Zoning Commission Minutes 10/07/2019

SIMSBURY ZONING COMMISSION
TOWN OF SIMSBURY
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES - Subject to Vote of Approval
Monday, October 7, 2019 at 7 P.M.
Simsbury Town Hall - Main Meeting Room
933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT

PRESENT: Dave Ryan, Kevin Gray, Jackie Battos, Joseph Campolieta,
Gavin Schwarz, Melissa Osborne

ABSENT: Bruce Elliott, Donna Beinstein, Michael Doyle, Thomas Frank

ALSO PRESENT: Michael Glidden, CFM CZEO, Director of Planning and Community Development

CALL TO ORDER: Chairman Ryan called the meeting to order at 7:01 P.M.

I. ROLL CALL: Chairman Ryan appointed Mr. Schwarz to sit for Mr. Doyle,
Mr. Campolieta to sit for Mr. Elliot, and Ms. Osborne to sit for Ms. Beinstein.

II. AGENDA ADDITION:
At 7:03 P.M., a motion was made to add Application #19-38 to the agenda under New Business. Motion was seconded by Mr. Gray and the motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: September 16, 2019 regular meeting minutes
Approval of minutes was tabled until the next regular meeting as they were very
long and many did not have a chance to review them.

IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS:
1. Application #19-38 of Thomas Ryan, Esq., Agent; Simsbury Town
Shops, LLC, Petitioner; for a Text Amendment to Section 4.3.3 (D.6.) of
The Simsbury Center Code Zoning Regulations to add driving school as a use.

Tom Ryan presented Application #19-38 to the Commission. Mr. Ryan explained that a driving school with approximately fifteen other locations in Connecticut is interested in opening a location in Simsbury Town Shops, LLC location, located at 92 Hopmeadow Street. The school would be in the rear of the building. It is a very well established company.
Ms. Battos asked how many vehicles the driving school will have on the property.
Mr. Ryan answered that he will need to find out and communicate that to staff. He did note that there will be parent drop offs and pick-ups.
Mr. Glidden noted that the site should support the use, and that the only thing being considered tonight by the Commission is that.

Raymond Santa, 123 Pine Knob Drive, South Windsor expressed his approval for the driving school. He feels it is a positive to have professional instruction rather than peers teaching each other to drive.

At 7:08 P.M., a motion was made by Mr. Gray to close the public hearing for application #19-38. Motion was seconded by Mr. Campolieta and motion was passed unamimously, 6-0.

V. NEW BUSINESS:
1. Receipt of New Applications
a. Application #19-38 of Thomas Ryan, Esq., Agent;Agent; Simsbury Town Shops, LLC, Petitioner; for a Text Amendment to Section 4.3.3 (D.6.) of The Simsbury Center Code Zoning Regulations to add driving school as a use. .

At 7:09 P.M., a motion was made by Mr. Gray to approve application #19-38 for a Text Amendment to Section 4.3.3 (D.6.) of the Simsbury Center Code Zoning Regulations to add a driving school as a use with an effective date of October 28, 2019.
Motion was seconded by Ms. Battos and the motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

b. Application #19-43 of Hardman Signs, Agent; CA Senior
Simsbury, CT Property Owner LLC, Owner; for a sign permit for Anthology on the property located at 142 Cooper Avenue (Assessor’s Map F16, Block 154, Lot 009-3-1). Zone HS-FBC.

Raymond Santa, 123 Pine Knob Drive, South Windsor, CT. presented application #19-43. Mr. Santa spoke about the size, description, location and lighting of the proposed sign.
Mr. Glidden noted that it conforms to the code size wise and that Design Review Board reviewed the sign in their meeting and gave a favorable recommendation to Zoning Commission for application #19-43.
At 7:14 P.M., Mr. Gray made a motion to approve Application #19-43 of Hardman Signs, Agent; CA Senior Simsbury, CT Property Owner LLC, Owner; for a sign permit for Anthology on the property located at 142 Cooper Avenue, (Assessor’s Map F16, Block 154, Lot 009-3-1). Zone HS-FBC., with the following conditions:

1. An administrative Zoning Compliance Review applications is required.
2. No changes can be made to size and location of sign without resubmittal to the Zoning Commission.

Motion was seconded by Ms. Battos and the motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

c. Application #19-44 of Adam Belward, Owner; for a Special Exception
pursuant to Article Seven, Section C.1. of the Simsbury Zoning
Regulations, to allow a home occupation cottage food operation on the
property located at 23 Riverside Road (Assessor’s Map H12, Block 108, Lot 003). Zone R-40. (to be Received 10/7/2019; public hearing to be scheduled for 10/21/2019)

No Action Needed.

d. Application #19-45 of Steven Mitchell, Agent; Mitchell Auto Group,
Inc., Owner; for a sign permit for a new sign on the property located at 384
Hopmeadow Street (Assessor’s Map F14, Block 145, Lot 001+2). Zone B-2.

Chairman Ryan advised the Commission that Mr. Glidden noted that a special exception is required, as the applicant is trying to modify a non-conforming sign.
No Action is required at this time, as it is scheduled for the next meeting.

VI. GENERAL COMMISSION BUSINESS:
1. Correspondence
a. Letter to the Board of Selectman regarding Short-Term Rentals Regulations
A drafted letter, to the Board of Selectman, regarding Short-Term Rentals was discussed. Mr. Glidden noted that the letter would include two attachments; the first being a draft of potential Regulations and the other being a memo from Robin outlining the work done so far by the Commission. The Commission likes the idea of a working group as a group meeting between the Board of Selectman and the Zoning Commission.
Mr. Gray suggests that the letter be amended (in the third paragraph) to read “similar to the attached document” instead of like.

At 7:19 P.M., a motion was made to approve the draft of the Short-Term Regulations letter to the Board of Selectman and to send the letter as amended with the two attached documents. The motion was seconded by Ms. Battos and the motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

2. Regulations Update
Mr. Glidden updated the Commission on the tent size at Rosedale Farms, being 40x120. The Commission discussed distance from neighbors and including in the draft sizing of setbacks. Ms. Battos mentioned that a good standard may be distance from neighbor’s dwellings. Mr. Glidden will discuss where the tents are being proposed to be set up and will get back to the Commission with this information. Several Farms were mentioned (Rosedale, Foley Farm and Tulmeadow). Mr. Glidden will also ask the size of Flamig Farm’s tent. Chairman Ryan would like to know the height of these tents in order to make a suggestion on future tents being proposed to put up.

Mr. Glidden noted that staff would like to file an application for November for a change in Regulations if that is acceptable for the Commission; the Commission concurred.
Mr. Glidden said staff will try to wrap up Agrotourism by the November meeting.

3. Proposed 2020 Zoning Commission Meeting Calendar
At 7:16 P.M., a motion was made by Mr. Gray to accept the 2020 Zoning Commission Meeting Calendar as proposed. Motion was seconded by Mr. Campolieta and the motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

VII. ADJOURNMENT:

At 7:25 P.M., Mr. Gray made a motion to adjourn the meeting.
Motion was seconded by Mr. Campolieta. Motion passed unanimously, 6-0.

Submitted by:

Kimberly Rathbun
Commission Clerk