P&Z Plan For Hawleyville Rezoning Presented For Public Review

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members are considering public comments on their proposal to rezone sections of Hawleyville to set the stage for its economic development.

The P&Z proposes 11 changes of zone, affecting the zoning designations of 29 properties in Hawleyville, covering an aggregate area of about 145 acres. It held a public hearing February 17 to field comments on the plan.

The proposed changes of zone are within the area bounded by Mt Pleasant Road on the south, Hawleyville Road on the west, Hawleyville Center on the north, and Tunnel Road on the east.

The P&Z proposes creating a Hawleyville Center Design District-East (HCDD-E) zone of about 23 acres. That zone would extend along the east side of Hawleyville Road northward from Interstate-84 to the area north of the Hawleyville post office, and also would extend along Barnabas Road. Those areas currently have residential and industrial zoning.

Permitted uses in a HCDD-E zone include: retail, personal services, banks, offices, restaurants, museums, galleries, meeting halls, places of worship, parking, and transportation terminals. Certain industrial uses are allowed in the HCDD-E zone through a special exception to the zoning regulations.

In 1999, local developer Steve Nicolosi gained P&Z approval to convert the zoning designation of several acres he owns along both sides of the western end of Barnabas Road from a residential designation to HCDD-E zoning.

New M-2A Uses

As part of its zoning proposal, the P&Z proposes rewriting sections of its M-2A zoning regulations to allow certain new uses, and changing the description of the zone from “Industrial” to “Planned Commercial Development.” The proposed rules list site development standards concerning parking, landscaping, signs, building design, utilities and accessory uses.

The P&Z proposes creating M-2A zoning on approximately 78 acres, most of which lies to the north of Mt Pleasant Road, across Mt Pleasant Road from Tory Lane. That land currently has one-acre residential zoning.

M-2A zoning would allow a variety of uses, including office buildings, hotel/conference centers limited to 250 guest rooms, light industrial complexes, plus research and development facilities. Limited retail and service businesses would be allowed.

The P&Z also proposes converting the zoning designation for a strip of land along the east side of Hawleyville Road, just north of the intersection of Mt Pleasant Road and Hawleyville Road, from its current residential and business designations to M-2A zoning.

Also, the P&Z proposes decreasing the potential construction density of a tract of residentially zoned land. That land lies to the north of the turnarounds on Susan Lane and Whipporwill Hill Road, and to the south of Interstate-84. That acreage would be converted from its current minimum one-acre residential zoning to two-acre residential zoning.

A zoning map, plus related documents describing the proposed rezoning in detail, is available for public review at the town clerk’s office at Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.

The proposed rezoning would implement the Hawleyville economic development plan which the P&Z approved in April 1998.

Rezoning the 145 acres in Hawleyville is part of a broader rezoning of Hawleyville planned by the P&Z. Future rezoning is planned for land west of Hawleyville Road, and also for land along Mt Pleasant Road extending from Mt Pleasant Road’s intersection with Hawleyville Road to the Bethel town line.

In March 1998, the P&Z approved The Homesteads at Newtown, LLC’s request to rezone 60 acres at 166 Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville from one-acre and two-acre residential zoning to EH-10 zoning for the construction of elderly housing. The Homesteads is now building a 298-unit elderly housing complex there.

In Newtown, market conditions now favor residential construction, according to Ms Stocker. Unless the town designates some acreage for future economic development, such land will not be available in the future, she said.

Town officials expect the economic development of Hawleyville will occur during the coming decade and beyond. Such development would require improved roads in the area.

Ms Dean said P&Z members want to rezone Hawleyville as a long-range planning project, covering projected land use needs for the next 20 years. “We don’t plan very often for the long haul, and this is a chance to do it,” she said.

“We have a conceptual idea of how we want Hawleyville Center to end up some day,” said P&Z Chairman Daniel Fogliano.

The economic development study, on which the Hawleyville rezoning project is based, describes developmental scenarios for Hawleyville extending toward the year 2017, creating a conceptual framework for growth. The study describes the types of growth that can be expected there due to market conditions, and the limitations on the land due to slopes, wetlands soils and floodplains. The 1997 study, which was sponsored by the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, seeks to balance the interests of developers, the town, and the region.

Private developers would create the economic growth envisioned for Hawleyville.

Public Comments

In a letter to the P&Z, Edward Rodriguez, executive vice president of Housatonic Railroad Company, recommends that the P&Z not rezone the railroad’s right-of-way property in Hawleyville from its current M-4 Industrial zoning to HCDD-E (Hawleyville Center Design District-East) zoning. Mr Rodriguez wrote that much of the railroad land in Hawleyville is used exclusively for railroad purposes and does not require any rezoning.

“We believe that the zoning classification should, whenever possible, reflect the actual use to which the property will be put. We think that it is inappropriate to rezone property which is devoted exclusively to railroad uses to a zone which would create a non-conformity,” he wrote.

However, other railroad property, which lies along Hawleyville Road, which potentially could be used for non-railroad purposes, including the Hawleyville post office, may be appropriately rezoned to HCDD-E zoning, he added.

Mr Rodriguez asked the P&Z to continue its public hearing to allow the railroad to provide details on its property ownership in Hawleyville.

The Housatonic Railroad is a short line that hauls lumber through Hawleyville. Its property includes a railyard which is used for rail/truck transfer of lumber and other building materials.

In a letter to the P&Z, James Wang, executive director of the Greater Bridgeport Regional Planning Agency, said the agency recommends that the P&Z increase from 75 feet to 100 feet the width of a proposed planted buffer along the edge of M-2A zones. Such a buffer would shield adjacent residential areas from the commercial development in M-2A zones, and protect the interests of residential landowners, according to Mr Wang.

 P&Z member Lilla Dean endorsed the Bridgeport planning agency’s suggestion for an expanded buffer area.

Attorney Ralph Lowe, representing major property owner Cenconn Corp, suggested certain clarifications in the wording of proposed zoning regulations which accompany the proposed changes of zone.

Cenconn Corp owns property off Mt Pleasant Road for which the P&Z proposes converting the zoning designation from (R-1) 1-acre residential to (M-2A)  Planned Commercial Development.

Resident William Ferry of 58 Barnabas Road asked whether converting the zoning designation for the land containing his home from R-1 to HCDD-E would require him to obtain special permission from the town to make home improvements.

 Under the rezoning proposal, a single-family house, such as Mr Ferry’s, would become a non-conforming land use, said Elizabeth Stocker, the P&Z’s planner.

P&Z members said town officials will research the practical implications of a zone change on the Ferry property.

Resident Jeanette Ferry asked whether she and Mr Ferry could oppose the proposed change of zone for their property. P&Z member Heidi Winslow said the Ferrys can oppose the proposal, but they cannot veto its approval by the P&Z.