Goshen Planning & Zoning: Public Hearing March 31, 2026 on Rezoning Two Sharon Turnpike Properties
02/24/26 Regular Meeting, 7:30 PM
Present: Jon Carroll, Lu-Ann Zbinden, Shilo Garceau, Jared Denis, Dustin Mosley (Alt, Seated)
Excused: Patrick Lucas, Chris Hurlburt (Alt) and Jerrold Abrahams (Alt)
The February regular meeting focused largely on the continued review of the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The Commission has been meeting twice each month, rather than once, to accelerate completion of this endeavor.
A motion was passed to add an application to the agenda for rezoning of the properties at 660 and 664 Sharon Turnpike to Center Business Zone. The application was submitted by Jared Denis of West Goshen Properties. The properties are currently occupied by Fay & Wright Excavating. The Commission voted to accept the application and conduct a public hearing at the March 14 Special Meeting. Mr. Denis, who is a commission member, abstained from voting.
The commission also voted to adopt a budget of $4,415 for 2026-7.
03/14/26 Special Meeting, 7:30 PM
Present: Jon Carroll, Lu-Ann Zbinden, Shilo Garceau, and Jared Denis. (A=Alternate)
Excused: Patrick Lucas, Dustin Mosley (A), Jerrold Abrahams (A) and Chris Hurlburt (A)
The Commission continued its work on the POCD, focusing on the areas of Municipal Facilities, Emergency Planning and Management, and Housing. After approving the facilities and emergency sections, discussion turned to housing.
“The housing section that was put together by the affordable housing committee was just given hard copies out today to all the commissioners,” Chair Carroll said. It was then decided to recess the meeting for 10 minutes to take time to review the draft before entering discussion. When the commission reconvened, they began to look at several portions of the housing section, posing questions about current statutory requirements as well as the language and structure of the material submitted.
“I'm not sure I agree with the second paragraph,” Enforcement Officer Spencer Musselman said. “What it's saying kind of disagrees with itself in several places.”
“The section has to be formatted to match the rest of the POCD,” Carroll said.
“There's some good information in here, but the format is not structured,” said Vice Chair Zbinden.
Musselman then commented on the 20% affordable housing requirement apparently referenced by the committee. “I looked up the 20% number, it's 10%. You could establish housing goals up to 20%.”
“The housing plan requirement was stricken out of this new bill,” he continued, referring to actions by the State Legislature. “So now that the COG (Northwest Hills Council of Governments) has to write the housing plan by 2028, then we have a chance to review it and decide if we want to adopt that as our own or to establish our own by the end of 2028.”
“It's your regional councils and OPM (CT Office of policy and Management) can set goals for affordable housing as a percentage of occupied dwelling units with a maximum goal not to exceed 20% maximum goal,” Musselman explained.
“But the minimum is still 10,” Zbinden replied.
“The minimum to achieve moratorium is still 10 by 8-30g,” Musselman confirmed.
Note: Section 8-30g of the Connecticut General Statutes, the “Connecticut Affordable Housing Land Use Appeals Procedure,” has promoted the development of low-cost housing with long-term affordability protections. 8-30g includes an appeals procedure to override local zoning denials of affordable housing proposals without just cause. 8-30g, enacted in 1989, sets a goal that 10% of each municipality’s housing stock qualify as “affordable” housing. If the 10% target is not met, developers may propose projects that are not subject to local zoning regulations.
The Goshen News will undertake more complete coverage of Affordable Housing in Goshen in future editions.
Musselman will take the new material submitted by the Affordable Housing Plan Committee and put it together with the old format in time for the next Commission meeting.
Under Old Business, the Commission reviewed the site plan for the application by West Goshen Properties to re-zone 660 and 664 Sharon Turnpike as Town Center Business Zone. Under the proposal, the house at 660 would be removed to create additional parking and the two lots would be combined.
Zbinden raised concerns about designating a business located three miles from the town center as a Town Center Business. “This would set a precedent for a lot of other businesses. It's really not a town-centered business though. If you read the regulations, the town center business zone is really for a central location, the business and services to the town center. This could be a precedent for other businesses to come in, especially it's located far from the town center. I think it's a big change for the town because it could pretty much say our whole town is a town center.”
Zbinden’s concern is that once rezoned as a Town Center business, it opens the door for the property to be sold and used for other permissible town center zone uses, such as restaurants or retail businesses.
The discussion transitioned into a broader consideration of all non-conforming town businesses that were established prior to the introduction of zoning regulations in Goshen in 1988, and the possibility of creating business zones other than the Town Center business zone.
The commissioners voted to set a public hearing date of March 31st, to be continued and concluded at the April 28th commission meeting. Commissioner Denis recused himself from voting as he represents the property owners.
