The meeting was called to order by Chairman Jack Knapp Jr. at 7:32 PM.
Present were Theresa Buzaid, Christine Cuhsnick, Theodore Haddad Jr., Patrick Johnston, Richard P. Jowdy, Donald Kennedy, Jack Knapp Jr. and Alternates Jean Anderson, Ted Farah (arrived at 7:40 PM) and Helen Hoffstaetter.
Absent were Dr. Joseph Mooney and Lenny Silva Jr.
Chairman Knapp led the Commission in the Pledge Of Allegiance.
Mrs. Cuhsnick made a motion to accept the minutes of July 12, 2005. The motion was seconded by Mr. Johnston and passed unanimously.
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PUBLIC HEARING:
7:30 PM - Petition of the City of Danbury by Dennis I. Elpern, Planning Director to Amend Section 10.J. of the Zoning Regulations. (Extend Temporary Moratorium to November 14, 2005).
Mr. Haddad disqualified himself and left the meeting. Chairman Knapp asked Mrs. Anderson to take Mr. Haddad’s place for this matter. He then asked Ms. Hoffstaetter to take Dr. Mooney’s place and Mr. Farah to take Mr. Silva’s place for tonight.
Mrs. Cuhsnick read the legal notice. Chairman Knapp read the Planning Commission recommendation, which was positive.
Dennis Elpern then read the Planning Department Staff Report which explains why we need the extension. There were no questions from the Commission members.
Chairman Knapp asked if there was anyone else to speak in favor of this petition and one person came forward.
Romolo DeGrazia, said he and his family own several parcels around Danbury, then read a letter that he wrote about multi-family development into the record. The letter said we need more green space and more usable space in all of these condo projects. He added that he disagreed with the Director of Public Works plan to use Lake Candlewood as the back up for our public water supply. He said that condos cause problems with traffic as well as garbage, so we really need to decrease the density for these developments. He added that multi-family houses should not be included in this moratorium, only condos, since all condo developments cause problems. In closing he said we have too many condos in Danbury, we are becoming a town of condos. Chairman Knapp suggested to Mr. DeGrazia that the better forum for these remarks would be during the amendment hearings for the proposed changes to the multi-family zones, which will happen very soon. Mr. DeGrazia said he would be back to speak at that time.
Chairman Knapp asked if there was anyone to speak in opposition to this and one person came forward.
Adriano Echevarria, said he has Planning Commission approval for six units (two three-family houses) on Rowan Street but has discovered that it would be better if he added one more unit to the project. He described Rowan Street as being an older street with predominantly multi-family development. He said he is trying to increase the stock of apartments since the demand is so great in Danbury. Mr. Johnston asked him why the additional two months would place duress on him. Mr. Echevarria said his main concern is trying to provide more housing but he is worried that the new regulations may not allow an extra unit. Mr. Johnston asked Mr. Echevarria when he submitted his application for this site to the Planning Commission. Mr. Echevarria said he had submitted the day before the moratorium went into effect. Mr. Johnston asked Mr. Echevarria if he had considered the additional unit at that time. Mr. Echevarria said they did not know if it was possible design-wise and they had to hurry to get the application in before the moratorium went into effect.
Chairman Knapp asked Mr. Elpern to speak regarding the opposition’s comments. Mr. Elpern said the amendments will not be deleting the provisions that allow affordable housing, so Mr. Echevarria should not have any problem submitting a revised plan once the moratorium is done. He said we have tried to get these amendments together as quickly as possible, but it has turned out to be a bigger project than anticipated. If this request is not approved, this moratorium will expire and we will be flooded with applications. Most of these applications will not be ready to go forward, they will be rushed to get them in before the new regulations go into effect. Mr. Johnston asked if this will be the only extension. Mr. Elpern said we have worked out a schedule and we will be able to get them done and approved by the November 14th date. There was no further discussion.
Mrs. Cuhsnick made a motion to close the public hearing. The motion was seconded by Mr. Johnston and passed unanimously.
Mrs. Cuhsnick then made a motion to move this matter to number one under Old Business. The motion was seconded by Ms. Hoffstaetter and passed unanimously.
OLD BUSINESS FOR CONSIDERATION AND POSSIBLE ACTION:
1)Petition of the City of Danbury by Dennis I. Elpern, Planning Director to Amend Section 10.J. of the Zoning Regulations. (Extend Temporary Moratorium to November 14, 2005).
Chairman Knapp said they had just heard this and asked for comments and/or a motion.
Mr. Johnston made a motion to approve this petition for the following reason:
·It will provide the needed additional time to review and approve the amendments that have been prepared during the time that the moratorium has been in effect.
The motion was seconded by Mrs. Cuhsnick. Chairman Knapp called a roll call vote and the motion to approve was passed unanimously with nine AYES (from Mrs. Buzaid, Mrs. Cuhsnick, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Jowdy, Mr. Kennedy, Chairman Knapp, Mrs. Anderson, Mr. Farah and Ms. Hoffstaetter).
There was nothing under New Business and the Communications consisted of three Zoning Cease & Desist Orders, One EIC Notice of Violation and a Cease & Desist Order from the Health Department. The For Reference Only listed the public hearing scheduled for August 23, 2005. Chairman Knapp announced that since there was nothing on the agenda for the August 9, 2005 meeting, we can cancel the meeting.
At 9:30 PM, Mrs. Cuhsnick made a motion to adjourn. The motion was seconded by Mr. Johnston and passed unanimously.