OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Windsor Town Council Meeting - January 20, 2026: POCD Update, Stormwater Bond, and Police Staffing Concerns

Town Council & Planning and Zoning — Tuesday, January 20, 2026
BodyWindsor, Connecticut
SessionTown Council & Planning and Zoning
DateTuesday, January 20, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:43:40

Transcript — Verbatim
1:06

Good evening.

1:07

The time is now 7 p.m.

1:10

And welcome to the public hearing of January 20th, 2026.

1:14

And before I open it, I would like to read the public notice.

1:18

Notice is hereby given that the town council of the town of Windsor will hold a virtual and in-person public hearing in the council chamber at the Windsor Town Hall, 275 Broad Street on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 at 7 p.m.

1:34

prevailing time to hear public comment on the following items.

1:39

To hear public comment on an ordinance entitled Proposed Update to the Plan of Conservation and Development.

1:46

Windsor 2035.

1:48

Dated at Windsor, Connecticut this ninth day of January, 2026.

1:53

A copy of the full text is on file at the office of the town clerk and is available for public inspection.

1:59

Information on how to attend the Zoom meeting via phone or computer will be included in the town council agenda.

2:05

Please go to our town website, click on the virtual meeting info button found on the front page and select town council meeting for January 20th, 2026.

2:15

Windsor Town Council by Peter Souza, town manager.

2:19

With the notice being read, the public hearing is now open.

2:23

I will now turn this over to our moderator, Scott Cobe, assisted town manager, who will provide the instructions.

2:35

That would be wonderful.

2:37

Great.

2:38

Thank you.

2:39

With that, I'd like to ask our town planner, Todd Seely to join us.

2:46

And Todd's going to give a brief overview of this um 12-month plus effort.

2:56

And with that Todd, all yours.

2:58

Okay.

2:59

Good evening, Madam Mayor and Council members.

3:10

For the record, my name is Todd Seely, Town Planner.

3:14

Every municipality in Connecticut is required to update its plan of conservation and development, or POCD, every 10 years.

3:21

To assist with Windsor's POCD update and the community engagement process, the town retained IMEG, formerly FHI studio.

3:30

Over the past year, the town and our consultant implemented implemented a robust public engagement campaign.

3:36

This included two public workshops, five topic-based group focused group meetings, interviews with key departments and stakeholders, and an online community survey that received more than 800 responses.

4:06

The POCD serves as a snapshot of the community at a point in time.

5:00

And so the goal and the strategies and actions for housing are kind of developed that framework of the guiding principle in mind.

5:06

With that context, I'll briefly outline the key topic areas it addresses and how the plan is organized.

5:12

So the topic areas addressed in the POCD include housing, transportation, land use, economic development, quality of life, environment, open space and natural resources, and cultural and historic resources.

5:27

Each topic chapter follows a similar structure, beginning with a baseline conditions and background information, followed by an analysis of existing condition, such as the zoning infrastructure or facilities, and then identifying the key issues and trends for each topic.

5:44

Each topic area includes a summary of what we've heard from the community with direct quotes that were drawn from public feedback.

5:53

As part of the adoption process, the planning and zoning commission is required to forward a final draft of the POCD to town council and the Capital Regional Council of Governments for a mandatory 65-day review period.

6:05

That draft was submitted on December 15th.

6:09

And just last week we've set a date for the planning and zoning commission to hold a public hearing on the POCD at a special meeting on February 24th.

6:21

Thank you so much, Ms.

6:22

Seeley.

6:23

All right.

6:23

So at this time, Mr.

6:24

Colby.

6:27

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

6:28

If there's anyone from the public who's virtual this evening and would like to address the council for the public hearing, you may do so by raising your hand on your computer by selecting the participants icon in the zoom menu bar and then clicking raised hand or uh by dialing star nine on your phone.

6:40

Please state your name and address when you were called on.

6:42

You'd be prompted that you are now unmuted for those dialing in by phone.

6:45

Once prompted, you will then press star six to unmute for clear communication.

6:49

We ask that you do not place the call on speakerphone.

6:51

And once again, this is for the first public hearing on the POCD.

6:56

At this time, Madam Mayor, we have no virtual attendees with your hand raised.

7:00

Thank you so much, Mr.

7:01

Colby.

7:02

So we'll move to the town hall chamber.

7:04

If anyone would like to address the council, we do ask that you step forward, state your name and address.

7:09

You will be given three minutes to speak.

7:11

And at the sound of the chime, we do ask that you conclude your comments.

7:16

Hello, uh, Susan Miller, 130 Palisado.

7:20

Um, thank you to the town for putting this together, the POCD.

7:23

It's um when I read through it, it felt like there was a lot of stuff that they actually heard from the community that they were trying to incorporate.

7:32

So I really appreciate that.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning and Zoning█████████████████████21%
Procedural████████████████████20%
Public Engagement████████████12%
Environmental Protection██████████10%
Public Safety██████████10%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████8%
Education and Youth█████5%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Public Works Week███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Windsor Town Council Meeting - January 20, 2026

The Windsor Town Council held a public hearing and regular meeting on January 20, 2026, starting at 7:00 PM. The meeting included two public hearings: the first on the proposed update to the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) Windsor 2035, and the second on a $400,000 bond ordinance for the stormwater management program. The regular meeting featured presentations, public comment, reports, and votes on multiple items. Key concerns included police department staffing, the need for more actionable language in the POCD, and the adoption of a resolution supporting inclusion in the federal Highlands Conservation Act grant program.

Public Hearing #1: Proposed Update to the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) Windsor 2035

  • Town Planner Todd Seely provided an overview of the 12+ month process, noting that every Connecticut municipality must update its POCD every 10 years. The town retained IMEG (formerly FHI Studio) and conducted a robust public engagement campaign including two public workshops, five topic-based focus groups, interviews, and an online survey with more than 800 responses. The draft was submitted to the Planning and Zoning Commission on December 15, 2025, and a public hearing is scheduled for February 24, 2026.
  • Public Comments:
    • Susan Miller (130 Palisado) praised the POCD but raised concerns about vague language such as "encourage energy efficiency design standards above code" and "continue to plan for transitioning the municipal fleet to electric vehicles." She suggested more concrete, actionable language and proposed adding pollinator pathways and tree plantings along the Day Hill corridor.
    • Leah Chase (7 Modes Circle) emphasized water quality, recycling, and tree planting, suggesting a Miyawaki forest and recycling bins for textiles and clothing.
    • Jennifer Healy (20 Clapp Road North) expressed support for the vision but noted that 37% of Windsor exceeds safe water pollution thresholds, with no requirement to reduce impervious cover. She questioned how the town will be held accountable for the POCD's goals.
    • Nathan Carnes (Juniper Road, 15-year homeowner and member of Windsor Economic Development Commission, retired state development professional) recommended revisions to housing goal 5.1 to include all residents (not just seniors, young adults, and families), urged action verbs over "encourage," and expressed concern about the Day Hill Quarter Vision strategy referencing a 2024 consultant study that lacked future trend forecasting. He also called for pedestrian safety improvements in the Day Hill/Pequanic area.
    • Eric Weiner (150 Broad Street) raised a new issue: the potential for empty warehouses to become ICE detention centers. He urged the council to include a statement in the POCD prohibiting detention facilities, or to consider an ordinance.
    • Coralie Jones (1171 Maniannick Avenue) noted the risk of apartment oversaturation and suggested that market incentives may make apartments more affordable, but cautioned against overbuilding. She also stated that the town should follow the law regarding warehouses and ICE.

Public Hearing #2: Stormwater Management Program Bond Ordinance

  • The town council held a public hearing on an ordinance appropriating $400,000 for costs related to the stormwater management program and authorizing the issuance of $400,000 in bonds. No members of the public spoke.

Regular Meeting Highlights

  • Prayer and Reflection: Councilor Glack Hoffman led a prayer for strength.
  • Fire Prevention Poster Contest Winners: Fifth and fourth grade winners from JFK and Clover Street schools were recognized.
  • Public Communications:
    • Eric Weiner suggested adding a countdown clock for speakers.
    • Christina Santos (65 Winthrop Road) raised concerns about police department staffing: SROs pulled from schools, multiple officers leaving (two more in recent weeks, three more pending), and questions about retention under Chief Melanson. She requested exit interview data and called for transparency.
    • Debbie Sampson (604 Stone Road) echoed concerns about police morale and staffing, criticized HR handling of a female officer with cancer, and demanded action.
  • Council Communications: Multiple councilors thanked participants, recognized the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration (36th year by Arch Memorial), praised public works for snow removal, promoted small businesses (e.g., Bop Cafe), and reminded residents about the communications survey and Senior Olympics on February 6 at Day Hill Dome.
  • Town Manager Report: Peter Sousa announced AARP free tax preparation (Feb 2–Apr 9), Social Services blanket drive, youth services backpack program, and upcoming events (Senior Olympics, Windsor Arts Center concert, Historical Society exhibit on 250th anniversary of Declaration of Independence). He noted that police staffing numbers would be provided later.
  • Deputy Mayor requested a referral of police department issues to the Health and Safety Committee (not decided that evening).
  • Health and Safety Committee Report: Councilor Armstrong announced a public information meeting on automated license plate readers and speed enforcement cameras on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 6:30 PM in Town Hall, with a Zoom option and a fillable questionnaire.

Reports of Boards and Commissions

  • Public Building Commission: Detailed progress on multiple projects: LP Wilson HVAC (98% complete, finishing by February), Town Hall roof (10% complete, due July), Windsor High School HVAC study (due March), LP Wilson Board of Education restroom renovations (bids due Jan 26, construction over summer), Veterans Pool conceptual design (14 weeks), Clover Street School ADA compliance (punch list), Milo Peck HVAC, library boiler replacements (engineering proposals under review), Chafee House exterior repairs (masonry in spring), Windsor High School roof (detail design underway), and several other projects.

Unfinished Business

  • Stormwater Bond Ordinance (Second Reading): The council unanimously (9-0) waived the reading and approved the ordinance appropriating $400,000 for the stormwater management program, authorizing bonds.
  • Highlands Conservation Act Resolution: Councilor Naeem moved to support Windsor's inclusion in the federal Highlands boundary for the Highlands Conservation Act grant program. Town Manager clarified that the resolution does not commit town funds; each potential project would require separate approval. The grant requires 50% match from non-federal sources. The council voted unanimously (9-0) to approve.

New Business: Endorsement of 2025 POCD

  • Councilor Naeem moved to endorse the proposed 2025 Plan of Conservation and Development. Discussion included:
    • Councilor King asked whether endorsing the plan would prevent submitting comments; Town Manager said comments can still be sent to Planning and Zoning (TPZ), and the public hearing on Feb 24 will consider them.
    • Councilor Elwell and others noted that the word "encourage" appears 47 times in the document. Town Planner Seely and Town Manager explained that the POCD is a visionary document; specific actions will come through zoning amendments and other policies. Councilor Pelkey asked about consistency with new state housing legislation (HB 8002); Seely said the POCD is compatible.
    • Councilor Naeem emphasized that the council should take policy steps to implement the vision.
    • Deputy Mayor praised the public engagement efforts.
    • The motion passed unanimously (9-0).

Resignations and Appointments

  • The council accepted the resignation of Deborah Hollowell from the Planning and Zoning Commission (9-0).

Approval of Minutes

  • The minutes of the January 5, 2026 regular meeting were approved (9-0).

Executive Session

  • The council voted unanimously (9-0) to enter executive session for strategy and negotiations regarding collective bargaining (Teamsters), selection of a site or purchase of real estate, and pending litigation (Rivers Bend vs. Town of Windsor). The portion was closed to the public.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. The time is now 7 p.m. And welcome to the public hearing of January 20th, 2026. And before I open it, I would like to read the public notice. Notice is hereby given that the town council of the town of Windsor will hold a virtual and in-person public hearing in the council chamber at the Windsor Town Hall, 275 Broad Street on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 at 7 p.m. prevailing time to hear public comment on the following items. To hear public comment on an ordinance entitled Proposed Update to the Plan of Conservation and Development. Windsor 2035. Dated at Windsor, Connecticut this ninth day of January, 2026. A copy of the full text is on file at the office of the town clerk and is available for public inspection. Information on how to attend the Zoom meeting via phone or computer will be included in the town council agenda. Please go to our town website, click on the virtual meeting info button found on the front page and select town council meeting for January 20th, 2026. Windsor Town Council by Peter Souza, town manager. With the notice being read, the public hearing is now open. I will now turn this over to our moderator, Scott Cobe, assisted town manager, who will provide the instructions. That would be wonderful. Great. Thank you. With that, I'd like to ask our town planner, Todd Seely to join us. And Todd's going to give a brief overview of this um 12-month plus effort. And with that Todd, all yours. Okay. Good evening, Madam Mayor and Council members. For the record, my name is Todd Seely, Town Planner. Every municipality in Connecticut is required to update its plan of conservation and development, or POCD, every 10 years. To assist with Windsor's POCD update and the community engagement process, the town retained IMEG, formerly FHI studio. Over the past year, the town and our consultant implemented implemented a robust public engagement campaign. This included two public workshops, five topic-based group focused group meetings, interviews with key departments and stakeholders, and an online community survey that received more than 800 responses. The POCD serves as a snapshot of the community at a point in time. And so the goal and the strategies and actions for housing are kind of developed that framework of the guiding principle in mind. With that context, I'll briefly outline the key topic areas it addresses and how the plan is organized. So the topic areas addressed in the POCD include housing, transportation, land use, economic development, quality of life, environment, open space and natural resources, and cultural and historic resources. Each topic chapter follows a similar structure, beginning with a baseline conditions and background information, followed by an analysis of existing condition, such as the zoning infrastructure or facilities, and then identifying the key issues and trends for each topic. Each topic area includes a summary of what we've heard from the community with direct quotes that were drawn from public feedback. As part of the adoption process, the planning and zoning commission is required to forward a final draft of the POCD to town council and the Capital Regional Council of Governments for a mandatory 65-day review period. That draft was submitted on December 15th. And just last week we've set a date for the planning and zoning commission to hold a public hearing on the POCD at a special meeting on February 24th. Thank you so much, Ms. Seeley. All right. So at this time, Mr. Colby. Thank you, Madam Mayor. If there's anyone from the public who's virtual this evening and would like to address the council for the public hearing, you may do so by raising your hand on your computer by selecting the participants icon in the zoom menu bar and then clicking raised hand or uh by dialing star nine on your phone. Please state your name and address when you were called on. You'd be prompted that you are now unmuted for those dialing in by phone. Once prompted, you will then press star six to unmute for clear communication. We ask that you do not place the call on speakerphone. And once again, this is for the first public hearing on the POCD. At this time, Madam Mayor, we have no virtual attendees with your hand raised.

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