathroom addition. Hardship due to a 50-ft private right-of-way that limits buildable area. Approved unanimously.
• ZBA #038-26 – 33 Willowbrook Avenue (Jovita Carrera): Variances for front yard setback (25 ft vs. 30 ft) and front street center line setback (50.4 ft vs. 55 ft) for a second-floor ADU. Existing non-conforming add-on; new addition does not worsen non-conformance. Approved unanimously.
• ZBA #039-26 – 13 North Meadows Lane (Kevin & Mary Thalmann): Variance to allow a pool and pavilion in the front yard of a corner lot (two front yards). Property buffered by vegetation and conservation easement; structure would be in rear relative to primary frontage. Approved 4-1 (Chest opposed, citing accessory structure in front yard setback).
• ZBA #040-26 – 17 Westminster Road (Cristina Poulos & Benjamin Romeo): Variances for building coverage (20.2% vs. 15%), side yard setback (12.3 ft vs. 15 ft), combined side yard setback (24.5 ft vs. 35 ft), and rear yard setback (44.5 ft vs. 50 ft) for a two-story addition. Lot was subdivided under R10 zoning in 1973, but rezoned to R20 in 2006; existing non-conformity. Hardship recognized due to downzoning. Approved unanimously. Board suggested staff review appropriateness of R20 zoning in this area.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Fire apparatus appropriation, both subdivision items, parking text change (3-2), hospital map change and special permit (with conditions), and six ZBA referrals (034, 035, 037, 038, 039 (4-1), 040).
• Forwarded with split recommendation: ZBA #036-26 (3-2 recommending approval).
• Next Regular Meetings: September 8 and September 22, 2026; Capital Budget meetings begin in October 2026.
• Capital Budget: Board discussed electronic vs. hard-copy materials for upcoming budget review; preferences recorded.