Hawleyville Retail Project At Barnabas Road Gains Zoning Variances From Appeals Board

By Andrew Gorosko

The Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) has granted two zoning variances to a firm that proposes the construction of a 7,500-square-foot general retail building at the intersection of Hawleyville Road and Barnabas Road in Hawleyville.

At a December 6 session, ZBA members approved, with conditions, a request for zoning setback variances from Hawleyville Development LLC, for a 1.5-acre triangular-shaped site located at the southeast corner of Hawleyville Road and Barnabas Road. The setback variances concern building placement and parking lot placement on the oddly-shaped site which has streets on its three sides.

The property lies across Barnabas Road from the commuter parking lot for Exit 9 of Interstate 84. The development site also is adjacent to westbound I-84’s Exit 9 off-ramp.

The ZBA approved the zoning variances with the requirement that the developer eliminate four of 30 parking spaces proposed for the property.

ZBA members expect that the site would be somewhat costly to develop, considering its unusual shape, hilly terrain, and location.

Engineer Larry Edwards, representing the developer, said that although the site is 1.5 acres, less than one-third of the property would be usable for development under the provisions of the town zoning regulations.

Mr Edwards said the hardship that would allow the developer to receive zoning variances involves the triangular property’s having roadways along each of its three sides. The unusual property shape resulted from the past construction of I-84, he said.

The engineer said the developer would not overdevelop the currently undeveloped site. Excavation would be required to construct a building on the property. State Department of Transportation (DOT) approval would be required for access to Hawleyville Road (State Route 25), Mr Edwards said.

Also, any retail project would require zoning approvals from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z). The property is located in the Hawleyville Center Design District (HCDD) zone, which is a commercial zone. The proposed building might hold three retail tenant spaces, Mr Edwards said.

Resident Carol Hutchins of 58 Barnabas Road told ZBA members that the presence of a new retail building would lead to increased traffic in the area. Barnabas Road already carries much traffic, she said. Barnabas Road is the site of Hawleyville Industrial Park.

A development application to the P&Z would include a study of the project’s traffic effects on the area, Mr Edwards said.