Windsor Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – February 10, 2026

The Windsor Town Planning and Zoning Commission held a hybrid regular meeting on February 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, Windsor Town Hall. Four commissioners were present, establishing a quorum; the chair noted that with only three commissioners, a unanimous vote would have been required. The commission handled routine approvals, heard the planner's update, and acted on seven public hearing items, approving six and postponing one.

Consent Calendar

• Site Plan Revision – 99 Lamberton Road: Staff reported that a freestanding sign/sculpture site plan revision in the I Zone for Seymour/Travelers had been approved by staff since the last meeting.
• Minutes – January 13, 2026: Approved 3-0 without correction.

Planner's Report

• The Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) update is scheduled for a public hearing on February 24, 2026. The Town Council held a public hearing on January 20, 2026; staff are reviewing feedback and working with the consultant to incorporate revisions.
• Staff are finalizing outstanding details for recent approvals, including two warehouse buildings on Baker Hollow approved in 2024, a building on Stone Road, and pedestrian amenities at 1 and 3 Waterside Crossing.
• The CFPZA Annual Conference will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2026; commissioners were reminded that attendance counts toward training credit. A discussion noted that the training requirement is once every four years, not every two years as stated in a newsletter.

Public Hearings

• 231 Dudley Town Road – Special Use Re-approval (Postponed): The applicant requested a postponement to March 10, 2026. Staff noted this is the applicant's final available postponement; if not ready, the applicant must withdraw and resubmit or pursue alternatives.
• 494 (540) Windsor Avenue – Full-Service Restaurant: Applicant Michelle Taylor, a restaurateur with over 25 years of experience and a five-year liquor permit without incidents, proposed a Jamaican-inspired upscale restaurant she referred to as Muckabay. Hours would be 3:00–10:00 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays, with Sunday brunch from 12:00–5:00 p.m., and no live music. Staff reported that the health department plan review was ongoing and that the bar area was roughly 11.5% of the restaurant, below the 15% regulation; a scaled drawing would be required. The commission approved the special use 4-0 with a two-year time limit and conditions to resolve outstanding town issues.
• Text Amendment – Section 13.3.3C(10)(c), Day Hill Design Development District: Town of Windsor application to allow the commission to increase the maximum building height within the district. Staff cited the former Conica site at 500 Day Hill Road, where matching existing floor plates would require 52 feet against the current 50-foot limit. The amendment passed 4-0. A CROG referral dated February 5, 2026 found no conflict with regional plans.
• Text Amendment – New Section 7.6.6, Hotel Conversion (Bluevale Capital): Applicant Alexa Moire proposed allowing adaptive reuse of extended-stay hotel buildings as a special use in the RC zone, limited to properties in the Highway Transitional Design District. The intended project is a 96-unit, one-to-one conversion of the Residence Inn on Dunfey Lane; rental units would include studios of about 500 square feet. Parking would be assessed under residential standards, with up to 50% deferred parking allowed. Approved 4-0; CROG referral found no conflict.
• Text Amendment – New Section 5.2.6T, Conversion of Hotels in the B2 Zone (CT Anchor Equity): Attorney Ryan Hoyler of Robinson+Cole and Rich Brown of CT Anchor Equity proposed permitting conversion of existing hotels to micro-apartments in Windsor Center, targeting the Windsor Townhouse Hotel at 19 Maple Avenue. The plan discussed 27–28 units of 260–330 square feet, rented at roughly $1,400/month and set below 80% AMI, with about 11 on-site parking spaces and off-site parking arranged nearby. During discussion, staff suggested removing the pre-1970 construction-date limit and the 350-square-foot maximum to broaden eligibility; several commissioners favored keeping the 1970 requirement. The motion to approve the text amendment as presented carried 3-1, with one commissioner opposed. Public speakers Michelle Taylor and Aaron Keaney supported the proposal.
• Special Use – 65 Bloomfield Avenue (Vaca/Brava Properties): Gregory Vaca proposed converting a vacant former convent into seven apartments in the R11 zone on 0.51 acres. Plans include two front townhomes of about 1,300 square feet, a third-floor loft with new dormers, and an average unit size of 972 square feet. The property includes a former school/church play area; Commissioner Mipps asked about it, and public commenter Aaron Keaney urged retaining it. Staff supported the infill project. Approved 4-0, including a requested waiver of the usual special-use time limit.
• Text Amendment – Section 8.6L Adaptive Reuse and Appendix A-42 (Brady Sullivan Properties): Attorney Carl Landelina requested removal of the requirement that a property be individually designated as "suitable for adaptive reuse" on the focus-area maps. The change would make any existing property in the Waterside Crossing or Voya Village focus areas eligible if it meets the other 8.6L criteria, such as vacancy or 50% or greater unoccupancy for at least one year. The applicant has contractual interests in buildings 4 and 8 Griffin Road; building 8's post office lease ends in June 2026. Staff presented an updated map reflecting the broader focus-area approach. Approved 4-0; CROG referral found no conflict.

Key Outcomes

• All votes except the 5.2.6T text amendment were unanimous (4-0) with all seated commissioners voting; the 5.2.6T hotel-conversion amendment passed 3-1.
• The 231 Dudley Town Road special-use re-approval was postponed to March 10, 2026.
• The commission approved special-use time limits as follows: two years for the Windsor Avenue restaurant and no time limit for the 65 Bloomfield Avenue conversion.
• The meeting adjourned after a final public communications check.