Minutes
Design Review Board - Minutes - Jan 21, 2026
Jan 21, 2026
A public record published by the Town of Simsbury (simsbury-ct.gov). mySimsbury indexes it and makes it readable; it is not the official copy. View the original file.
Page 1 of 3 Design Review Board1 Regular Meeting2 January 21, 2026 – 5:30 P.M.3 Simsbury Town Hall – Main Meeting Room4 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 060705 6 MINUTES7 8 I. CALL TO ORDER – Chair Lang called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M.9 10 Present: Chair, Elaine Lang; Commission Members: Joleen Benedict, William11 Clegg, and Andrew Tarpill; Alternate Commission Member, Kristin DuBois;12 Planning Director, George McGregor; and Code Compliance Officer, Joseph13 Hollis.14 15 Absent: Vice Chair, Polly Rice; and Commission Member, Anca Dragulski.16 17 Seating of Alternate: Commissioner DuBois was seated for Anca Dragulski as a18 regular member.19 20 II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES21 22 January 5, 2026, Regular Meeting23 24 Chair Lang amended her last name on Line 70 to read, “Lang.”25 26 MOTION: Commissioner Tarpill made a motion, seconded by Commissioner27 Clegg, to approve the Minutes of the January 5, 2026 Regular Meeting as amended.28 Commissioner Benedict abstained. The motion carried unanimously (4-0-1).29 30 III. NEW BUSINESS31 32 Zoning Compliance Review of Steven Antonio, Applicant; 5ANTS, LLC, Owner;33 for a sign permit to install two wall signs and one freestanding sign insert for The34 Hideaway at 1187 Hopmeadow Street A.K.A. 1185-1195 Hopmeadow Street35 (Assessor’s Map Block Lot I05 412 001) Simsbury, CT 06070, Zone B-2.36 Page 2 of 3 37 The applicant provided an overview of the proposed sign installations including the38 replacement of the freestanding sign insert and two new wall signs for the front and39 rear entrances to the building. The rear entrance sign would include two black40 goosenecks similar to Sunrise Convenience Store. The Board asked a few follow-41 up questions.42 43 MOTION: Commissioner Clegg made a motion, seconded by Commissioner44 Benedict for the Design Review Board to submit a positive referral for Zoning45 Compliance Review of Steven Antonio, Applicant; 5ANTS, LLC, Owner; for a46 sign permit to install two wall signs and one freestanding sign insert for The47 Hideaway at 1187 Hopmeadow Street A.K.A. 1185-1195 Hopmeadow Street48 (Assessor’s Map Block Lot I05 412 001) Simsbury, CT 06070, Zone B-2. The49 referral is subject to the following conditions:50 51 1.) The rear entrance sign design shall include two black gooseneck lights.52 53 2.) The project shall be developed in substantial conformance to the sign plans54 received January 5, 2026.55 56 3.) Minor modifications to the approved plans may be approved by Planning57 Department Staff prior to implementation in the field.58 59 The motion carried unanimously (5-0-0).60 61 IV. COMMISSION BUSINESS – PRELIMINARY AND PREAPPLICATION62 REVIEW63 64 Preliminary Development Plan Review65 66 ZC 26-01, An Application of Simsmore Square Enterprises LLC et. al, owners,67 LADA, PC, Application for a Master Development Plan and Zone Change at68 Simsmore Square, 520-548 Hopmeadow St (Assessor Map G-12, Block 132, Lots69 023A, 023B, 024, 026, 027, 028, 029, 029A, 030, 031). The Application seeks to70 rezone approximately 11.7 acres from existing B-1 & B 2 to the Planned Area71 Development Zone (PAD) in order to provide a uniform, flexible zone for existing72 development and add an additional 35-unit multi-family residential building.73 74 As part of the PAD process, the review is preliminary and non-binding.75 76 Page 3 of 3 Terri Hahn, Principal at LADA P.C. Land Planners, provided an overview of the77 intended zone change from B-1 and B-2 to Planned Area Development (PAD)78 which includes a proposal for 35 additional multifamily homes. The Board asked79 several follow up questions and recommended material and façade changes.80 81 V. ADJOURNMENT82 83 MOTION: Commissioner Benedict made a motion, seconded by Commissioner84 Tarpill, to adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously (5-0-0).85 86 Chair Lang adjourned the meeting at 6:08 P.M.87 88 Respectfully Submitted,89 90 Amanda Blaze91 Commission Clerk92