Zoning Commission Public Hearing Food Trucks - 580 Unit Development

Zoning Commission Hearing January 17, 2024

Food Trucks

Over the years there have been an increase of food trucks that now require more regulations.

These regulations should be fair and equitable to all.

Spot Zoning is illegal. This should not be changed.

Food Trucks are beneficial to the community with oversight and permits.

There should be designated areas for Food Trucks.

Events, Athletic Activities on fields and businesses and schools should be allowed to have non-permanent Food Trucks.

Restaurants should be allowed to have Food Trucks, but must comply with the Zoning Regulations.

The Health Department should have oversight on all Food Trucks as part of the permitting process.

Food Trucks are a beneficial addition to the Simsbury community and should be allowed under strict compliance with the regulations.

Silverman Group 580 unit development

Code Compliance

At the January 3, 2024 Zoning Hearing the Silverman group presented 10 substantive changes to the their site plan submission.

The Silverman Group is a multi-million dollar operation with thousands on staff to follow regulations submitted to various towns.

The present changes appear to have been submitted due to the realization that fthe financial climate has changed and the “cost benefit analysis” shows diminished profits.

The Hartford-Simsbury Form-Based Code was developed for this specific project and all development applications from the Silverman Group should comply with these regulations or be denied.

The Zoning Commission was not elected to maximize the profits of an applicant but hold the applicants to comply with the Zoning regulations.

No matter how powerful the applicant is, they should not be allowed to dictate the rules of engagement.

The Zoning Commission is elected to protect the town from predators who come to town to maximize their profits by changing the character of Simsbury.

The Form-Based Code was specific to the sale of the Hartford to the Silverman Group.

Regulations were put in place to protect the community from an increase in housing with a balance of commercial buildings to offset the costs on additional resources imposed on the Town and an enormous change in property values and quality of life issues.

All the players in this application process where aware of the contents of the Form-Based Code and decided to ignore the regulations which were put in place prior to the sale of the property.

The Zoning Commission should require the Silverman Group to comply with our rules to “the letter of the law” and reject the application as presented.