Zoning Commission Minutes 01-27-2020
ZONING COMMISSION - SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES WORKSHOP
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 202
SIMSBURY TOWN OFFICES - BOARD OF EDUCATION CONFERENCE ROOM - 7 P.M.
933 HOPMEADOW STREET, SIMSBURY, CONNECTICUT
I. CALL TO ORDER - Chairman Dave Ryan called the Special Meeting/Workshop to order at 7:00 P.M.
II. ROLL CALL
Present: Dave Ryan, Kevin Gray, Bruce Elliott, Donna Beinstein, Diane Madigan
Absent: Anne Erickson, Michael Doyle, Melissa Osborne, Shannon Leary Knall
Also Present: Mike Glidden, Director of Planning and Community Development Ron Jodice, Economic Development Commission member
III. ZONING REGULATIONS UPDATE -
Mr. Glidden gave a brief overview of the saved changes and known items still needing to be changed.
Other items addressed were as follows:
❖ Key on Page 9 of the Zoning Regulations - chart will be shrunk down to fit on each page in front of the codes, trying to limit to two pages
➢ Chairman Ryan suggested that NP be changed to OK and NA be changed to NO The Commission discussed other abbreviations, but agreed that OK and NO were most suitable.
❖ Discussion ensued, regarding Home Occupations (Home Occupation vs. Service Home Occupations). The Commission discussed changes that have been made since beginning to work on regulations update.
➢ Process of approving Home Occupations was reviewed and discussed..
➢ Changes to be made under Home Occupation regulations were reviewed. On page 14, under letter c. remove “Except for a permitted sign.” and remove letter d.
➢ Changes to be made on page 15, under Service Home Occupation by Permit, letter d. Remove “Except for a permitted sign,” and drop letter e. Add no major traffic changes.
➢ Under Service Home Occupation by Permit, page 15, move the following sentence “The Zoning Commission may authorize the Zoning Enforcement Officer to issue a five-year permit to an owner for such Home Occupation use.” to the end of the second paragraph. Drop “At permit expiration, the owner may apply for a new five-year permit. If the owner leaves the property, the permit will end.”
➢ Under letter f, under Service Home Occupation by Permit, add in “storage of equipment should not be visible by abutting neighbors or from the street.”
➢ Under letter g, under Service Home Occupation by Permit, add “at the property line” after 75 decibels.
➢ Under letter i, under Service Home Occupation by Permit, reword to read “Sufficient off street parking for business and home required.”
❖ A brief discussion ensued about short term rentals, and who will issue permits.
❖ Mr. Glidden noted that he has reached out to a firm in East Hartford, CME Associates, to update and improve the look of the Regulations. After looking at other local areas regulations, the general consensus was that the regulations needed an updated look. Updates would be made to make the regulations more user friendly, especially online. Mr. Glidden is awaiting an estimate on cost.
Mr. Glidden excused himself from the meeting to attend another meeting in the building at 7:13 P.M., and returned to the meeting shortly thereafter.
Mr. Glidden advised the Commission that the Town Attorney is reviewing the changes proposed to regulations.
❖ Agri-Tourism was discussed.
➢ Hours of operation were moved to non agriculture, and the time was changed to 7:00 a.m., noise was also discussed.
➢ Wording changes previously discussed in section C will be updated by Mr. Glidden.
➢ Move entire section currently under General Requirements to non-ag events.
➢ Page 98, definitions were discussed
IV. ADJOURNMENT - At 8:32 P.M., Mr. Gray made a motion to adjourn. Motion was seconded by Ms. Madigan and passed unanimously.