Town Planning and Zoning Commission Special Meeting - August 12, 2025
Town Planning and Zoning Commission Special Meeting - August 12, 2025
The Town Planning and Zoning Commission held a hybrid special meeting on August 12, 2025, at 7:00 PM in Council Chambers, Town Hall, 275 Broad Street, Windsor, CT. The meeting addressed the six-year Capital Improvements Program (CIP), the Day Hill Road Corridor Study, a text amendment for adaptive reuse of vacant industrial facilities, and acceptance of new applications. The commission approved the CIP, opened a public hearing on the adaptive reuse text amendment (continued to September 9, 2025), and received presentations from staff and the applicant.
Consent Calendar
- None.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Darlene Clace (318 Hitching Post Lane) expressed concern about proposed operating hours for a central bar in the adaptive reuse regulation, stating that neighbors preferred restaurants and retail not extend beyond 10 PM (or 9 PM), and requested the provision allowing hours past 12 AM be stricken.
Discussion Items
- Capital Improvements Program (CIP) FY 2026-2031: Staff presented the six-year CIP totaling approximately $126 million, including $10.2 million for street resurfacing, $32.4 million for major street reconstruction/rehabilitation, and $40–$41 million for school-related projects. Commissioner questioned the commission's role under CGS §8-24 since the CIP is primarily a financial instrument. Staff explained the review ensures consistency with the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD).
- Application Acceptance: Staff noted five new applications to be scheduled for September 2025, adding to a previously heavy agenda of 12–13 applications.
- Day Hill Road Corridor Study Presentation: Staff presented a high-level recap of the Day Hill Corridor planning study (conducted October 2024–March 2025), highlighting a 60% office vacancy rate (up from 34% in 2019) and a 1.7 million square feet surplus. The study identified three focus areas: Waterside Crossing, Goodwin Drive/Baker Hollow, and Voya Village. Staff proposed two new regulations: an adaptive reuse regulation (Section 8.6L) for converting vacant office buildings to residential with limited commercial, and a Day Hill Corridor Design Development District (D3) with two transects (T1 residential, T2 mixed-use). Discussion included concerns about noise regulations, unit sizes, density, affordable housing mandates, and the need to clearly limit adaptive reuse to the Day Hill area. Commissioners expressed frustration that the study presentation came after the public hearing on the adaptive reuse text amendment.
- Adaptive Reuse Text Amendment (Section 8.6L): Attorney Carl Landolina (representing Brady Sullivan Properties) presented the proposed regulation, which would allow adaptive reuse of vacant/underutilized office buildings within designated focus areas. Key elements: minimum 50% vacancy for at least one year, density calculated by dividing gross floor area by 1,000, minimum unit sizes (700 sq ft studio, 1,000 sq ft two-bedroom), affordability bonuses, and limited commercial uses (up to 20% of floor area). A letter from Christian Alford (C.C.P. Investment) was read into the record suggesting modifications, including reducing minimum unit sizes to 650/950 sq ft and adding drive-through permissions. Commissioner Jepson raised process concerns about hearing the applicant before the study presentation.
Key Outcomes
- Motion: The commission unanimously approved (5-0) the FY 2026-2031 Capital Improvements Program, pursuant to CGS §8-24, recommending approval.
- Motion: The public hearing on the adaptive reuse text amendment (Section 8.6L) was continued to the commission's next regular meeting on September 9, 2025.
- Presentation: The Day Hill Corridor Study presentation was delivered; no action was taken. Staff will refine the adaptive reuse regulation and the Day Hill Corridor Design Development District proposal for future meetings (adaptive reuse continued in September, D3 targeted for October).
Meeting Transcript
I'll call the town planning and zoning commission uh special meeting to order. Uh first order of business is Mitch, can you allow uh let people know what to do if they're online? 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 will be prompted that you are now on muted. 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 an item that is not a public hearing item this evening. Anyone online? No one online. Okay. Uh anything from any uh any on the commission that wants to have anything to add? Okay. Uh I have one question um before we go any further. Um because we're going to have one public hearing. Um, do we not need a notice? Yeah, we don't have a public hearing notice, not in our packet. Andrea online available. Andrea. I didn't see one, did you? No, I didn't either. Um I know we were kind of throwing a packet out last minute on Friday. Um I'll have to confirm that we did get a legal notice published by before opening the public hearing. Um CGS 824. Who's speaking to that? I'll be speaking to that, Madam Chair. Um so we have a 8-24 for the capital improvement program for FY26 to FY Gosh, sounds weird. 2031. Um the town's six-year capital improvement program provides a means for planning, coordinating, and prioritizing the capital project request of various departments and agencies. Uh FY26 through 2031 includes project descriptions and projected costs by fiscal year. The information the six-year CIP provides regarding the short-term and long-term financial impacts of undertaking projects enables policymakers to balance town priorities with towns' financial capability to pay for the identified projects. Below are a few highlights of the proposed six-year CIP, which totals approximately 126 million in projects. The CIP includes approximately 10.2 million for street resurfacing, pavement reclamation, milling, curb replacement, minor drainage improvements, and other pavement repair work. In addition, the six-year period includes major street reconstruction or rehabilitation projects at an estimated cost of 32.4 million. School related projects totaling 40 41. Move that the town planning and zoning commission pursuant to section uh CGS section 8-24. Recommend the approval of the proposed FY26 FY31 capital improvement plan. So if that can be moved, that would be the only thing I would have to say. Anybody have anything else? May I ask a question? Sure. Um for my years in the council, the CIPU is always primarily a financial instrument. And now we're not supposed to look at finances here. So um what is our actual role in the 824 for for this? Like uh uh the chairman's mentioned scheduling, perhaps. Um but but I always thought of this as more of a financial plan, not a I guess I'm not sure why it's an A24 review, to be honest. Um you are correct on that it is a financial plan. Um I'd have to get in, I don't have the uh 8-24 um, I think regulation. The 824s are for something that has not already existing. This particular one with the pools is something that's existing, so maybe that's why it seems funny in there.
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