OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Town Planning and Zoning Commission Special Meeting - July 30, 2024

Town Council & Planning and ZoningTuesday, July 30, 2024
BodyWindsor, Connecticut
SessionTown Council & Planning and Zoning
DateTuesday, July 30, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 37:40

Transcript — Verbatim
2:02

We'll call the special meeting of the town planning and zoning commission to order.

2:06

And my first order of business is going to be uh Miss Andrea.

2:10

Would you please give the information to those online?

2:14

Sure.

2:15

If there is anyone from the public who would like to address the commission, you may do so by raising your hand on your computer.

2:21

If your device has a microphone capability, by selecting the participants icon on the Zoom menu bar and then clicking raise hand or by dialing star nine on your phone.

2:32

When you are called on, you will be prompted that you are unmuted.

2:36

And then please state your name and address.

4:10

If anybody will entertain a motion.

5:00

Uh there is a requested donation with the event, so if you would like to attend, please reach out to Andrea or the planning department.

5:07

Uh we did look at it today, and I believe everyone is up to date with their training, but we did just begin a new cycle.

5:15

And so we'll be looking to get the uh four hours of training in for the next two years.

5:23

Yeah, December 2025.

5:25

Yeah.

5:26

So keep you posted on other training opportunities as I come up.

5:31

Is there any other planning uh report that you need to give us tonight on anything uh going on?

5:37

Um the only other thing is we have uh sent out an RFQ for the POCD update and a Day Hill corridor study.

5:45

Um we're going to be conducting interviews with um consultants mid-September and looking to onboard someone in uh towards the end of September.

5:55

So as we kind of meet with the consultants and narrow down a list, we'll kind of reach out to you and kind of let you know what scheduling-wise that might look like.

6:04

Um we will be looking to select a subcommittee of the planning and zoning commission and members of other commissions and uh at-large members.

6:13

Um, but I need to kind of narrow down a little bit of how we did that in the past.

6:18

I think I'm going back to 2004.

6:20

So I think we'd be looking at three members of planning and zoning and then a couple members from wetlands and the HDC as well.

6:28

So what do you do with um inquiries that you get in the interim from people who might be willing or might be interested in um applying to develop a parcel along along the Day Hill corridor?

6:42

Um so we are looking to move quicker faster on a Day Hill corridor study.

6:49

Um that's being um led by the economic uh department.

6:53

It's kind of a POCD update, but just for that Day Hill chapter.

6:59

Um so we're looking to onboard a consultant within that same time frame, but look to wrap up the study by February.

7:05

Oh, that's good.

7:06

Yeah, the POCD update um per the statutory requirements.

7:11

We'd be looking at uh October 2025 for adoption.

7:15

So okay, thank you very much.

7:20

Um now we're going to public hearing special use 1911 Poquanic Avenue then notice.

7:26

Oh, wait a minute, the legal notes should be able to read that first, yes.

7:29

Sorry about that.

7:30

Notices here by giving that say that here that this commission will hold public hearings during the hybrid virtual special meeting on July 30th, 2024 at 7 p.m.

7:40

to hear and consider the following items.

7:42

Special use 1911 Paquanti Avenue and 67 Rainbow Road, Section 15.2.10, temporary or portable commercial amusements on private property in the AG zone, 52 acres, Campidi applicant special use 519, 545, and 549 Palisado Avenue, Section 4.5.7 C and 10.5.3 private schools or colleges in the AG and AA zone 14.8 acres, Medina Academy applicant.

8:17

Uh this notice was published in the Hartford Current on Friday, July 19th and Wednesday, July 24, 2024.

8:25

Thank you.

8:26

All right.

8:27

The first one is 1911 Pekwanic Avenue at 67 Rainbow Road.

8:43

All right, is your name and address?

8:45

Frank Campidi, 1188 North Grand Street, West Southfield, Connecticut.

8:51

Okay.

8:54

Talk to us.

8:55

Um I'm looking to do a Halloween drive-through exhibit at uh Brown's Harvest.

9:00

And uh we're looking to do it just for four weeks in October, um, Thursday through Sunday, maybe less than that, but that would be the most hours we uh would be operating.

9:11

But we're asking for Thursday through Sunday for the four weeks in October.

9:17

All right, there were a number of questions uh that were given to you, Staff Review.

9:21

Have you been able to answer all of them?

9:24

Yes, I did send them in to Andrew and Todd.

9:29

So do you want us to uh we got the eight of them and you've got eight answers here?

9:36

Um any questions on his answers?

9:41

I got a few.

9:42

Um will could you explain um what the lighting to illuminate the road would look like?

9:51

Um we're probably gonna use uh uh solar uh lanterns to illuminate it.

9:58

And that's only in the entryway.

10:00

Once you get in there, it's very well lit because almost everything is done with uh projections, and uh it's easy to see where you're supposed to go.

10:09

I think there's a couple spots uh when you enter in the main between the barns and the center, you have to take one left there.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning and Zoning█████████████████████████████████████████████64%
Special Events███████████████22%
Public Engagement███4%
Education and Youth███4%
Affordable Housing███4%
Disability Rights2%
Summary of Proceedings

Town Planning and Zoning Commission Special Meeting - July 30, 2024

The Town Planning and Zoning Commission held a special meeting on July 30, 2024, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers at Town Hall, with hybrid virtual participation. The commission considered two special use permit applications: a temporary Halloween drive-through exhibit at Brown's Harvest farm, and temporary classroom buildings for Medina Academy. Both applications were approved with conditions.

Planner's Report

  • The commission was informed of a training opportunity (CCAPA Housing Forum on September 11) and the ongoing RFQ process for the POCD update and Day Hill Corridor Study, with consultant interviews scheduled for mid-September and an expected adoption by October 2025.

Public Hearing: Special Use – 1911 Poquonock Avenue and 67 Rainbow Road (Campiti)

  • Applicant Frank Campiti proposed a temporary Halloween drive-through exhibit featuring video projections and low-volume sound, operating Thursdays through Sundays during October. The exhibit would use existing farm roads and is designed for families.
  • James Madison, a neighbor representing the Fitzmorris Circle neighborhood group, expressed strong support, citing the applicant's responsiveness to community concerns and the desire to see Brown's Harvest succeed.
  • Commission members questioned lighting (solar lanterns), traffic management (queue area of over 700 feet, one-way flow, no crossing), security (no actors, cars remain inside), and weather cancellation (closure in heavy rain).
  • Vote: Motion to approve the special use for four weeks in October (Thursdays to Sundays) with final approval by town staff who will conduct a site review after setup. Approved unanimously (5-0).

Public Hearing: Special Use – 519, 545, and 549 Palisado Avenue (Medina Academy)

  • Wilson Oliford Jr., representing the applicant, requested a special use permit for temporary classrooms to accommodate an enrollment increase from 230 to approximately 300 students. The classrooms would be placed behind the existing building on a 14.8-acre site zoned AA/AG, and are intended as a stopgap while the school evaluates long-term enrollment trends.
  • The applicant requested a four-year term, but the commission debated a shorter period given the residential context.
  • Planner noted that similar temporary structures (Loomis dorms) were handled at staff level but recommended a special use with a time limit for future review.
  • Commission members agreed on a two-year term with a requirement to return for review.
  • Vote: Motion to approve the special use for two years, subject to staff review of the site plan, fire alarm system, and ADA accessibility. Approved unanimously (5-0).

Meeting Adjournment

  • The meeting was adjourned following the public communications session. No other business was conducted.

Meeting Transcript

We'll call the special meeting of the town planning and zoning commission to order. And my first order of business is going to be uh Miss Andrea. Would you please give the information to those online? Sure. If there is anyone from the public who would like to address the commission, you may do so by raising your hand on your computer. If your device has a microphone capability, by selecting the participants icon on the Zoom menu bar and then clicking raise hand or by dialing star nine on your phone. When you are called on, you will be prompted that you are unmuted. And then please state your name and address. If anybody will entertain a motion. Uh there is a requested donation with the event, so if you would like to attend, please reach out to Andrea or the planning department. Uh we did look at it today, and I believe everyone is up to date with their training, but we did just begin a new cycle. And so we'll be looking to get the uh four hours of training in for the next two years. Yeah, December 2025. Yeah. So keep you posted on other training opportunities as I come up. Is there any other planning uh report that you need to give us tonight on anything uh going on? Um the only other thing is we have uh sent out an RFQ for the POCD update and a Day Hill corridor study. Um we're going to be conducting interviews with um consultants mid-September and looking to onboard someone in uh towards the end of September. So as we kind of meet with the consultants and narrow down a list, we'll kind of reach out to you and kind of let you know what scheduling-wise that might look like. Um we will be looking to select a subcommittee of the planning and zoning commission and members of other commissions and uh at-large members. Um, but I need to kind of narrow down a little bit of how we did that in the past. I think I'm going back to 2004. So I think we'd be looking at three members of planning and zoning and then a couple members from wetlands and the HDC as well. So what do you do with um inquiries that you get in the interim from people who might be willing or might be interested in um applying to develop a parcel along along the Day Hill corridor? Um so we are looking to move quicker faster on a Day Hill corridor study. Um that's being um led by the economic uh department. It's kind of a POCD update, but just for that Day Hill chapter. Um so we're looking to onboard a consultant within that same time frame, but look to wrap up the study by February. Oh, that's good. Yeah, the POCD update um per the statutory requirements. We'd be looking at uh October 2025 for adoption. So okay, thank you very much. Um now we're going to public hearing special use 1911 Poquanic Avenue then notice. Oh, wait a minute, the legal notes should be able to read that first, yes. Sorry about that. Notices here by giving that say that here that this commission will hold public hearings during the hybrid virtual special meeting on July 30th, 2024 at 7 p.m. to hear and consider the following items. Special use 1911 Paquanti Avenue and 67 Rainbow Road, Section 15.2.10, temporary or portable commercial amusements on private property in the AG zone, 52 acres, Campidi applicant special use 519, 545, and 549 Palisado Avenue, Section 4.5.7 C and 10.5.3 private schools or colleges in the AG and AA zone 14.8 acres, Medina Academy applicant. Uh this notice was published in the Hartford Current on Friday, July 19th and Wednesday, July 24, 2024. Thank you. All right. The first one is 1911 Pekwanic Avenue at 67 Rainbow Road. All right, is your name and address? Frank Campidi, 1188 North Grand Street, West Southfield, Connecticut. Okay. Talk to us. Um I'm looking to do a Halloween drive-through exhibit at uh Brown's Harvest. And uh we're looking to do it just for four weeks in October, um, Thursday through Sunday, maybe less than that, but that would be the most hours we uh would be operating. But we're asking for Thursday through Sunday for the four weeks in October. All right, there were a number of questions uh that were given to you, Staff Review.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com