Rob Sibley, town deputy planning director, has been named to also serve as the borough’s zoning enforcement officer (BZEO), a position in which he will enforce the borough’s zoning regulations.

The position has been vacant since early 2018, when Selectman Maureen Crick Owen resigned from the job.

The Borough Zoning Commission (BZC) and Borough Zoning Board of Appeals (BZBA) have zoning jurisdiction in the Borough of Newtown, which is a two-square-mile administrative district in central Newtown. The borough, however, does not have a planning commission, so its planning functions are handled by the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z).

Mr Sibley started work as BZEO on July 1. He attended the July 10 BZC session. Mr Sibley asked that commission members contact him regarding any zoning issues they may have.

The BZEO works under the supervision and administration of the borough warden and the chairmen of the BZC and the BZBA regarding the interpretation and enforcement of the borough zoning regulations. As the enforcement officer, Mr Sibley will investigate zoning complaints.

Mr Sibley said he expects that his borough duties will require about five to seven hours of work time weekly, beyond his town work time. He will continue being based at the town’s Land Use Agency offices at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street, Fairfield Hills. The telephone number is 203-270-4276.

Mr Sibley said that he has been visiting the Church Hill Village construction site at 2 Boulevard on a regular basis to check on erosion/sedimentation controls, conformance with construction plans, construction sequencing, and possession of required permits. The complex, which is expected to open this fall, will be a 72-bed assisted living facility.

Also, Mr Sibley expects to spend much time monitoring the construction of Rochambeau Woods, a planned 29-unit condominium complex at 41, 43, 45, and 47 Mt Pleasant Road. He said he expects to monitor the infrastructure aspects of that project because finding any possible problems early is better than finding them late in the construction process.

Mr Sibley said that as the zoning enforcement officer, he will work in a timely manner to help zoning applicants understand the regulatory requirements of a zoning application.

“I’m excited to take the position... I look forward to serving the borough residents with the same level of professionalism that I serve the town,” he said. “It’s important for me to constantly train and stay abreast of legal decisions” that pertain to zoning enforcement, he added.

BZC Chairman Douglas Nelson said of Mr Sibley’s appointment, “I’m very happy with it. I’ll work with him.” Mr Nelson added, “He’s got experience. Rob has a lot of depth.”

Many Hats

Mr Sibley’s appointment as the borough’s zoning enforcement officer marks another local regulatory hat that he will be wearing.

As the town’s deputy planning director, Mr Sibley, 50, is second-in-command to George Benson, the town planning director.

From 1999 to 2004, Mr Sibley served as a member of the town’s Conservation Commission. During that period, that commission was a regulatory agency that reviewed the wetlands/watercourses protection aspects of development proposals, much as the Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) does today.

In 2004, Mr Sibley was hired by the town as its conservation officer, also serving as the borough’s conservation officer. In that post, he functioned as a wetlands/watercourses enforcement officer.

In 2006, Mr Sibley became second-in-command to George Benson at the Land Use Agency. Mr Sibley also is one of three deputy directors of emergency management for the town, specializing in the area of recovery coordination. Additionally, he serves as the town’s floodplain coordinator, administering the National Flood Insurance Program on the local level.

When not at work for the town or borough, Mr Sibley is the captain at the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company, having served with the company for 13 years.

A member of the Newtown United Methodist Church, Mr Sibley of Sandy Hook is affiliated with Boy Scout Troop 370 and Cub Scout Pack 170. He and his wife, Barbara, have three sons — Daniel and twins Brian and Stephen.