Planning & Zoning Commission Update - June 2012

Planning and Zoning Commission Update –

June 2012

Planning & Zoning Commission:

• Tolland Village Area:
  • The PZC will hold a Public Hearing on revisions to the Tolland Village Area Zoning Regulations on June 11, 2012.
  • Planning staff continue to work with Town Attorney Rick Conti on the appeal of the Tolland Village Area Zoning Regulations to Superior Court.  The proposed revised Zoning Regulations address concerns raised in the appeal and fine tune some of the processes.
  • Additional documents and links continue to be posted on our website www.tolland.org/pzc
• Proposed Technology Zone:
  • Planimetrics has assessed the development potential, desirable development patterns and Concept Plans for the proposed Technology Campus Zone.
  • PZC workshop with Planimetrics will be held on June 18, 2012 at 7:30PM in the Council Chambers.
  • The next step in the planning process will include 3-D architectural modeling of the conceptual development.
  • The planning process includes:
    • Determining the development potential of the land in the zone
    • Desired development patterns
    • 3-D visualizations, including building height/number of stories
    • Public meetings and workshops
    • Conceptual designs
• Current applications, actions and  agenda items –
  • Public Hearings on June 11, 2012:
    • Revisions to the Zoning Regulations for the Tolland Village Area – see above.
    • Applications for designation of property as “open space” under Public Act 490.
    • PZC Meeting June 25, 2012:
      • Public Hearing on revisions to the Route 30/74 Neighborhood Commercial Zone:
      • Burgundy Hills Quarry has requested a waiver of the Annual Map Submission due to less than 25,000 cu. yds. Of material being removed in the past year. 
  • The PZC will be reviewing newly adopted legislation, including Medical Marijuana, to determine if revisions need to be made to regulations.  
  • A formal PZC application to construct 90± multi-family dwelling units on land on Anthony Road and Route 195 is pending. 
    • The Tolland Water Commission and Water Pollution Control Authority are reviewing proposed extensions to the utility infrastructure.
    • The proposed development plan calls for access off Route 195 via a road extension next to Headliners that would also serve the future Tech Zone and access off of Anthony Road via a private drive.

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      • Zone will become the “Community Commercial Zone”
      • Zone boundaries with the Commercial Industrial Zone will be revised
      • Residential and Multi-family development will be permitted by Special Permit in this zone.
      • Zoning Regulations for the Post Office/hardware store NCZ zone will also be revised.

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      • Planning staff conduct inspections of the quarry bi-weekly to monitor compliance with the fifteen (15) conditions of the Special Permit.
      • Planning staff receive complaints regarding blasting at the quarry (blasting compliance is closely monitored by the Fire Marshal) and dust at the driveway entrance.

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  • A Public Forum – “Signage - from the Business Perspective” was held on May 7, 2012 at Nerac.  This facilitated public forum, sponsored by the PZC and EDC, was attended by members of the business community.. 

Planning Office:

• ViewPermit – permit tracking software:
  • Staff continue to work with the other communities in CRCOG to implement the new Planning and Zoning module of the View Permit program that will track land use applications.  Online permitting using Pay Pal has been activated.
• Linda Farmer is working with CRCOG and 7 other towns on a Sustainable Land Use Code.  This is being funded as part of the HUD Sustainable Communities Initiative Grant.   A meeting of the working group was held in January with consultants specializing in sustainability.
• Linda Farmer is working with OPM and CRCOG in the review of the draft 2013-2018 State Plan of Conservation and Development and to improve accuracy from previous plans.  This is important as eligibility for state funding must be in “Priority Funding Areas” is determined by consistency with the State Plan.  CRCOG is facilitating discussions and dissemination of information to OPM.
• Steve Lowrey and Linda Farmer attended a seminar at the UCONN Civil & Environmental Engineering Department to discuss “Collaborative Opportunities with University Resources”.  Steve Lowrey represented the Inland Wetlands Commission perspective on a panel at the seminar regarding this new program by the Civil & Environmental Engineering Dept. offering engineering students to help design municipal projects.