Ridgefield P&Z OKs Dogwood Drive Carport, Reviews Main Street Redevelopment Concept

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield Planning and Zoning Commission approved a special permit for a residential carport on Dogwood Drive and set multiple public hearings and site walks at its Jan. 27 meeting, held remotely due to winter weather conditions.

Commissioners unanimously approved a special permit application for a carport in the front yard of a single-family home at 20 Dogwood Drive, following the close of a public hearing. The permit allows construction of a post-and-beam carport with a roof but no sides, subject to conditions outlined in a staff report, including landscaping and design recommendations previously reviewed by the Architectural Advisory Committee. The vote passed without opposition.

Earlier in the meeting, the commission opened and closed the public hearing on the application, with no public comments offered. The applicant said neighboring property owners had been notified and raised no objections.

The commission also continued work related to its temporary moratorium on zoning regulation changes, focusing on a broad review of application fees and procedures. Commissioners discussed adjusting fees to better reflect staff time and anticipated increases in application volume tied to recent state land-use legislation. No formal votes were taken on fee changes, though members indicated further revisions would be prepared for future meetings.

A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to a pre-submission concept review for 559 and 563 Main Street, where an applicant presented early plans for rehabilitating a historic 18th-century structure and adding townhouses to the site. Commissioners offered feedback on density, traffic, historic preservation, curb cuts, and potential public use of the historic building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. No votes were taken, as the discussion was informational.

The commission also voted unanimously to receive and schedule public hearings and site walks for two revised special permit applications: a proposed child day care facility at 66 Grove St., Unit 1, and a town-sponsored plan to develop pickleball courts and parking at 195 Danbury Road. For the pickleball project, commissioners requested referrals to the Police Department and Fire Department to review traffic, noise, and public safety impacts.

The meeting adjourned at 8:49 p.m.