P&Z Approves Modified Restaurant Plans For Sandy Hook Center

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members have approved a Sandy Hook Center restaurateur’s proposal for an addition to his historic house for use as a restaurant dining room.

P&Z members August 7 approved Joseph Tartaglia’s plans to construct an approximately 1,500-square-foot addition to his two-family house at 105 Church Hill Road, at the corner of Church Hill Road and Dayton Street. That addition, which would be built on the west side of the building, would house a 64-seat dining room for the restaurant to be known as Squire House. The restaurant would be open for lunch and dinner.

The historic structure, which is in the Sandy Hook Design District (SHDD) land use zone, would serve as a mixed-use facility, functioning both as a restaurant and as a two-family dwelling. SHDD zoning allows such mixed uses within the same structure.

Mr Tartaglia presented plans to P&Z members for their review, including an architect’s rendering of what the expanded building would look like from the west.

The Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) has agreed to allow the structure to be connected to the municipal sanitary sewer system. United Water has a public water supply installed in Sandy Hook Center.

In 2001, Mr Tartaglia had received town approval to create a restaurant in the house at 105 Church Hill Road, but the plans for the project have changed, and now include the construction of an addition to serve as a dining room for the planned restaurant. Initial plans to convert the house into a restaurant had posed certain practical problems.

Mr Tartgalia has constructed a parking lot for the restaurant. The property contains 37 paved parking spaces, plus several spaces for residential use, he said.

The façade of the existing structure would remain as is, lending a “colonial village look” to the area, Mr Tartaglia told P&Z members. The expansion’s design would be similar to that of the existing house, he said.

Mr Tartaglia and P&Z members also discussed the signage and outdoor illumination to be used for the restaurant.  

Explaining that the expansion project involves some partial demolition, as well as new construction, Mr Tartaglia said the planned work would result in a net increase of approximately 1,500 square feet of floor area.

In approving the project, P&Z members agreed that the planned construction meets their site development plan standards for the SHDD zone.