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Record of Proceedings

Stamford Zoning Board Hearing on Childcare Learning Center Applications - July 22, 2025

Zoning Board — Tuesday, July 22, 2025
BodyStamford, Connecticut
SessionZoning Board
DateTuesday, July 22, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:02

You know, they get to enjoy that a nice place to live, but people weren't happy.

0:10

And people sued.

0:12

Okay, Rick.

0:14

Thank you.

0:15

Um board.

0:19

Any other questions for the applicant?

0:24

Not for me.

0:25

Are you guys uh good if we close these Mr.

0:30

Chairman?

0:30

I think we can close this.

0:32

Ms.

0:32

Chairman?

0:33

Mr.

0:33

Chairman, I did take a shot at drafting some of the language that was discussed during the the board period.

0:43

Um Ray, we're not gonna vote on it.

0:46

So why don't you um send it over to staff and they'll distribute it to the board for next week.

0:53

Fair enough.

0:55

Please.

0:56

Um did I hear Jerry back there?

0:59

Yes, yes, did Mr.

1:01

Chairman it's not your turn.

1:05

Hold on a sec, Rick.

1:06

No, I'm not gonna uh ri Rick can speak first before I just have two comments, but you can please.

1:12

Thank you.

1:12

I I just would like to, Mr.

1:14

Chairman, with the threats of lawsuits for Mr.

1:17

Mazio to submit tonight the draft uh language, and if the board wants to look at it now, I just want to do it while the hearing is open.

1:29

I don't want to have some technical issue that can be brought up in a lawsuit.

1:34

Um Mr.

1:36

Hennessey is on the phone uh on the call.

1:39

Um, and uh if there's anything that he wants to say on the record in terms of this, um I would uh encourage him to do so.

1:49

I just want to make sure the record is complete if you're going to close the hearing and not leave it open for or not to um uh allow Mr.

1:59

Mazio to send it in after the close.

2:02

Okay, so Ray, why don't you send it in right now to staff?

2:06

So it it will have been received before uh we close.

2:11

And if we want to read it, I see Mr.

2:13

Hennessey's hands up, so that's we're we're not gonna read it.

2:17

We will do it uh when we deliberate.

2:21

Um we still have a fair amount left to go tonight, and it's getting late.

2:25

Can we hear from Mr.

2:26

Hennessey who's got his hand up?

2:29

I did move him to presenter.

2:31

Why not?

2:37

No, I'm just an uh for the record, William Hennessy uh attorney uh helping CLC out here, Mr.

2:44

Chairman.

2:44

I agree with Mr.

2:45

Redness, and I think particularly in view of the threats of lawsuit, it would be very prudent to have the alternative language submitted tonight.

2:55

Okay, thank you.

2:57

That's fine.

2:58

Ray, you're gonna send it to staff.

3:00

Tell me when it's been sent so that I can make sure we close after it.

3:06

It's been sent, and if I can get through it in 30 seconds if you oblige me.

3:11

No, I mean, you know, let's save it for deliberation.

3:18

Um David, I have a text.

3:23

I received the text.

3:24

Um thank you.

3:27

Um board, no objection to closing these two applications.

3:33

Mr.

3:33

Chairman, I just have a couple comments.

3:35

Yes, sir.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Legal████████████████████████████████████████40%
Daycare███████████████████████████████31%
Procedural█████████████████████████████29%
Summary of Proceedings

Stamford Zoning Board Hearing on Childcare Learning Center Applications - July 22, 2025

The Stamford Zoning Board held a public hearing on July 22, 2025, regarding applications 225-20 and 225-21 for the Childcare Learning Center (CLC) relocation and a related text amendment. The board discussed the scope of the text change, site concerns, and closed the hearing for deliberation at the next meeting.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Participants Monica Twal and David Adams expressed concerns that the proposed text change would apply citywide, contrary to the board's intention to limit it to the daycare center use within the CD zone. Threats of potential litigation were noted.

Discussion Items

  • The board debated the scope of the text amendment. The Chairman clarified that the change would affect the CD zone citywide for standalone daycare centers, and language would be crafted to limit its application. Board member Rick questioned why the applicant purchased the specific property given the urgency, rather than seeking other sites. The applicant responded that they had searched extensively, the relocation timeline was compressed due to city actions (one-year timeline), and the property was the best option to preserve hundreds of childcare slots and the feeder system for public education.
  • Attorney William Hennessey urged that the draft text language be submitted before closing the hearing to ensure a complete record and avoid legal challenges. The board agreed and directed Ray Mazio to send the language to staff immediately, which was done.
  • A board member assured the public that issues raised (traffic, parking, drainage) would be addressed during final site plan approval.

Key Outcomes

  • The board closed applications 225-20 and 225-21, with deliberation scheduled for the next Zoning Board meeting on July 28, 2025 at 6:30 PM.
  • The board directed submission of the draft text amendment language before the hearing closed to preserve the record.

Meeting Transcript

You know, they get to enjoy that a nice place to live, but people weren't happy. And people sued. Okay, Rick. Thank you. Um board. Any other questions for the applicant? Not for me. Are you guys uh good if we close these Mr. Chairman? I think we can close this. Ms. Chairman? Mr. Chairman, I did take a shot at drafting some of the language that was discussed during the the board period. Um Ray, we're not gonna vote on it. So why don't you um send it over to staff and they'll distribute it to the board for next week. Fair enough. Please. Um did I hear Jerry back there? Yes, yes, did Mr. Chairman it's not your turn. Hold on a sec, Rick. No, I'm not gonna uh ri Rick can speak first before I just have two comments, but you can please. Thank you. I I just would like to, Mr. Chairman, with the threats of lawsuits for Mr. Mazio to submit tonight the draft uh language, and if the board wants to look at it now, I just want to do it while the hearing is open. I don't want to have some technical issue that can be brought up in a lawsuit. Um Mr. Hennessey is on the phone uh on the call. Um, and uh if there's anything that he wants to say on the record in terms of this, um I would uh encourage him to do so. I just want to make sure the record is complete if you're going to close the hearing and not leave it open for or not to um uh allow Mr. Mazio to send it in after the close. Okay, so Ray, why don't you send it in right now to staff? So it it will have been received before uh we close. And if we want to read it, I see Mr. Hennessey's hands up, so that's we're we're not gonna read it. We will do it uh when we deliberate. Um we still have a fair amount left to go tonight, and it's getting late. Can we hear from Mr. Hennessey who's got his hand up? I did move him to presenter. Why not? No, I'm just an uh for the record, William Hennessy uh attorney uh helping CLC out here, Mr. Chairman. I agree with Mr. Redness, and I think particularly in view of the threats of lawsuit, it would be very prudent to have the alternative language submitted tonight. Okay, thank you. That's fine. Ray, you're gonna send it to staff.

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