Farmington PZC Puts Off Action On Blighted Gas Station Site

FARMINGTON, CT — Plans to convert an abandoned gas station site back to a working gas station/convenience store are still pending before the town after the zoning board declined to take action this week.

The Farmington Plan and Zoning Commission Monday, March 13, did close a public hearing on BB Development LLC plans to transform vacant and blighted 368 Plainville Ave. into a taxpaying gas station/convenience store operation in the Unionville part of town.

But it declined to take action on the matter after an extensive presentation and question-and-answer session with representatives of the developers.

The development has already received approval from the Farmington Conservation and Inland Wetlands Commission, with a vote in its favor coming Feb. 1 from that board.

A special permit for the development from the PZC represents the next municipal approval required for the site.

The hearing actually began Feb. 27 and was continued to March 13 after some residents speaking offered some opposition to the proposal, mostly citing traffic concerns.

Bristol-based Attorney James Ziogas went before the PZC Monday representing the applicant and presented various technical modifications made to the plan in response to the hearing and past PZC testimony.

Among the changes is the shrinking of the size of the building, from 3,800 square feet to 3,360 square feet.

Other changes had to do with visual buffer vegetation, traffic lanes into and out of the site and building height.

According to the developers, the operation will not be a 24-hour gas station/store, but it would be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.

It also hasn't been determined if there will be food preparation on the site as architect Charlie Nyberg, of Schadler Selnau Associates of Farmington, said a final interior plan has yet to be finished.

Nyberg did term the likely food prep operations to be "minimal."

Two more people spoke at the hearing, both being property owners nearby who expressed concern about light pollution and environmental issues should fuel spill.

PZC members could have made a decision Monday night on the project, but the commission had a busy agenda and other public hearings to get through.

As a result, the board, by consensus, opted to put off a discussion and vote.

"I would like to do that at the next meeting," said Farmington PZC Chairperson Inez St. James.

The PZC next meets Monday, March 27, at 7 p.m. at Farmington Town Hall.

From Feb. 7: 'Blighted Farmington Property To Become Gas Station/Convenience Store'

For the minutes of the March 13 Farmington Plan and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.