Planning & Zoning Commission

CITY OF TORRINGTON PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSION MEETING MINUTES May 15, 2024 Present: Greg Mele, Chair Greg Perosino, Vice Chair Donovan Riley, Member (Remote) James Bobinski, Member Donna Greco, Member Diane Carroll, Alternate (Remote) Tom Telman, Alternate (Remote) Starley Arias, Alternate (Remote, 7:15) Also Present: Jeremy Leifert, AICP; City Planner Not Present: None 1. Call to Order: Chair Greg Mele called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Attendance is by Zoom or in-person at City Hall Auditorium, Room 218, 140 Main Street, Torrington, CT. 2. Attendance/Announcement: Chair Mele announced present and serving this evening in person are Commissioners Greg Persosino, James Bobinski, Donna Greco and Greg Mele. Present and serving via zoom are Commissioners Donovan Riley, Diane Carroll and Tom Telman. Also present in the auditorium is City Planner Jeremy Leifert. 3. Minutes for Approval: a. April 17, 2024 MOTION by Commissioner Carroll to APPROVE the minutes of the April 17, 2024 regular meeting as presented, seconded by Commissioner Riley. Motion approved unanimously with one abstention by Commissioner Perosino. 4. Public Hearings beginning at 7:00 p.m., May 15, 2024, City Hall Auditorium, Room 218, 140 Main Street, Torrington, CT a. Resubdivision Applicant: Fluturim (Fred) Rizvani, HPVM Motel LLC Location: 367 & 391 – 395 Winsted Road  (Assessor Map 236 Block 001 Lot 025) Proposal: Two Lot Resubdivision Chair Mele opened the public hearing at 7:01 and stated present and serving this evening in person are Commissioners Greg Persosino, James Bobinski, Donna Greco and Greg Mele. Present and serving via zoom are Commissioners Donovan Riley, Diane Carroll and Tom Telman. Also present in the auditorium is City Planner Jeremy Leifert. Commissioner Greco read the legal notice into the record. Present and representing the application is Attorney Eddie Zyko. Atty. Zyko confirmed that the sign has been posted on the property and provided the commission with the proof of mailing to the abutters. Atty. Zyko briefly went over the proposal to split the property containing Mr. Rizvani’s restaurant from the adjacent hotel property to move forward with a property purchase. City Planner Leifert read his memo into the record. Chair Mele noted that Commissioner Arias entered the meeting remotely at 7:15. Easements to the parcel were discussed. No comments were offered for or against the application by the public. Commissioner Perosino brought up the non-compliant light to be added to approval conditions, signage issues and the setting of pins. Commissioner Perosino suggested that we do not take bonding and require the pins to be set prior to filing of maps. At 7:22 Mr. Mele declared the public hearing closed. MOTION by Ms. Greco to APPROVE Proposal: Two-Lot Resubdivision Applicant: Fluturim (Fred) Rizvani, HPVM Motel LLC Location: 367 & 391 – 395 Winsted Road (Assessor Map 236 Block 001 Lot 025) with the following conditions: 1. The commission grants waivers of the requirements of a full Soil and Erosion Control Plan and Stormwater Management Plan, as the properties are currently developed with no proposed construction on the properties. 2. Final plans shall show an access easement to the parking spaces adjacent to the proposed north property line. Documentation shall also be submitted showing the easements in the property deeds to be reviewed by Corporation Counsel. Easement documentation shall be filed with required survey maps. 3. New property pins shall be set as a condition of this approval prior to final signing and the filing of new survey maps 4. Per Section 3.10.3.G of the Subdivision Regulations, the final approved re-subdivision map shall contain the Tax Assessor’s Map/Block/Lot for each lot in the re-subdivision as assigned by the Engineering Department. 5. In accordance with section 3.10.1 of the subdivision regulations, the following shall be submitted to the City Planner: a. Two paper copies of the full approved plans including the engineer’s stamp and chairman’s signature box on the title page.  b. One mylar copy of the full approved plans for filing with the City Clerk. Each mylar sheet shall bear a chairman’s signature box, an engineers’ seal and live ink stamp. c. Final copies of paper and mylar plans shall include conditional modifications as outlined in this memo. d. Mylar sheets shall be filed by the applicant with the City Clerk within 90 days after the signature of the Chairman. Motion seconded by Ms. Carroll. Motion passed unanimously. Public Hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m., June 12, 2024, City Hall Auditorium, Room 218, 140 Main Street, Torrington, CT b. Proposed Zoning Regulation Amendment Applicant: Lelah Campo Proposal: Amend Section 5.15, Signage for Mobile Home Parks and Recreational Vehicle Parks This hearing will be opened at the next regularly scheduled meeting Public Hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m., June 26, 2024, City Hall Auditorium, Room 218, 140 Main Street, Torrington, CT c. Proposed Zoning Regulation Amendment Applicant: City of Torrington, Planning and Zoning Commission Proposal: Amend Sections 2.0 (Definitions), Section 3.1 (Table of Uses) and add new Section 6.5.4 (Temporary Shelter Facilities), Temporary and Permanent Shelters for the Unhoused This hearing has been scheduled and will be opened at the June 26, 2024 commission meeting 5. Old Business: It was noted that there is no old business for discussion at this meeting. 6. New Business: a. Discussion/update for temporary shelter, 50 Water Street (Trinity Church), Greg Brisco, CEO, Northwestern Connecticut YMCA Greg Brisco, CEO of the NW CT YMCA passed out a summary sheet from the previous winter shelter at Trinity Church. The shelter was opened for 123 days over the winter for an average of 26 people per night, 124 individual adults and 8 minors. Mr. Brisco summarized the reasons for their specific population in the shelter and other contributing factors to homelessness from a voluntary survey given to the residents. Willem Donahue, Director of the Torrington YMCA explained how the YMCA shelters operated in the areas work and went over some very specific cases for the residents (names were withheld) and the history of individuals within the shelter to demonstrate specific cases of homelessness. Conrad Sienkiewicz, a parishioner from Trinity Church spoke on the experience of the church with the operation of the shelter. He spoke on fire code issues that had to be resolved for compliance. He also spoke on some of the press around the shelter and items of concern within the press reporting on the shelter. Ms. Greco asked about the timing of the shelters and how to improve the approval process in the future. Mr. Perosino asked about the numbers of residents and the need in the City, and if there could be some clarification on whether we as a community were meeting our needs for temporary winter shelter space. Mr. Brisco stated that the number for capacity in their shelter was 35 beds but they averaged 26 residents. Discussion ensued further on the numbers of residents and capacity concerns as well as security and behavioral concerns with the residents. The commission thanked the group for coming into the meeting to report on the shelter. b. Discussion – proposed amendments to zoning regulations section 5.11 - Landscaping Mr. Leifert distributed landscaping regulation amendments proposed by Assistant Planner Nate Nardi-Cyrus, noting that the majority of the proposal entails requiring only plants native to North America in future landscape plans. Mr. Leifert requested that the commission set a public hearing for the July 17 commission meeting. MOTION by Mr. Perosino to set the public hearing for landscaping regulation amendments, section 5.11 for July 17. Seconded by Ms. Carroll. Motion passed unanimously. c. 1260 Winsted Road, Special Exception application for Vocational Training Facility, CT Brows and Lashes Academy LLC MOTION by Mr. Perosino to add agenda item 6c. for 1260 Winsted Road, Special Exception application for Vocational Training Facility, CT Brows and Lashes Academy LLC and set a public hearing for the Special Exception for June 12, 2024. Seconded by Ms. Carroll, unanimously carried. 7. Correspondence: a. Zoning and Blight Violation update A brief discussion ensued on the submitted enforcement report. Mr. Leifert reminded the commission that Assistant Planner/Zoning Official Nate Nardi Cyrus will be attending the July 17 meeting for his mid-year in-person enforcement report. 8. Adjournment: MOTION by Mr. Perosino to adjourn the meeting at 8:06, seconded my Ms. Carroll. Motion passed unanimously.