OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Town Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – April 14, 2026

Town Council & Planning and Zoning — Tuesday, April 14, 2026
BodyWindsor, Connecticut
SessionTown Council & Planning and Zoning
DateTuesday, April 14, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 3:09:58

Transcript — Verbatim
4:50

My clock.

4:51

We'll bring the planning and zoning commission meeting to order.

4:55

And uh Mitch, would you give us the uh works for those online?

5:01

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.

5:14

When you were called on, you'd be prompted that you were now unmuted.

5:17

Please state your name and address for clear communication.

5:19

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

5:22

Thank you.

5:23

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.

5:34

Seeing no one, uh no one online.

5:36

Thank you.

5:37

Uh communications and petitions from the planning and zoning commission.

5:41

I'd like to welcome Diane Whitney as a new alternate to the planning and zoning commission.

5:46

She's our first meeting tonight.

5:48

Uh we have no zoning enforcement.

5:50

We have no CGA period.

5:52

Reapprovals and revisions.

5:54

Um yes, ma'am.

5:57

There have been uh four reapprovals since our last meeting.

6:03

Um the first was a site plan revision for four batch elder road.

6:07

Uh this was a renovation and minor addition uh NZ Zone, Olsen Construction Services LLC.

6:15

Uh the second site plan revision was for 425 Day Hill Road for the parking uh I zone uh Alfred Associates Inc.

6:24

And then the third was for uh 1002 Maddieannic or one Emerson Drive uh to add an EV charger pedestal, uh G zone Cardona, and then the last one was for 824 Marshall Phelps Road to add a deck and the I zone uh Cronin.

6:43

Thank you very much.

6:44

Um I just ask a question before we move on.

6:47

Who is the zoning enforcement officer now?

6:50

So the zoning enforcement officer has been uh designated by the town manager's office, uh and it generally is sort of the building official.

6:59

Um so that would be Jeff Cortanis is the official zoning enforcement officer.

7:04

He has delegated some of his zoning enforcement duties to Jim Zeller, who is the one that actually goes out and actively tracks and manages zoning evaluations.

7:13

I'm just anticipating with the growing season beginning of you know lawns that aren't getting mowed and that sort of thing.

7:20

Well, that's addressed through a blight.

7:22

Um health department, so yeah.

7:28

All right, we have no site plans.

7:29

We have the minutes of March 10th.

7:31

Um I didn't find any corrections.

7:34

Whoa.

7:36

It was a quick meeting.

7:37

That was a good one.

7:38

Okay, I'll understand a motion then.

7:40

I move um that the draft minutes for the meeting of March 10th, 2026 be approved as presented.

7:47

Second motion made and seconded by Mr.

7:49

Gibson.

7:50

All those in favor?

7:51

I okay.

7:52

We have a public uh business meeting.

7:55

Planner's report.

7:58

Um so just a couple things I want to update you on.

8:01

We have submitted an application for a tax amendment to address uh public act 25-1.

8:08

Uh this is the housing bill for transit community middle housing.

8:12

And then transit community middle housing is defined as a residential building containing two to nine units uh and would be permitted in lots zone for commercial or mixed use uh subject to a summary review or site plan review.

8:26

Um so this affects the B1, B2 Professional Zone, restricted commercial and some overlay zones, uh including the Great Pond district.

8:36

I think I've mentioned in previous meeting that we sent our regulations to Crog for review, and we've just received that response back.

8:44

So we're in the process of reviewing their said uh suggestions and drafting an amendment to address that bill.

8:50

Uh this section of the bill has an effective date of July 1st, so I wanted to give us some time to debate it and discuss.

8:57

Um there are some additional provisions in that bill or in that act, excuse me, uh, which are referred to regional housing growth plans.

9:06

Um and we would need to comply with the requirements of that plan or conduct our own housing starting, but that would not occur until January 2028.

9:16

So this is the first part of that act that kind of takes effect to address that middle transit uh missing middle transit housing.

9:24

Um so we'll be preparing amendment um that'll come before you in May.

9:28

Uh we have the ability to continue it to the next meeting into June.

9:32

And even I think if we don't approve it by the July 1st, it would still take effect and we'd be subject to it.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning and Zoning███████████████████████████████31%
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████25%
Transportation Safety███████████11%
Public Safety██████████10%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████7%
Economic Development██████6%
Procedural███3%
Environmental Protection██2%
Parks and Recreation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Town Planning and Zoning Commission Regular Meeting – April 14, 2026

The Town Planning and Zoning Commission held a hybrid regular meeting on April 14, 2026 at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers at Windsor Town Hall. The meeting addressed reapprovals, the planner’s report, application acceptances, and public hearings on multiple special use permits, design development plans, and a subdivision. The commission approved several applications with conditions, recessed one hearing due to pending wetlands issues, and recognized commissioners for service awards.

Consent Calendar

  • 4 Batchelder Road – Site plan revision for renovation and minor addition (NZ Zone, Olsen Construction Services, LLC)
  • 425 Day Hill Road – Site plan revision for parking (I Zone, Alford Associates, Inc.)
  • 1002 Matianuck (1 Emerson) – Site plan revision to add EV charger pedestal (AG Zone, Cardona)
  • 824 Marshall Phelps Road – Site plan revision to add deck (I Zone, Cronin)

All four reapprovals were approved without discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Judith Ruger (205 West Bank) spoke during multiple hearings, expressing concerns about increased costs for police/fire/EMT, school impacts from new apartment children, tax implications, and the need for senior housing rather than market-rate apartments. She also questioned the character of developments with no indoor seating or public restrooms.
  • Bob Mazares (Sylvia Lane) supported converting vacant offices to residential but urged the commission to consider condominiums to preserve Windsor’s high homeownership rate (81.9%) and avoid over-saturation of rental units. He provided a handout showing 2,400+ apartment units approved or proposed and cited a Wall Street Journal article about the hot home-buying market.
  • Estelle Barr (116 Mountain Road) requested that any screening fence for the Targeting Centre project be installed before construction and extend the full length of the property line, citing a recent trespassing incident.
  • Patricia Brown (104 Mountain Road) opposed the 100 Dunfey Lane hotel conversion due to traffic, density, and neighborhood character.

Discussion Items

  • Planner’s Report – Todd Seely updated the commission on an upcoming zoning amendment for Public Act 25-1 (transit community middle housing), effective July 1, 2026. The amendment will be presented in May. He also recognized Commissioners Jag and Levine for 12 years of service at the annual CT Federation of Planning and Zoning Conference.
  • 880 Palisado Avenue (Special Use Reapproval) – Applicant Ronald Eleveld requested a 10‑year extension for a home-based business (AG Zone). Staff noted a clean history with no complaints. The commission approved a 10‑year special use unanimously.
  • 4 and 8 Griffin Road North (Special Use – Adaptive Reuse) – Attorney Carl Andolina and Ben Cahori (Brady Sullivan Properties) presented plans to convert two vacant, foreclosed office buildings into 96 total apartment units (48 each). Buildings will be connected to MDC sewer, fully sprinkled, and linked to the Waterside Crossing project via sidewalks. Staff recommended approval subject to resolution of pending staff comments and wetlands commission action. The commission approved both special uses separately, each 5‑0.
  • 1 & 10 Targeting Centre and 465 Bloomfield Avenue (Design Development Detailed Plan) – Wilson Oliver (Alford Associates) presented a phased mixed-use development with three retail/restaurant buildings (Starbucks, Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s) and residential units. The proposal had outstanding inland wetlands approvals and unresolved staff comments. The public hearing was opened and then recessed to the May meeting; the commission voted unanimously to table.
  • 500 Day Hill Road (Design Development Detailed Plan and Subdivision) – Christian Alford and Jeff O’Neill presented a plan to convert a vacant 100,000 sf office building into 300 apartment units (15% affordable) and construct 20,000 sf of commercial space. The site would be subdivided into a 15‑acre residential lot and a 5‑acre commercial lot. Staff recommended approval subject to resolution of comments. The commission approved both the detailed plan and the subdivision, each 5‑0, with conditions including a Connecticut-licensed landscape architect.
  • 100 Dunfey Lane (Special Use – Hotel Conversion) – Alexa Moir (Blueville Capital) proposed converting a former 96‑unit extended‑stay hotel into 96 attainable housing units (72 studios, 24 one‑bedrooms, 20% affordable at 80% AMI). Traffic engineer Matt Baldino stated the conversion would generate minimal additional traffic (6 AM, 5 PM, 2 Saturday peak trips). The commission approved the special use 5‑0, requiring sidewalks along the site frontage and resolution of all staff comments, pending wetlands commission action.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved Minutes – Minutes of March 10, 2026 were approved.
  • 880 Palisado Avenue – Motion to approve special use reapproval for 10 years (motion by Commissioner, second by Gibson) – 5‑0.
  • 4 Griffin Road North – Motion to approve special use pending resolution of April 8 staff memo items (motion by Commissioner, second by Gibson) – 5‑0.
  • 8 Griffin Road North – Same motion, same vote – 5‑0.
  • 1 & 10 Targeting Centre / 465 Bloomfield Avenue – Motion to recess public hearing to next meeting (motion by Commissioner, second by Jag) – 5‑0.
  • 500 Day Hill Road – Design Development Detailed Plan – Motion to approve with conditions: Connecticut-licensed landscape architect and resolution of all outstanding staff comments (motion by Commissioner, second by Gibson) – 5‑0.
  • 500 Day Hill Road – Subdivision – Motion to approve subdivision to create two lots as described (motion by Commissioner, second by Gibson) – 5‑0.
  • 100 Dunfey Lane – Motion to approve special use with conditions: installation of sidewalks along site frontage and resolution of all April 8 staff comments (motion by Commissioner, second by Gibson) – 5‑0.
  • Adjournment – Motion carried.

Meeting Transcript

My clock. We'll bring the planning and zoning commission meeting to order. And uh Mitch, would you give us the uh works for those 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'd be prompted that you were now unmuted. Please state your name and address for clear communication. We ask that you do not place the call on speakerphone. 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. Seeing no one, uh no one online. Thank you. Uh communications and petitions from the planning and zoning commission. I'd like to welcome Diane Whitney as a new alternate to the planning and zoning commission. She's our first meeting tonight. Uh we have no zoning enforcement. We have no CGA period. Reapprovals and revisions. Um yes, ma'am. There have been uh four reapprovals since our last meeting. Um the first was a site plan revision for four batch elder road. Uh this was a renovation and minor addition uh NZ Zone, Olsen Construction Services LLC. Uh the second site plan revision was for 425 Day Hill Road for the parking uh I zone uh Alfred Associates Inc. And then the third was for uh 1002 Maddieannic or one Emerson Drive uh to add an EV charger pedestal, uh G zone Cardona, and then the last one was for 824 Marshall Phelps Road to add a deck and the I zone uh Cronin. Thank you very much. Um I just ask a question before we move on. Who is the zoning enforcement officer now? So the zoning enforcement officer has been uh designated by the town manager's office, uh and it generally is sort of the building official. Um so that would be Jeff Cortanis is the official zoning enforcement officer. He has delegated some of his zoning enforcement duties to Jim Zeller, who is the one that actually goes out and actively tracks and manages zoning evaluations. I'm just anticipating with the growing season beginning of you know lawns that aren't getting mowed and that sort of thing. Well, that's addressed through a blight. Um health department, so yeah. All right, we have no site plans. We have the minutes of March 10th. Um I didn't find any corrections. Whoa. It was a quick meeting. That was a good one. Okay, I'll understand a motion then. I move um that the draft minutes for the meeting of March 10th, 2026 be approved as presented. Second motion made and seconded by Mr. Gibson. All those in favor? I okay. We have a public uh business meeting. Planner's report. Um so just a couple things I want to update you on. We have submitted an application for a tax amendment to address uh public act 25-1. Uh this is the housing bill for transit community middle housing. And then transit community middle housing is defined as a residential building containing two to nine units uh and would be permitted in lots zone for commercial or mixed use uh subject to a summary review or site plan review.

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