OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Windsor Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting - May 20, 2025

Town Council & Planning and Zoning — Tuesday, May 20, 2025
BodyWindsor, Connecticut
SessionTown Council & Planning and Zoning
DateTuesday, May 20, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:05:35

Transcript — Verbatim
1:22

Seven o'clock, so I will call the planning and zoning commission meeting of May 20th to order.

1:28

And at this time, Mitch, will you let the uh audience at home know uh the particulars?

1:34

If there's 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 were called on, you'll be prompted that you are now unmuted.

1:53

Please state your name and address for clear communication.

1:55

We ask that you do not place the call on speaker phone.

1:59

Thank you.

2:00

Uh first order of business is public communications and petitions from anyone in the audience that wishes to speak to any item that is not a public hearing item this evening.

2:10

Uh so we have a um the applicant here for twenty-seven Sinclair.

2:19

Um it's come to my attention that there was a notice defect with the application.

2:25

Um so I I suggested that she speech speak, excuse me, during the public comment period.

2:31

Um because of this notice defect, we're not able to open the public hearing.

2:36

Um tonight.

2:37

So I I figured the uh public comment period was the best opportunity to speak.

2:41

Okay.

2:42

Wouldn't you come up, give us your name and address and my name is Rhonda Myers and I live at four four Hope Circle in Windsor.

3:03

Okay.

3:42

Other twenty-five.

3:44

So I mean the neighbors they walk by, they look at it, they can feel free to come and look closer at it, but it's in the it's in the yard.

3:57

Um to move forward with this because the sign is not absent from the yard, it's just move to the side because people do come to cut the grass.

4:07

They cut the front, the thigh and the back.

4:15

I was there yesterday, there was no sign.

4:19

Well, it has to be open to the public so that people can see it.

4:23

If you're up at the side and up on a hill that may not be able to be seen.

4:27

It's supposed to be in the front so that people anybody driving by can see the sign.

4:31

Yeah, well, it was moved when the guy came the dude of grass.

4:36

It should have been put back, and we can't go against state statute, which says we can't hear it.

4:42

If it hasn't been out for the public to be able to see it.

5:00

So I am asking if you will waive the fees.

5:11

How much is the fee?

5:13

The fee for a special use application is uh 210 dollars.

5:18

Um there are advertising fees that sta the town does incur with an application.

5:26

Uh I don't know specifically for one application what you know that line item would be, uh, how much that would cost, but there are fees with um advertising, and then obviously there's fees for staff time for providing the materials and putting everything together for the packets.

5:42

So I pay one fee that he gave me.

5:45

I filled out the form and I paid one fee only.

5:48

I didn't pay any advertising fees or anything, and I am asking to have that fee waived uh waived because I paid that hefty fee already, and uh I was not aware because the sign was moved to the side of the house that um that would that would um make it so that I would have to extend out to another month.

6:10

I was not aware.

6:12

Well, I uh I I I can't see waiving the whole fee.

6:16

We could probably split it in half because we've got to pay for advertising again from the town side, correct?

6:22

Yes, ma'am, we do.

6:24

Um you know I really can't speak to that because of my time, it's kind of a new precedent.

6:30

I I haven't been one where the commission has waived fees on applications.

6:34

Um very seldom we have, but it's very seldom.

6:38

Um I think if we split it in half, that would be fair.

6:48

I I think that unfortunately I mean I I agree with you.

6:52

I'm okay with splitting the fees, but from beginning day one, um you've been ill-prepared on proper stuff.

7:00

So hopefully you'll learn through this experience.

7:03

I I think that that's that that's a key, because when you came before you didn't have all the documentation, you didn't know, you didn't know this, you didn't know that.

7:13

I I highly recommend that you study up, make sure you have the proper documentation exactly what you're doing.

7:20

Right.

7:20

You know what I mean?

7:21

Otherwise, I agree.

7:22

I agree.

7:23

I it's I didn't have proper documentation because I I didn't know I was receiving paperwork as I walked through the door, so I was not aware.

7:32

So no, I you know, I was not prepared during that time.

7:37

Okay, and the sign would have to be reposted, so you're gonna have to at least every day make sure that that sign is where it's supposed to be, and it should be dead center in the middle of the lawn parallel to the street.

7:51

Okay, well, it was until a couple of days ago when the guy came to do the grass, and uh then it was just moved to the side of the house, but it's still there.

8:01

But I'll put it back in the front.

8:03

You'll you also getting a new one with new dates on it once you've decided to uh reapply.

8:08

It'll have to you'll have a new sign.

8:10

Okay, with new dates.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning and Zoning█████████████████████████████████████████████53%
Transportation Safety██████████████17%
Procedural█████████11%
Economic Development██████7%
Public Engagement█████6%
Affordable Housing████5%
Senior Services█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Windsor Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting - May 20, 2025

The Windsor Planning and Zoning Commission held its regular hybrid meeting on May 20, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, Town Hall. The meeting addressed several major items including a design development concept plan for a mixed-use development at 1 & 10 Targeting Centre and 465 Bloomfield Avenue, a zone change and text amendment for 550 Marshall Phelps Road (Bodum USA), and a special use application for 27 Sinclair Street that was denied due to a notice defect. The Commission also approved various routine items, received updates from staff, and heard public comments.

Consent Calendar

  • 3.9 Site Plan Revisions: Approved for Batch Auto Road (addition in N Zone for Loomis), 1095 Kennedy Road (recycling station in PUD zone, Count & Crush, LLC), and 300 Lamberton Road (parking and loading dock revisions in I Zone, Alford Associates, Inc.). No objections were raised.
  • Minutes Approval: The minutes of April 8, 2025, were approved with corrections (page 5, third paragraph: changed "he said" to "Mr. Seely said" and corrected "full staff approval"). The minutes of April 24, 2025, special meeting were approved with a correction (page 4, ninth paragraph: substituted "should" for "would"). Both votes were unanimous (5-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Rhonda Myers (44 Hope Circle): During the public communications period, Ms. Myers spoke regarding the 27 Sinclair Street application, stating that the public hearing sign was inadvertently moved by a lawn crew and requested a fee waiver for the reapplication due to the notice defect. The Commission debated and agreed to reduce the filing fee from $210 to $105. The motion carried unanimously.
  • Public Hearing on Targeting Centre (1 & 10 Targeting Centre and 465 Bloomfield Avenue): Multiple residents spoke:
    • Estelle (116 Mountain Road): Opposed the 201 additional apartment units, arguing that Windsor already has a glut of approved apartments (397 units in construction or approved versus 1,108 existing). Provided a handout showing existing, approved, and proposed units. Suggested senior living with assisted care as an alternative. Requested an 8-foot fence along property lines for privacy and screening.
    • Bom? (Soviet Lane, name unclear): Expressed concerns about traffic congestion at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and the site exit, noting five traffic lights within a tenth of a mile. Opposed the commercial drive-through retail, favoring residential-only development to reduce vehicle trips. Supported Estelle's idea of senior housing and proposed condominiums for homeownership opportunities.
    • John Zapula (112 Mountain Road): Supported Estelle's fence request, raised concerns about trash dumping, snow plowing pushing contaminants into a swale, and wildlife movement. Emphasized that existing traffic is already a "mess."
  • Public Hearing on Zone Change and Text Amendment (550 Marshall Phelps Road):
    • Roland Bernier (17 Haskins Road): As the nearest resident, urged the applicant to consider noise mitigation similar to a previous application (Sardilli), including lower-decibel backup alarms, a raised berm, and tree planting for a sound barrier. Noted wetlands in the area.

Discussion Items

  • C.G.S. §8-24 Referral – Prospect Hill Road Rehabilitation: The project, partially funded by the state, includes installing sidewalks from Lang Road to Day Hill Road to fill pedestrian gaps. Commissioner Levine raised a safety concern about pedestrians crossing the circle at Lang Road twice. Staff explained that a retaining wall on the opposite side prevents continuous sidewalk on one side. The Commission unanimously recommended the Town Council incorporate the sidewalks (motion carried 5-0).
  • C.G.S. §8-24 Referral – 150 Broad Street (Electric Easement and Pedestrian Right-of-Way): Two easements were requested: an electric line to service a relocated street light and a pedestrian right-of-way through the redeveloped site. The town will not accept maintenance. The motion recommended approval to the Town Council (unanimous).
  • Planner’s Report:
    • POCD consultant promoted the survey at the Shad Derby (estimated 30-40 dots on a map, many engaged). Focus groups are being held: first on cultural/historic resources completed; second on housing/transportation scheduled for May 22 (weather permitting); third on economic development/open space on June 4.
    • Planner passed the AICP exam and will apply for certification; completed CASIO training (zoning enforcement). Other staff also trained.
    • Update on FFL regulations: Research ongoing, not yet ready.
    • Airbnbs: Staff discussed draft regulations; noted that model regulations can be extensive and raise enforcement questions. Bed-and-breakfast regulations may be a path forward. Commission discussed interplay with planned community rules.
    • Day Hill Corridor Study: Staff presented a preliminary map of focus areas (transects) for potential adaptive reuse of office buildings. Goal is to draft regulations for July hearing.
  • Public Hearings:
    • 27 Sinclair Street (Special Use – Group Home): Continued from February 11, 2025. Due to a notice defect (sign not properly displayed), the Commission could not open the public hearing. A motion to deny the application without prejudice (allowing refiling within a year) passed unanimously.
    • Design Development Concept Plan – 1 & 10 Targeting Centre and 465 Bloomfield Avenue (Mixed-use): Applicant Alford Associates presented plans for a Starbucks with a drive-through (14-car stacking, exceeding the 80-foot/4-car minimum), a retail building with a pickup window drive-through, and shared parking (345 spaces provided vs. 372 required, short by 27). A traffic study concluded level of service remains “B.” Commissioner Gibson expressed concern about potential congestion from two drive-through queues merging into one exit and suggested removing a direct exit to avoid conflicts. Public comments raised traffic and density concerns. Staff recommended continuing the hearing to allow time to review new plans and the traffic study. The Commission voted to recess the public hearing to June 10, 2025 (unanimous).
    • Zone Change – 550 Marshall Phelps Road (Warehouse to Industrial): Applicant Lori DiBattisto presented for Bodum USA, a Danish-Swiss kitchenware company. The zone change is needed to allow coffee roasting (food processing) as part of their distribution center. The POCD supports this change. Commissioner Levine noted the parcel backs to residential and requested that truck traffic be restricted to right turns only out of the driveway, similar to a previous condition. The zone change was approved unanimously (5-0).
    • Text Amendment – Sections 8.6E and 8.6M (I Zone): The applicant proposed to modify limited retail sales regulations in the Industrial zone to allow a destination café/retail showcase. Key changes: increase retail cap from 2,000 sq. ft. to 15% of gross floor area; extend operating hours from 9 a.m. to 7 a.m.; add accessory restaurant (up to 25% combined retail/restaurant space); remove the initial one-year special permit time limit (deleting the restriction); and delete the prohibition on retail within 500 feet of a residential zone, allowing commission discretion. Staff supported the changes, noting they are limited and consistent with regional plans (CRoG found no conflict). The Commission approved the text amendment unanimously (5-0).

Key Outcomes

  • Fee Waiver (27 Sinclair Street): Reduced reapplication fee to $105.
  • 8-24 Referrals: Both recommendations approved unanimously for Town Council action.
  • Minutes Approved: April 8 and April 24 special meeting minutes approved with corrections.
  • 27 Sinclair Street Special Use: Denied without prejudice (unanimous).
  • Targeting Centre Design Development: Public hearing continued to June 10, 2025 (unanimous).
  • Zone Change (550 Marshall Phelps Road): Approved (5-0).
  • Text Amendment (I Zone): Approved (5-0).
  • Adjournment: The meeting adjourned after a motion was made and seconded (unanimous).

Meeting Transcript

Seven o'clock, so I will call the planning and zoning commission meeting of May 20th to order. And at this time, Mitch, will you let the uh audience at home know uh the particulars? If there's 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 were called on, you'll be prompted that you are now unmuted. Please state your name and address for clear communication. We ask that you do not place the call on speaker phone. Thank you. Uh first order of business is public communications and petitions from anyone in the audience that wishes to speak to any item that is not a public hearing item this evening. Uh so we have a um the applicant here for twenty-seven Sinclair. Um it's come to my attention that there was a notice defect with the application. Um so I I suggested that she speech speak, excuse me, during the public comment period. Um because of this notice defect, we're not able to open the public hearing. Um tonight. So I I figured the uh public comment period was the best opportunity to speak. Okay. Wouldn't you come up, give us your name and address and my name is Rhonda Myers and I live at four four Hope Circle in Windsor. Okay. Other twenty-five. So I mean the neighbors they walk by, they look at it, they can feel free to come and look closer at it, but it's in the it's in the yard. Um to move forward with this because the sign is not absent from the yard, it's just move to the side because people do come to cut the grass. They cut the front, the thigh and the back. I was there yesterday, there was no sign. Well, it has to be open to the public so that people can see it. If you're up at the side and up on a hill that may not be able to be seen. It's supposed to be in the front so that people anybody driving by can see the sign. Yeah, well, it was moved when the guy came the dude of grass. It should have been put back, and we can't go against state statute, which says we can't hear it. If it hasn't been out for the public to be able to see it. So I am asking if you will waive the fees. How much is the fee? The fee for a special use application is uh 210 dollars. Um there are advertising fees that sta the town does incur with an application. Uh I don't know specifically for one application what you know that line item would be, uh, how much that would cost, but there are fees with um advertising, and then obviously there's fees for staff time for providing the materials and putting everything together for the packets. So I pay one fee that he gave me. I filled out the form and I paid one fee only. I didn't pay any advertising fees or anything, and I am asking to have that fee waived uh waived because I paid that hefty fee already, and uh I was not aware because the sign was moved to the side of the house that um that would that would um make it so that I would have to extend out to another month. I was not aware. Well, I uh I I I can't see waiving the whole fee. We could probably split it in half because we've got to pay for advertising again from the town side, correct? Yes, ma'am, we do. Um you know I really can't speak to that because of my time, it's kind of a new precedent. I I haven't been one where the commission has waived fees on applications. Um very seldom we have, but it's very seldom. Um I think if we split it in half, that would be fair. I I think that unfortunately I mean I I agree with you. I'm okay with splitting the fees, but from beginning day one, um you've been ill-prepared on proper stuff. So hopefully you'll learn through this experience. I I think that that's that that's a key, because when you came before you didn't have all the documentation, you didn't know, you didn't know this, you didn't know that. I I highly recommend that you study up, make sure you have the proper documentation exactly what you're doing. Right. You know what I mean?

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