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Record of Proceedings

Zoning Board Meeting (July 29, 2025): Approvals and Continued Public Hearings

Zoning Board — Tuesday, July 29, 2025
BodyStamford, Connecticut
SessionZoning Board
DateTuesday, July 29, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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0:06

Oh there you go.

0:07

I see everybody now.

0:08

Oh good.

0:10

Because we just officially started the meeting.

0:12

Ah when you admit people is everybody in.

0:17

Yeah.

0:18

I think everybody's in.

0:22

Okay.

0:22

How are you, Roseanne?

0:23

I haven't seen you in a while.

0:26

It's a very pretty necklace you got there, huh?

0:31

Okay.

0:31

Enough chit chat.

0:32

Let's go.

0:33

Sorry about that, Ms.

0:34

Berlin.

0:37

I'd like to welcome everyone and call tonight zoning board meeting to order.

0:41

I'm David Stein, Chair of the Zoning Board, and it is now 6.05 p.m.

0:48

on July 28th, 2025.

0:51

The members of the board and staff are holding this meeting by Teams video conference.

0:55

The public is in attendance both on video conference and by teleconference.

1:01

I'd like to do a roll call of the board and the staff.

1:04

Bill Morris?

1:06

Here.

1:09

Here.

1:09

Jerry Bozak.

1:11

Here.

1:13

Now for the staff, Ralph Blessing.

1:16

Present.

1:17

And Vanita Matter.

1:19

Here.

1:21

The board's microphones will be open throughout tonight's hearing.

1:25

The applicants' mics during the will be open during the public hearing for their application.

1:31

However, I would ask applicants to please mute your mics for not speaking in order to reduce the background noise.

1:38

At some point in this evening, we will have the public hearing portion.

1:48

During that public hearing, you know, the public will have an opportunity to speak.

1:52

Each member of the public will be muted until it is your turn to speak.

1:56

Here's the procedure for the public to let us know that you would like to speak.

2:01

If you came through Teams, please use the raise your hand function and you will be unmuted when it is your turn to speak.

2:09

If you called in on one of the telephone conference call phone numbers, please press star five and this will raise your hand.

2:17

Then press star six to unmute when you were called on.

2:22

When members of the public speak, please give us your name and address for the record and whether you are in favor of or opposed to the application.

2:30

The board requests that members of the public limit your comments to three minutes so that everyone will have a chance to speak.

2:42

Some technical issue, please send uh Vanita an email and she will do her best to uh get you on.

2:49

Her email address is V, as in Victor, V Motor, M-A-T-H-U-R at Stamford C T dot com.gov, David.

3:01

I'm sorry, dot gov.

3:03

Yes, thank you.

3:04

Um the meeting is being recorded and will be posted on the zoning board's website.

3:09

You can find the agenda for tonight's meeting and all of the meeting applications and materials by going to our website, www.stanford ct.gov slash zoning.

3:24

We will now um proceed with uh three of the pending applications.

3:31

So these have been closed um at prior meeting, and um we will be uh discussing them, deliberating and uh voting.

3:42

The first is application 225-14, St.

3:46

John Urban Development Corp, 109 Treserable of our general development plan, special permit, and coastal site plan review.

3:56

Um I guess the first question is is there anyone who is opposed to this application?

4:04

No.

4:05

Okay.

4:07

Um we have uh then let's get into it.

4:13

We have uh we have conditions that uh I think Benita had sent around.

4:25

Um and um why don't we put those up and we can go through them to see the conditions?

4:40

Uh no.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████19%
Procedural███████████████15%
Planning and Zoning███████████████15%
Urban Design██████████████14%
Zoning Board███████████11%
Public Engagement█████████9%
Housing█████5%
Parking████4%
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Zoning Board Meeting - July 29, 2025

The Stamford Zoning Board met on July 29, 2025, at 6:05 PM via Teams. Chair David Stein presided. The board approved three pending applications (closed hearings) and continued four public hearings due to technical issues and an agenda defect. Key votes included approval of a general development plan for St. John Urban Development, a text change and development plan for Children's Learning Centers, and an administrative approval for TR Broad 2 LLC. The BMR text change and several other projects were continued to September 8, 2025.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Application 225-19 (72 Cummings Point): Gorman D. Maximin (BMR resident at 1201 Washington Blvd) spoke briefly but meeting continued.
  • Application 225-22 (BMR Text Change): Multiple BMR tenants from 1201 Washington Blvd spoke in support of the amendments and raised concerns:
    • Gorman D. Maximin: Asked about eligibility freeze and lottery concerns.
    • Brittany Lawrence: Questioned fee-in-lieu use, oversight of tenant prioritization, and tracking displaced tenants.
    • Viola Kelly: Expressed need for stable affordable housing.
    • Judith Martinez: Supported fellow residents.
    • Caitlin: Urged city to protect tenants from homelessness.
    • Sue Halburn (30 Elm Craft Road): Commended the board but urged on-site BMR units and increased percentage.
    • Barry Michaelson: Raised property rights concerns regarding perpetual obligations.
    • Additional comments from Brittany Lawrence about family size and unit availability.
  • Application 225-12 (35 Commerce Road): No public comments.

Discussion Items

  • Application 225-14 (St. John Urban Development): Board reviewed conditions, including 305 apartments (30-80% AMI, in perpetuity), 12 stories/135 feet, 85% coverage, 235 on-site and 93 off-site parking, relocation plan, and coastal site plan review. Approved with conditions.
  • Application 225-20/21 (Children's Learning Centers): Text change (225-20) allowing reduced parking setbacks and special use standards for daycare. Approved. For GDP (225-21), board approved use as daycare, FAR 0.31, two stories, 30% building coverage, 60% total coverage, setbacks, 57 parking spaces with 10% EV. Discussion on EV requirements for drop-off uses; deferred to future regulation amendment.
  • Application 222-37 (TR Broad 2 LLC): Administrative approval of Gay Street extension underpass, revised zoning lot development agreement, and landscape plan. Approved with conditions including recording deadlines.
  • Application 225-19 (72 Cummings Point - Cohen Foundation): Proposed 2,790 sq ft addition. Planning board recommended approval. Board raised questions about building height discrepancy (plan shows 27 ft, architect claims under 20 ft). Continued to September 8 for clarification and due to dial-in issues.
  • Application 225-22 (BMR Text Change): Staff presented changes to address loss of BMR units: replacement requirements, fee-in-lieu, tenant relocation assistance, priority for displaced tenants, and bonus floor area recapture. Discussion on property rights and balance. Continued due to defective agenda.
  • Application 225-18 (700 Fairfield Ave): Continued at applicant's request.
  • Application 225-12 (35 Commerce Road - Extra Space Storage): Applicant presented revised elevations with more color, glazing, and parapet variation. Board requested 3D renderings of south and east elevations, and sample materials. Also discussed tree survey (25 trees removed, 25 new trees), landscaping (116 additional shrubs), ornamental fence on Commerce Road, and TTP request for sidewalk contribution. Continued to September 8.

Key Outcomes

  • Application 225-14 (St. John Urban Development): Approved 4-0 with conditions.
  • Application 225-20 (Text Change - Children's Learning Centers): Approved 4-0.
  • Application 225-21 (GDP - Children's Learning Centers): Approved 4-0.
  • Application 222-37 (TR Broad 2 LLC): Approved 4-0.
  • Application 225-19 (72 Cummings Point): Continued to September 8, 2025.
  • Application 225-22 (BMR Text Change): Continued to September 8, 2025.
  • Application 225-18 (700 Fairfield Ave): Continued to September 8, 2025.
  • Application 225-12 (35 Commerce Road): Continued to September 8, 2025.
  • Minutes of July 21, 2025: Approved.

Meeting Transcript

Oh there you go. I see everybody now. Oh good. Because we just officially started the meeting. Ah when you admit people is everybody in. Yeah. I think everybody's in. Okay. How are you, Roseanne? I haven't seen you in a while. It's a very pretty necklace you got there, huh? Okay. Enough chit chat. Let's go. Sorry about that, Ms. Berlin. I'd like to welcome everyone and call tonight zoning board meeting to order. I'm David Stein, Chair of the Zoning Board, and it is now 6.05 p.m. on July 28th, 2025. The members of the board and staff are holding this meeting by Teams video conference. The public is in attendance both on video conference and by teleconference. I'd like to do a roll call of the board and the staff. Bill Morris? Here. Here. Jerry Bozak. Here. Now for the staff, Ralph Blessing. Present. And Vanita Matter. Here. The board's microphones will be open throughout tonight's hearing. The applicants' mics during the will be open during the public hearing for their application. However, I would ask applicants to please mute your mics for not speaking in order to reduce the background noise. At some point in this evening, we will have the public hearing portion. During that public hearing, you know, the public will have an opportunity to speak. Each member of the public will be muted until it is your turn to speak. Here's the procedure for the public to let us know that you would like to speak. If you came through Teams, please use the raise your hand function and you will be unmuted when it is your turn to speak. If you called in on one of the telephone conference call phone numbers, please press star five and this will raise your hand. Then press star six to unmute when you were called on. When members of the public speak, please give us your name and address for the record and whether you are in favor of or opposed to the application. The board requests that members of the public limit your comments to three minutes so that everyone will have a chance to speak. Some technical issue, please send uh Vanita an email and she will do her best to uh get you on. Her email address is V, as in Victor, V Motor, M-A-T-H-U-R at Stamford C T dot com.gov, David. I'm sorry, dot gov. Yes, thank you. Um the meeting is being recorded and will be posted on the zoning board's website. You can find the agenda for tonight's meeting and all of the meeting applications and materials by going to our website, www.stanford ct.gov slash zoning. We will now um proceed with uh three of the pending applications.

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