SOUTHBURY — The Zoning Commission approved three applications at its meeting on Wednesday, May 11.
Attorney Joel Green represented Apple Real Estate, Inc., for its proposed text amendment to allow warehousing at 425 Main St. North.
During the public hearing, Mr. Green said the text amendment essentially expands the possible uses for the property to include general warehousing, a use not allowed by the lot’s planned development district, although allowed in the industrial zone.
The property is zoned industrial, though is restricted by the PDD.
Mr. Green said the owner currently rents to KanPak, though KanPak does not use the whole space.
“There’s this vacant 14,800 feet of space that my client has been unable to lease,” he said.
Mr. Green said the PDD restricts the use to food manufacturing and processing and the PDD suggests that the use has to be subsidiary to the primary tenant.
“The text amendment that we’re proposing would allow for storage and warehousing uses and would not limit the use to food uses,” he said. “It would enable my client to market the space to a broader array of potential users.”
Economic Development Director Kevin Bielmeier supported the application, noting the need for warehousing space in town and the fact that the facility was previously used by Baskin Robbins as storage.
Mr. Green said, “the Planning Commission as supportive of the application, though they had some concerns about the storing of hazardous materials. We amended [the application] to add some language that requires strict compliance in the transport and storage of any hazardous materials.”
Land Use Inspector Taianna Kern said the application “serves its purpose to make the space more able to be utilized currently before they come up with a better plan for the property.”
The commission raised concerns about traffic and potential trips generated from the space.
Mr. Green said that the PDD did not allow for retail or consumer uses at the property and that the size of the space did not lend itself to a high intensity, high volume user.
The commission closed the public hearing and unanimously approved the application.
Christopher Oliveira and Matt Gilchrist applied for a special exception for a temporary soil extraction permit at Highland Estates, 88, 99 and 111 Vista View Dr.
During the public hearing, Mr. Gilchrist said that application was solely to process materials that are already on site and make them usable for the construction planned at the site.
“If we don’t do this, we have to haul in all that stone,” he said. “And we have to do something with all that material on the site.”
Mr. Oliveira said he wanted to use the stone created from blasting ledge for the driveways of the proposed buildings.
He said that processing would take place on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and noted the nearest neighbor is approximately 1,000 feet away.
He said that the crusher operated at around 68 decibels and it decreased as one got further away. He reported 68 decibels is normal conversation noise level, and is considered a safe noise level for long term exposure.
“I would imagine you would probably hear [I-84] more than you would hear this crusher running,” he said.
Mr. Oliveira said that the dust would be controlled by water tanked in to the site and they would not be crushing on windy days.
Ms. Kern said, “I think this is practical rather than hauling [the material] offsite and bringing it back. It’s much less intense on the community as a whole.”
She suggested the commission add a time limit for the processing.
The commission closed the public hearing and unanimously approved the application with the stipulation that the processing would only be allowed for three months.
Chair Gary Giroux noted that if the applicants required longer than three months, they would have to return to the commission to modify or reapply for the special exception.
The commission also approved an application modifying the site plan to add two directory signs and modifying the PDD to allow for signage in the rear of the building at 690 Main St. South.
