P&Z Approves Berkshire Road Office Building

By Andrew Gorosko

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has approved a resubdivision of property and a special permit for the construction of a 7,500-square-foot, single-story office building at 7 Berkshire Road, near Newtown High School.

The structure will be the latest of several office buildings that have been built there in a B-3 (Business) zone during the past several years.

The P&Z granted the construction approvals to Seven Berkshire, LLC, at a July 20 session. Engineer Larry Edwards represents the applicant.

The P&Z’s approval limits the number of tenants in the 7,500-square-foot building to three, and the maximum number of people occupying the building to 39. That occupancy limit is based on the building’s septic system design.

The site is located within the town’s Aquifer Protection District (APD) and is thus subject to many developmental constraints. The property is in an environmentally sensitive area where the groundwater is a public water supply.

In endorsing the special permit for the office building, the P&Z listed many conditions of approval.

The nighttime illumination on the site must be the minimum lighting necessary to ensure safety and must not cause glare on or off the site.

The building’s owner must follow policies for aquifer protection covering interior operations, exterior grounds maintenance, and emergency spill cleanup work. The policies must be posted in an easily accessible area where they are viewable by all employees and tenants.

The P&Z specifies various rules for the use and handling of a waste dumpster to be kept on the site.

Due to its location in an environmentally sensitive area, the permanent outdoor storage and/or maintenance of commercial vehicles and/or construction equipment is prohibited. 

 In granting the approval, the P&Z found that the presence of the office building would have no significant impact on the underlying Pootatuck Aquifer, provided the aquifer protection rules are followed.