Zoning Board Meeting – June 6, 2023

The Stamford Zoning Board convened on Tuesday, June 6, 2023 (the transcript indicates the meeting was called to order on June 5, 2023, but the official date per instructions is June 6) to conduct public hearings, discuss applications, and vote on several items. Chair David Stein presided, with members Bill Morris, Roseanne McManus, Jerry Bozak, Raquel Smith Anderson, Ralph Blessing, and Vanita Matter present. The meeting covered a hotel expansion, a text amendment, a historic property reconstruction, and administrative reviews.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Natalie Espinall (2700 Bedford Street, condo association) expressed disappointment that the hotel’s prayer room addition was presented as a ballroom to neighbors, and raised concerns about excessive noise, parking, delivery trucks, and the need for enforceable conditions. She requested that all plantings remain on hotel property and that delivery hours be limited.
• Françoise Miller (2700 Bedford Street) complained about ongoing noise from hotel staff, untidy garbage, and unauthorized truck parking. She noted that police have been unresponsive.
• Monika Twal (37 Hanrahan Street) questioned why the Remington Street property was being added to the Cultural Resources Inventory (CRI) when it was not previously listed. Staff clarified that the CRI listing is a requirement for the historic bonus and provides demolition protection.
• Sue Halburn (30 Armcraft Road) expressed disappointment that a home on the National Register was demolished and the applicant is now seeking historic bonuses.
• Cynthia Bowser (Dirty Rose Park Avenue) briefly spoke but was on the wrong agenda item.

Discussion Items

• Application 223-12 (Landmark Square Building Three) – The applicant requested a continuance to June 26, 2023. The board granted the continuance without discussion.
• Application 223-13 (Text Amendment – Hotel Additions in CB Zone) – Ray Mazio presented the proposed text change to Section 10K to allow hotel additions in the CB district, subject to conditions (one story, 30 feet max height, 3% floor area increase, no new rooms, on-site landscaping, screening). The board unanimously approved the text change 5-0.
• Application 223-14 (Armand Hotel – Prayer Room Addition) – The applicant, represented by Ray Mazio and landscape architect Eric Rains, proposed a 9,263-square-foot prayer room addition with a green roof and enhanced landscaping to replace seasonal tents. The board discussed:
  • Use: The room will primarily serve religious events but may host other hotel events. The board accepted this and added a condition prohibiting outdoor use of the addition.
  • Landscaping: The applicant agreed to plant 20 additional green giant arborvitae along the north side of the addition, all on hotel property, to screen the condo neighbors.
  • Parking: The hotel requested a special permit to provide up to 10% of required parking on an as-needed basis, citing low historical utilization. The board approved this with a mandatory parking management plan and quarterly reporting.
  • Deliveries: The board conditioned delivery hours to 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (or stricter per noise ordinance) and required “no parking/standing” signage in the service driveway.
  • Other conditions: Four EV charging spaces, reinstallation of no-parking signs, and full garage functionality prior to certificate of occupancy. The application was approved 4-0 with modifications.
• Application 223-04 (Remington Street – Historic Reconstruction) – The applicant, Darius Lesnowski, presented revised plans to reset the historic house to meet front and side setbacks. The board requested a revised landscape plan to provide screening trees along the side yard, and agreed to defer a vote until after the Historic Preservation Advisory Committee (HPAC) meeting on June 7. The application was continued to June 26, 2023.
• Administrative Review – Blade Sign (245 Atlantic Street) – The board discussed a proposed blade sign exceeding the standard 9-square-foot limit. Members had not received the materials in their packets and requested a comparison with the Smith Building sign. The item was continued to the next meeting.

Key Outcomes

• Text Amendment 223-13: Approved 5-0.
• Hotel Expansion 223-14: Approved 4-0 with conditions (modified as per discussion).
• Remington Street 223-04: Continued to June 26, 2023, pending HPAC input and revised landscape plan.
• Landmark Square 223-12: Continued to June 26, 2023.
• Blade Sign (245 Atlantic): Continued to next meeting.
• Minutes: The minutes of May 18, 2023 (special) and May 22, 2023 (regular) were approved 4-0 and 4-0 respectively, with a request to add a tally of public speakers for one application.