Zoning Board of Adjustment
MINUTES
The official copy of these minutes can be obtained at Wallingford Town
Hall.
RE: Dennis Smith -
Application for Conditional Use at
Present:
Hans Huessy, Derek Farmer, Charles McClafferty,
Guests: Dennis
Smith, John Bloomer, Lisa Charbonneau, Karen Lamay, Jill and George Burkett,
Robins and Clarice Best
Chair
Hans Huessy opened the meeting at
Mr. Bloomer opened his
presentation saying that they don’t believe they really need to be before the
ZBA for conditional use. He believes it falls under Professional
Residence/Office within permitted uses. He believes the Planning Commission did
not rule within 45 days so by default permit #07-23 for use of the front part of
the building as an office was granted under “…other uses as approved by the
appropriate municipal panel”. He said it could potentially be viewed as a
public utility since that is the type of work LMS Construction does. Mr. Bloomer
went over the original permit and all the exhibits attached to it and said he
feels the use they are proposing complies with the general character of uses in
the area.
Mrs. Best spoke about the
area being on the National Register of Historic Places and that VTel was already
there before the Historic District designation. She mentioned that the logging
business on Route 7 was more like a truck depot and that letting businesses like
this get set up and then spread out unchecked was not good for the character of
the area.
Mrs. Burkett spoke about the
March 2006 permit request on this property for an office for 2 or 3 employees
and parking for utility type trucks and how the environmental court judge was
very concerned about traffic in his ruling. She gave a definition of
“detrimental” meaning “loss” pertaining to a loss of character of the
area, and “injury” saying that this spot along Route 7 is an accident
waiting to happen. She also questioned the request for 20 trips per day when the
old permit when the trucks were part of it was asking for 24.
Mr. Huessy said that this
board has to focus on the use of the building for office space. He asked the
Zoning Administrator to provide the Board members with copies of old permits
pertaining to this property along with the judgment and auto dealer permit.
Ms. Lamay stated that Kevin
Brown never actually had an office at the site. He only used the building for
storage.
Mrs. Burkett said that her
family has lived across from the property for seven years. She said that Mr.
Smith has not rectified the conditions set by the earlier judgment. Mr. Burkett
said that people drive along the gravel roadway in front of the north building
and that this needs to be blocked off.
Mr. McClafferty made and Ms.
Sheehe seconded a motion to table the issue until the next public hearing,
scheduled for
The
Board will meet for a closed deliberative session on September 26 at
Motion
to adjourn by Mr. Miller. Second by Ms. Sheehe. Carried 5-0. Adjournment at
Respectfully
submitted,
William
Brooks, III
Zoning Administrator