Minutes
Zoning Commission - Minutes - Apr 6, 2026
Apr 6, 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 4 Zoning Commission1 Regular Meeting2 April 6, 2026 – 7:00 P.M.3 Simsbury Town Hall – Main Meeting Room4 933 Hopmeadow Street, Simsbury, CT 060705 6 MINUTES7 8 I. CALL TO ORDER– Chair Braz called the meeting to order at 7:02 P.M.9 10 Present: Chair, Tony Braz Vice Chair, Shannon Leary; Commission Members: Jackie11 Battos, Kate Beal, Dagny Griswold, and Tucker Salls; Alternate Commission Member:12 Doug McKown; Planning Director, George McGregor; and Assistant Town Planner,13 Brittany MacGilpin.14 15 Absent: Alternates: Allen Bradford and Stacie Espeso.16 17 II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES18 19 March 16, 202620 21 Chair Braz stated the motion count should be amended to read “(6-0-0)” throughout22 the document.23 24 MOTION: Commissioner Beal made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Leary, to25 approve the Minutes of the March 16, 2026, Regular Meeting as amended. The26 motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).27 28 III. COMMISSION BUSINESS – Site Plan Review29 30 Application ZC #25-33 of LW Realty, Owner, Greg Girard Applicant; for a site plan31 approval to construct seven (7) individual warehouse buildings ranging from 1,200 s.f.32 to 2,000 s.f., contractor outdoor storage space, and one office structure at 80 Wolcott33 Rd. (Assessor’s Map I02, Block 439, Lot 009), Zone I-2.34 35 Planning Director McGregor stated the Design Review Board gave a positive referral36 and recommended the Applicant use a variety of colors for the warehouse buildings.37 38 Page 2 of 4 Wilson Alford Jr., Engineer and Land Surveyor provided an overview of the39 elevations, colors, and plantings. The Commission asked several follow-up questions40 and recommended using native plants.41 42 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Leary, that43 the Zoning Commission APPROVES Application ZC 25-33 of LW Realty, Owner,44 Greg Girard Applicant; for a site plan approval to construct seven (7) small individual45 warehouse buildings ranging from 1,200 s.f. to 2,000 s.f., contractor storage space, and46 one office structure at 80 Wolcott Rd. based on a finding that the application, subject47 to the conditions and modifications attached, meet the Site Plan requirements of Section48 11 of the Simsbury Zoning Regulations.49 50 1. The property shall be developed in substantial conformance with the site plan set51 “Site Plan for Compass Enterprises” dated March 14, 2025,52 2. revised March 6, 2026, prepared by Alford and Associates, unless otherwise53 modified by the foregoing conditions below.54 3. The property shall be developed in substantial conformance with the Architectural55 Elevations prepared by Lester Buildings, undated and timestamped “April 6, 2026.”56 4. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, an erosion and sediment control bond in57 the amount of $15,000 shall be submitted in a form acceptable to the Town.58 5. All site improvements including building, landscaping, and sidewalk infrastructure59 (public and private) shall be in place prior to the issuance of a certificate of60 occupancy for the project.61 6. The Applicant shall submit two sets of mylars and one paper set of approved62 documents for signature and recordation, prior to the issuance of a building permit.63 7. No bond shall be released until an “As-built” set for the property has been submitted64 to the satisfaction of the Town Engineer.65 8. No building permit shall be issued until the Town Engineer has approved all66 stormwater design plans and specifications. All plan set issues identified by the67 Town Engineer shall be resolved and depicted on a revised plan set for the68 Chairman of the Zoning Commission’s signature and recordation.69 9. No building permit shall be issues until the Simsbury Fire District Fire Marshal has70 approved the site design and access turn-around design for emergency vehicles.71 72 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).73 74 Application ZC #26-05 of Gradbros Hopmeadow, LLC, Owner, and JP Morgan75 Chase Bank, Applicant, for site plan approval to develop a 3,432 s.f. financial76 institution (bank) and related site improvements at 730 Hopmeadow Street (Map G10,77 Block 227, Lot 002), Simsbury, Zone SC.78 79 Page 3 of 4 Jennifer Porter, Esq., of CSG Law and Don Fernandez, Architect at Stonefield80 Engineering and Design, summarized the Chase Bank proposed development. The81 Commission asked several follow-up questions and recommended using native plants.82 83 MOTION: Vice Chair Leary made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Salls that84 The Zoning Commission Approves Application ZC #26-05 of Gradbros Hopmeadow,85 LLC, Owner, and JP Morgan Chase Bank, Applicant, for site plan approval to develop86 a 3,432 s.f. financial institution (bank) and related site improvements at 73087 Hopmeadow Street (Map G10, Block 227, Lot 002), Simsbury, Zone SC. upon a88 finding the application substantially meets the requirements of Section 11 of the Zoning89 Regulations and with the following conditions:90 91 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the following92 plans:93 94 a. Site Plan titled, “Site Plans for Chase Bank” prepared by Stonefield95 Engineering and Design dated March 18, 2026.96 97 b. Architectural Plan titled, “Project No. 1525235-00” prepared by TPG98 Architecture, LLP dated March 18, 2026.99 100 2. Prior to building permit, the applicant shall submit a lighting plan and revised101 architectural drawings to the satisfaction of the Planning Department.102 103 3. The applicant shall submit a sign plan for Design Review approval prior to104 implementation.105 106 4. Engineering Department comments in the March 30, 2026, referral shall be107 addressed to the satisfaction of the Planning Staff prior to the issuance of a building108 permit.109 110 Commissioner Battos opposed the motion. The motion carried (5-1-0).111 112 IV. OTHER COMMISSION BUSINESS113 114 Planned Area Development (PAD) Preliminary Application Review for a proposed115 Car Wash Facility at 10 Dorset Crossing, (Assessor ID: Map I04 Block 403 Lot 13C-116 F), Zone PAD. This review is non-binding and preliminary.117 118 Attorney Dwight Merriam, FACIP, Esq; Civil Engineer, Brandon Handfield,119 P.E. of Yantic River Consultants, LLC.; Architect, Rocco Petitto, AIA of QA+M120 Architecture; and Landscape Architect, Biff Schechinger, ASLA summarized the121 proposed car wash facility.122 Page 4 of 4 123 Planning Director’s Report124 125 Planning Director McGregor reported there was excellent feedback about the126 Community Forum and is expecting a summary report from the consultant. The127 McLean application has been received with a public hearing set for May 18th.128 129 V. ADJOURNMENT130 131 MOTION: Vice Chair Leary made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, to132 adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).133 134 Chair Braz adjourned the meeting at 8:11 P.M.135 136 Respectfully submitted,137 138 Amanda Blaze139 Commission Clerk140