PZC: Public Works Facility Upgrade Plan Presented, PUBLIC HEARING TO BE HELD JANUARY 28

12/17/24
Goshen’s Town Planner Janell Mullen was unavailable for this meeting, so the Planning and Zoning Commission chose to table any discussion on Goshen’s Plan of Conservation and Development until their Tuesday, January 28th meeting.
For New Business, Steve Dutton continued his discussion from the previous meeting in November, regarding how he and Charles Mallory are interested in purchasing the 777 North Street property to be used for vintage and collectible automobiles storage by the Lime Rock Group Association. Dutton sought to have the property recognized as a country club, which could make it an allowable use of property zoned as residential-agricultural under current Special Permit regulations. A list of automobile country clubs, two in Connecticut and five others from around the United States, were submitted to Land Use Enforcement Officer Spencer Musselman to show precedent for automobile storage to be classified as a country club. Commissioner Cynthia Barrett asked how people at the site would clean cars and Dutton claimed they would only use water for removal of dust. Vice Chairperson Lu-Ann Zbinden asked if Dutton has a lighting plan set up for the site. Dutton explained that he didn’t currently have a light plan but noted that, “right now, we're at, you know, above overhead doors with, you know, sensors on them where they come on if someone pulls up to them is the extent of what we've been thinking so far.” No lights are currently planned to be installed along the driveway. Dutton will return with a completed site plan for the property for the next meeting.
Public Works Supervisor Garret Harlow then presented a proposed site plan for Goshen’s Public Works facility at 38 Torrington Road to be expanded and upgraded. Before he presented the site plan, however, Harlow read a letter from the Board of Selectmen to the PZC, drafted following the Selectmen’s meeting earlier that same day:
“At our most recent board of selectmen, it was decided that the board of selectmen would like to recommend to the Planning and Zoning Commission this application be set down for a public hearing at the January regular meeting. We recognize that this is somewhat of an unorthodox request. However, it is our intention to move this project forward with absolute transparency that favors the residents of Goshen. In the event that any taxpayers would like to opine on this project, we feel it's important to afford them the opportunity to do so before the Commission. Additionally, we request that this hearing, if granted, not allow for any precedent to be set, which could prejudice any future applicants to the same standard.”
After reading the letter, Harlow presented the site plan which included new proposed leach fields, enclosure of a roofed overhang area of the existing garage building, a new standalone 120 ft x 40 ft x 24 ft storage building, pavement of a staff parking area within the existing gravel parking area, and two new gravel parking spots near a generator. The proposed new storage building will be unheated storage and will only contain construction equipment and other smaller equipment, not plow trucks. Existing lighting will be continued to be used on the site with no new lighting. No new foliage will be planted to obstruct view of the property however one ornamental tree may have to be removed from the property during construction. A slop sink will be installed in the new storage building, but it will not contain any bathrooms. After a brief discussion, Barrett motioned to set a public hearing on the proposed storage building and other upgrades at 38 Torrington Road for the January PZC meeting. This was unanimously approved.
Musselman then conducted his ZEO report. Some structures in town that were constructed without permits and a potential home-based business in Woodridge Lake with industrial equipment without approval from the PZC was reported. Musselman will look into addressing these violations. Shilo Garceau then motioned to approve the ZEO report. This was unanimously approved.