Commission Postpones Vote on Gas Station in Residential Area

Less than a quarter of a mile from the Exit 14 entrance to I-91 in Wallingford there is a vacant gas station that sits in the middle of a residential area, far from the center of town.

It was built before 1958, the year Wallingford enacted zoning laws that strictly placed businesses in one section of town and houses in another, explained Town Planner Kacie Costello.

Now, the owner of the property wants to revitalize this business by not only making it a functional gas pumping station again, but also potentially putting in a mini mart-type retail part of the business.

The news is not sitting well with some neighbors in the area, who came out and spoke in opposition to the 862 East Center St. gas station during a Planning and Zoning meeting on Monday, Costello said. 

“There were some concerns amongst the commissioners,” she said.

The Planning and Zoning Commission first examined the proposal, put forth by MCFH, LLC, during its regular monthly meeting, but decided to postpone the vote until the next P&Z meeting on May 13. This also means the public hearing will continue until that day as well.

Costello said the hours of this particular business and what impact it could have on traffic were concerns that lead to the postponement.

According to town zoning regulations, businesses that were built in residential zones before zoning laws were put into place in 1958 are allowed to stay there as a “non-conforming use” property, Costello said.

The regulations allow for a non-conforming use property, such as a gas station in residential area, to continue operating as a gas station even if the building closes and a new owner buys it, she said. But, because the applicant wants to add the mini-mart, then the project is subject to a special permit and review by the P&Z Commission.

Costello said that, if this gas station is “more intensive” than the previous one then the commission could deny the special permit.