New Milford Zoners Approve Railroad St Bakery Expansion And Main St Outdoor Bar

NEW MILFORD, CT — The Zoning Commission approved plans July 28 for a commercial kitchen and bakery expansion on Railroad Street, an outdoor bar on Main Street and a detached accessory building on Country Farm Lane.

The commission voted 4-1 to approve Artel Engineering Group LLC's proposal to add about 2,000 square feet to an existing 4,976-square-foot building at 96 Railroad St. and convert the property to a commercial kitchen and bakery with accessory retail sales. Commissioners also approved related parking, drainage, landscaping and lighting changes. Commissioner Joseph Baker opposed the application.

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The commission unanimously approved Arthur Praino's application to add an outdoor bar to the existing Class III restaurant's outdoor dining area at 7 Main St. The approval remains subject to conditions from a prior approval effective Jan. 15, 2009. Under those terms, the seasonal enclosure may operate from April 14 through Oct. 15 and must function only as a restaurant vestibule outside that period, not as an outdoor dining or bar area.

Commissioners also unanimously approved Spencer Guptill's request to construct a 1½-story, 672-square-foot detached accessory building at 10 Country Farm Lane. Conditions require the garage to remain subordinate to the principal home and prohibit business or commercial use, except for an approved home occupation or agricultural use. Exterior lighting must be directed to avoid glare on neighboring properties, with dark-sky-friendly fixtures recommended.

The commission closed several other public hearings without taking final action. Those included Richard Gustavson's proposal for a six-unit contractor office and tradesmen shop building at 49 Park Lane Road, Faith Ministries Inc.'s proposed church expansion at 600 Danbury Road, and a Flagstaff Investments LLC industrial development proposal at 260 Pickett District Road.

Faith Ministries' application calls for expanding auditorium and sanctuary seating to 1,600, doubling the school's classrooms from 12 to 24 and constructing an outdoor plaza or terrace with a stage, pergola and sound system. The Flagstaff proposal includes several contractor warehouse and self-storage buildings, along with excavation, utilities, parking, stormwater and landscaping work.

Commissioners granted 45-day extensions to two affordable housing applications submitted under the state's 8-30g law. S System Properties LLC is proposing three four-story apartment buildings with 104 units at 125 Kent Road, including at least 32 affordable units. Boccorossa Land Investments LLC is proposing 12 four-story apartment buildings with 96 units at 215 and 219 Danbury Road, including at least 29 affordable units. Both extension requests passed unanimously.

Under new business, the commission received an application from Tyler Scott to modify an earlier approval at 9 Pickett District Road. The proposal includes a new 15,000-square-foot addition to an existing building, expansion of an auto repair and customization business, a separate indoor storage use and a reduction in outdoor storage. A decision is scheduled by Sept. 22.

The commission also accepted two applications for future public hearings. A proposal at 195 Pickett District Road would convert an existing agricultural building into five commercial or industrial units and provide 32,000 square feet of outdoor equipment and vehicle storage. A public hearing was suggested for Aug. 25. Another Artel Engineering Group proposal would add 117,660 square feet to an existing industrial warehouse at 87 Pickett District Road, with a suggested hearing date of Sept. 22.

Commissioners unanimously rejected as incomplete an application from Kenneth and Adrienne Ventresca for an accessory apartment at 41 Upper Reservoir Road. The acceptance vote was not recommended because the submission was incomplete.

The commission also approved the June 23 meeting minutes and amended July 14 special meeting minutes. It authorized payment of engineering peer-review bills totaling $2,904.50 for reviews involving 215 Danbury Road and 125 Kent Road. The meeting adjourned unanimously at 9:41 p.m.