Minutes
Zoning Commission - Minutes - Jun 15, 2026
Jun 15, 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 5 Zoning Commission1 Regular Meeting2 June 15, 2026 – 7:00 P.M.3 Simsbury Public Library – FSPL Room4 725 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; Zoning Commission11 Members: Kate Beal, Dagny Griswold, and Tucker Salls; Alternate Zoning12 Commission Members: Allen Bradford, Stacie Espeso, and Doug McKown; Planning13 Director, George McGregor; and Assistant Town Planner, Brittany MacGilpin.14 15 Absent: Zoning Commission Member, Jackie Battos.16 17 Seating of Alternate: Commissioner Espeso was appointed as a regular member for18 tonight’s meeting.19 20 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, to21 add Application ZC 26-13 to the Agenda. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).22 23 II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES24 25 May 14, 2026, Special Meeting26 27 MOTION: Commissioner Beal made a motion, seconded Vice Chair Leary, to approve28 the Minutes of the May 14, 2026, Special Meeting as written. The motion carried29 unanimously (6-0-0).30 31 May 26, 2026, Joint Special Meeting32 33 MOTION: Vice Chair Leary made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Espeso, to34 approve the Minutes of the May 26, 2026, Joint Special Meeting as written. The motion35 carried unanimously (6-0-0).36 37 38 Page 2 of 5 June 5, 2026, Regular Meeting39 40 MOTION: Vice Chair Leary made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Espeso, to41 approve the Minutes of the June 5, 2026, Regular Meeting as written. The motion42 carried unanimously (6-0-0).43 44 III. APPLICATION45 46 Application ZC #26-13 of Hoffman Enterprises Limited Partnership, Owner, and T.J.47 Donohue, Applicant, for site plan amendment approval to renovate an existing48 dealership with façade changes and a 768 s.f. addition with associated site49 improvements at 46 Albany Turnpike (aka 36 Albany Turnpike) (Map A20, Block 503,50 Lot 002), Simsbury, Zone B-3.51 52 Assistant Town Planner MacGilpin, Attorney T.J. Donahue, Esq., Architect Tom Daly53 of SLR, and Sam Pines the Vice President of Fixed Base Operations of Hoffman54 discussed the proposed renovations and façade changes.55 56 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, that57 the Zoning Commission Approves Application ZC #26-13 of Hoffman Enterprises58 Limited Partnership, Owner, and T.J. Donohue, Applicant, for site plan amendment59 approval to renovate an existing dealership with façade changes and a 768 s.f. addition60 with associated site improvements at 46 Albany Turnpike (aka 36 Albany Turnpike)61 (Map A20, Block 503, Lot 002), Simsbury, Zone B-3. Upon finding the application62 substantially meets the requirements of Section 11 of the Zoning Regulations and with63 the following conditions:64 65 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the following plans:66 67 a. Site Plan titled, “Hoffman Genesis Building Additions, Façade Change and Site68 Improvements” prepared by SLR and dated May 28, 2026.69 70 b. Architectural Plan titled, “Hoffman Genesis Alteration” prepared by Penney Design71 Group, dated April 3, 2026.72 73 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).74 75 IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND POTENIAL ACTION76 77 Application ZC 26-12, An application of Donna Scalla, Owner, Robert Scalla,78 Applicant, for a special exception pursuant to Section 6.3 and Section 12 of the79 Simsbury Zoning Regulations to install a propane tank in the floodplain at 60 Riverside80 Road (Assessor’s Map Block Lot G12 107 035), Simsbury, Zone R-15.81 Page 3 of 5 82 Assistant Town Planner MacGilpin and Mr. Scalla discussed the proposed special83 exception. The Commission asked a few follow-up questions.84 85 Motion: Chair Braz made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Salls, to close the86 public hearing for Application ZC 26-12. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).87 88 Motion: Vice Chair Leary made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, that the89 Zoning Commission approves Application ZC #26-12 of Donna Scalla, Owner,90 Robert Scalla, Applicant, for a special exception pursuant to Section 6.3 and Section91 12 of the Simsbury Zoning Regulations to install propane tanks in the floodplain at 6092 Riverside Road (Assessor’s Map Block Lot G12 107 035), Simsbury, Zone R-15.93 94 The Commission finds that the specific considerations for special exceptions, as found95 in Section 12 of the Town of Simsbury Zoning Regulations, have been substantially96 met or satisfied.97 98 The Approval is subject to following conditions:99 100 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance to the plan set entitled101 Proposed Propane Tanks Prepared for Donna B Scalla, 60 Riverside Road, Simsbury,102 CT 06070, dated March 11, 2026, prepared by Denno Land Surveying & Consulting,103 LLC.104 105 2. The Special Exception certificate shall be filed with the Town Clerk prior to the106 issuance of a building permit.107 108 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).109 110 ZC 26-06, A Text Amendment application of McLean Affiliates, Owner, Shipman &111 Goodwin, LLP, Agent, to amend select sections of the Simsbury Zoning Regulations:112 Section 4.6.B.2 to remove the requirement that healthcare facilities be located within113 300 feet of an arterial road; Section 8.7.1 to amend and clarify the inclusionary housing114 regulations to exempt certain non-residential uses including healthcare facilities and115 continuing care retirement communities, and; Section 3.7.C.2, to provide that when a116 golf club is in common or affiliated ownership with an adjoining property, no117 separation between the fairways and the adjoining property line is required so long as118 there is at least fifty (50) feet of separation between the edge of fairways and any119 dwellings located on the adjoining property.120 121 ZC 26-07, An application of McLean Affiliates, Owner, Shipman & Goodwin,122 LLP Agent, pursuant to Section 11, Section 4.6.B, and Section 12 of the Zoning123 Regulations for site plan and special exception approval to expand the McLean124 Page 4 of 5 Healthcare Facility. The Applicant proposes to develop 40 new, independent125 living units at 75 Great Pond Rd., Assessor ID Map E08, Block 147, Lot 001,126 Zone R-40.127 128 Attorney Joe Williams, Esq., and CEO of McLean, Lisa Clark, provided comments on129 behalf of the applicant. Architect Mike Doherty with SLR discussed the applications130 and responded to public comment concerns.131 132 Public Comments133 134 Donna Summers, 6 Pondside Lane, West Simsbury, spoke in opposition.135 136 Matthew Sturdevan, 14 Shady Lane, Simsbury, spoke in opposition.137 138 Kevin Grigg, 9 Hop Hollow, Simsbury, spoke in opposition. ‘139 140 Deborah Grigg, 9 Hop Hollow, Simsbury, spoke in opposition.141 142 Beverley Earle, 100 Sarah Lane, Apt. 204, Simsbury, spoke in support.143 144 John Bunn, 15 Hop Hollow, Simsbury, spoke in opposition.145 146 Keith Robertson, the Management Director at Ziegler, the Financial Consultant to147 McLean, addressed financial concerns raised by the public.148 149 Jean Miles, 34 Redstone Drive, Simsbury, spoke in support.150 151 Rich Cooper, Resident of McLean, spoke in support.152 153 Jerry Toner, 26 Ridge Road, Simsbury, spoke in support.154 155 Tony Festa, Resident at McLeans, spoke in support.156 157 The Zoning Commission asked, and the Applicant consented to, an extension of the158 Public Hearing until July 6th.159 160 Lori Boyko, 15 Oakhurst Road, Simsbury, spoke in support of those mentioned in161 testimonies be allowed to publicly speak again.162 163 MOTION: Chair Braz made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Leary, to extend the164 public hearing for ZC 26-06, a Text Amendment and ZC 26-07, the site plan and165 special exception application, to July 6th, 2026, at 7:00 P.M. at the Simsbury Public166 Library. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).167 Page 5 of 5 168 V. ADJOURNMENT169 170 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, to171 adjourn the meeting. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).172 173 Chair Braz adjourned the meeting at 9:08 P.M.174 175 Respectfully submitted,176 177 Amanda Blaze178 Commission Clerk179