Minutes
Zoning Commission - Minutes - Jul 6, 2026
Jul 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 6 Zoning Commission1 Regular Meeting2 July 6, 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 7:01 P.M.9 10 Present: Chair, Tony Braz Vice Chair, Shannon Leary; Commission Members: Kate11 Beal, Dagny Griswold, and Tucker Salls; Alternate Commission Member: Allen12 Bradford, and Doug McKown; Planning Director, George McGregor; and Assistant13 Town Planner, Brittany MacGilpin.14 15 Absent: Commission Member, Jackie Battos.16 17 Seating of Alternates: Commissioner McKown was appointed as a regular member18 for tonight’s meeting.19 20 II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES21 22 June 15, 202623 24 Vice Chair Leary amended Line 19 to read “Vice Chair.”25 26 MOTION: Commissioner Griswold made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal,27 to approve the Minutes of the June 15, 2026, Regular Meeting as amended. The motion28 carried unanimously (6-0-0).29 30 June 16, 202631 32 Chair Braz amended Line 15 to read, “Commissioner Espeso was seated for33 Commissioner Battos.”34 35 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Leary, to36 approve the Minutes of the June 16, 2026, Special Meeting as amended. The motion37 carried unanimously (6-0-0).38 Page 2 of 6 39 III. NEW COMMISSION BUSINESS – FREE STANDING SIGN APPLICATION40 REVIEWS41 42 ZC 26-14, An application of 32-36 Iron Horse LLC, Owner, Chris Nelson, Agent, for43 the installation of a ± 29 sq.ft. monument sign at 32-36 Iron Horse Boulevard44 (Assessor’s Map Block Lot H09 226 006) Zone SCZ.45 46 Assistant Town Planner MacGilpin and Mr. Nelson presented the proposed monument47 sign. The Design Review Board submitted a positive referral for this application.48 49 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, that50 the Zoning Commission approve ZC 26-14, an application of 32-36 Iron Horse LLC,51 Owner, Chris Nelson, Agent, for the installation of a ± 29 sq.ft. monument sign at 32-52 36 Iron Horse Boulevard (Assessor’s Map Block Lot H09 226 006) Zone SCZ. The53 approval is subject to the following conditions:54 55 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the plans stamped56 received by the Planning Department 6/1/26 prepared by ArtFx.57 58 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).59 60 ZC 26-16, An application of Peter Spano, Owner, Bissel Brook Farm, Agent, for the61 installation of a ± 18 sq.ft. freestanding sign for Bissel Brook Farm on the property at62 45 Hoskins Road (Assessor’s Map Block Lot H05 103 027) Zone R-40.63 64 Assistant Town Planner MacGilpin and Mr. Spano presented the proposed freestanding65 sign. The Design Review Board submitted a positive referral for this application.66 67 MOTION: Commissioner Beal made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Leary, that68 the Zoning Commission approve ZC# 26-16 of Bissell Brook Farm, Applicant; Peter69 Spano, Owner; for the installation of a ± 18 sq. ft. freestanding sign for Bissell Brook70 Farm on the property at 45 Hoskins Road (Assessor’s Map Block Lot H05 103 027)71 Simsbury, CT 06070, zone R-40. The approval is subject to the following conditions:72 73 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the plans stamped74 received by the Planning Department 6/17/26.75 76 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).77 78 ZC 26-17, An application of 1285 Hopmeadow, LLC, Owner, Darcie Roy of National79 Sign Corp, Agent, for the installation of a ± 31.5 sq.ft. monument sign at 126380 Hopmeadow Street (Assessor’s Map Block Lot I05 403 018) Zone B-2.81 Page 3 of 6 82 Assistant Town Planner MacGilpin and Ms. Roy presented the proposed monument83 sign. The Design Review Board submitted a positive referral for this application.84 85 MOTION: Commissioner McKown made a motion, seconded by Commissioner86 Griswold, that the Zoning Commission approve ZC 26-17, an application of 128587 Hopmeadow, LLC, Owner, Darcie Roy of National Sign Corp, Agent, for the88 installation of a ± 31.5 sq. ft. monument sign at 1263 Hopmeadow Street (Assessor’s89 Map Block Lot I05 403 018) Zone B 2. The approval is subject to the following90 conditions:91 92 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the plans stamped93 received by the Planning Department 6/25/26 prepared by National Sign94 Corporation.95 96 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).97 98 IV. PUBLIC HEARINGS and POTENTIAL ACTION ON APPLICATIONS99 100 ZC 26-06, A Text Amendment application of McLean Affiliates, Owner, Shipman &101 Goodwin, LLP, Agent, to amend select sections of the Simsbury Zoning Regulations:102 Section 4.6.B.2 to remove the requirement that healthcare facilities be located within103 300 feet of an arterial road; Section 8.7.1 to amend and clarify the inclusionary housing104 regulations to exempt certain non-residential uses including healthcare facilities and105 continuing care retirement communities, and; Section 3.7.C.2, to provide that when a106 golf club is in common or affiliated ownership with an adjoining property, no107 separation between the fairways and the adjoining property line is required so long as108 there is at least fifty (50) feet of separation between the edge of fairways and any109 dwellings located on the adjoining property.110 111 ZC 26-07, An application of McLean Affiliates, Owner, Shipman & Goodwin, LLP112 Agent, pursuant to Section 11, Section 4.6.B, and Section 12 of the Zoning Regulations113 for site plan and special exception approval to expand the McLean Healthcare Facility.114 The Applicant proposes to develop 40 new, independent living units at 75 Great Pond115 Rd., Assessor ID Map E08, Block 147, Lot 001, Zone R-40.116 117 Public Comments118 119 Alex Rose, 4 Shady Lane, West Simsbury – Spoke in opposition.120 121 Steven Trinkaus, Resident of Southbury – Spoke in opposition.122 123 Greg Whitehouse, 11 Hop Hollow, Simsbury – Spoke in opposition.124 Page 4 of 6 125 James Martocchio, 6 Country Club Drive, West Simsbury – Spoke in opposition.126 127 Rebecca Picoult, 6 Teachers Turn, Simsbury – Spoke in opposition.128 129 Bill Franks, 4 Country Club Drive, West Simsbury – Spoke in opposition.130 131 Siobhan Graham, 12 Country Club Drive, West Simsbury- Spoke in opposition.132 133 Bethany Phillips, 9 Cedar Glen Road, West Simsbury – Spoke in opposition.134 135 Dr. Stewart Blomquist, 50 Sarah Lane, Simsbury – Spoke in support.136 137 Alyssa Peterson, Resident of Hartford – Spoke in opposition.138 139 Tom Daly, Lead Civil Engineer with SLR and Attorney Joseph Williams, Esq., of140 Shipman & Goodwin responded to several public comments, in rebuttal.141 142 MOTION: Chair Braz made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, to close the143 public hearings for ZC 26-06 and ZC 26-07. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).144 145 The Commission discussed the possible impact and benefit ZC 26-06 could have.146 147 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Griswold148 that the Zoning Commission APPROVES ZC 26-06, A Text Amendment application149 of McLean Affiliates, Owner, Shipman & Goodwin, LLP, Agent, to amend select150 sections of the Simsbury Zoning Regulations: Section 4.6.B.2 to remove the151 requirement that healthcare facilities be located within 300 feet of an arterial road;152 Section 8.7.1 to amend and clarify the inclusionary housing regulations to exempt153 certain non-residential uses including healthcare facilities and continuing care154 retirement communities, and; Section 3.7.C.2, to provide that when a golf club is in155 common or affiliated ownership with an adjoining property, no separation between the156 fairways and the adjoining property line is required so long as there is at least fifty (50)157 feet of separation between the edge of fairways and any dwellings located on the158 adjoining property.159 160 The Zoning Commission finds that the amendments are consistent with the policies of161 the Plan of Conservation and Development.162 163 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).164 165 Page 5 of 6 The Commission discussed the possible impact and benefit ZC 26-07 could have.166 167 MOTION: Commissioner Griswold made a motion, seconded by Vice Chair Leary,168 that the Zoning Commission APPROVES ZC 26-07, An application of McLean169 Affiliates, Owner, Shipman & Goodwin, LLP, Agent, pursuant to Section 11 and 4.6.B170 of the Zoning Regulations for site plan and special exception approval to expand the171 McLean Healthcare Facility. The Applicant proposes to develop 40 new independent172 living units at 75 Great Pond Rd., Assessor ID Map E08, Block 147, Lot 001, Zone R-173 40, subject to the following findings and modifications:174 175 The Application substantially meets the site plan requirements found in Section 11 of176 the Zoning Regulations. The special exception criteria set forth in Section 12 have been177 considered as described in the Staff Report and the Application, as modified by the178 conditions below, have been met: the application is in substantial compliance with the179 Zoning Regulations.180 181 Recommended Modifications & Conditions:182 183 1. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with the site plan184 set for the Meadow Homes at McLean, dated October 7, 2025, revised through185 May 4, 2026, prepared by SLR.186 2. The project shall be developed in substantial conformance with McLean187 Homes Design Review Board architectural submission dated April 6, 2026,188 prepared by Dimella Shaffer, et.al.189 3. Prior to the issuance of a building permit, the Applicant shall submit an190 Erosion and Sediment Control Bond, in a form acceptable to the Town, in the191 amount of $273,358.192 4. All Modifications and Conditions of Approval adopted by the Simsbury193 Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency (IWWA) and contained in the194 IWWA Report to the Zoning Commission dated March 17, 2026, shall remain195 in full force and effect.196 5. Pursuant to the recommendations of the Conservation Commission and prior197 to the issuance of a building permit for this project the applicant shall:198 a. Incorporate a tree protection specification into the construction199 documents, in a manner acceptable to the Town Planning Department200 b. Incorporate an invasive species specification into the construction201 documents, in a manner acceptable to the Town Planning Department.202 The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).203 204 Page 6 of 6 V. ADJOURNMENT205 206 MOTION: Commissioner Salls made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Beal, for207 the meeting to be adjourned. The motion carried unanimously (6-0-0).208 209 Chair Braz adjourned the meeting at 8:28 P.M.210 211 Respectfully submitted,212 213 Amanda Blaze214 Commission Clerk215