Zoning Board of Appeals

CITY OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Zoning Board of Appeals Planning & Development Department • City Hall • 355 Main Street • 1st Floor West Haven, Connecticut 06516 Phone 203.937.3580 • Fax 203.937.3742 CITY HALL 1896 -1967 John Clifford, Chairman open, Alternate. Ed Wise, Commissioner Rich Deleo, Alternate Brent Coscia, Commissioner Chuck Zentarski, Alternate Carol Porto, Commissioner Brian Miller Consultant Aleshia Caple, Commissioner Catherine Conniff, Asst. City Planner Stephen Hotchkiss Zoning Enforcement/ Inland Wetlands MEETING MINUTES OF ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS MARCH 15, 2023 AMENDED The West Haven Zoning Board of Appeals held a Public Hearing and Regular meeting on Wednesday March 15, 2023, in the Harriet North Room, Second Floor, City Hall, 355 Main Street, West Haven, CT at 6:30 P.M. PRESENT: Commissioners Clifford, Wise, Porto, Zentarski, DeLeo, Coscia, DeLeo, Caple (6:55 p.m.), Corporation Counsel Tiernan and Assistant Planner Conniff. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Commissioner DeLeo made a motion to approve the minutes of the Regular Meeting and Public Hearings of February 15, 2023, seconded by Commissioner Coscia and passed. CLARIFICATION 855 Boston Post Road: A variance for modification and Clarification to the City of West Haven Certificate of Decision where conditions where not stated. A clarification will need to be addressed. In the RB (Regional Business) district, Under Table 20.1 (b) & (c): and Table 39.2 (A) of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner / Applicant 855 Orange Avenue, LLC File # 030-23 V Attorney Tiernan stated the public hearing and the minutes were not the same and would like clarification of the conditions. He would like to modify and clarify the minutes regarding the conditions. Commissioner Clifford read a statement modifying and clarifying the minutes to reflect that no more than 150 units be built in the first phase, consisting of efficiencies, one- bedroom units and two-bedroom units. They will be built above ground in accordance with Table 39.2 This will be consistent with the record on this matter. Attorney Tiernan said what has been stated will satisfy Corporation Counsel’s office but he is not sure the clarification will satisfy the applicant. However, that not the reason for this because you already heard the application, PUBLIC HEARING: 32 Northrop Road: The Applicant seeks relief to build an apartment for their daughter on the second floor to allow her to help care for her mother. A Special Use Exception is required. In the 1 R2 (Single Family Detached Residence) district, Under section 42, 90, 91 and 92 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner/ Applicant Fortunato Favia, File # 031-23 SUE V Applicant stated he needs to expand his home so his daughters can be nearby to care for his wife. Commissioner Clifford stated this zone is not a multi-family zone so the home will remain as a one family home. The second kitchen will have to be removed when the home is sold. Mailings were submitted to the file. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. Jeffrey Gordon, 454 Ridge Rd., North Haven, attested to the applicant’s work. 250 Brown Street A request to mount solar panels which will be visible from the street to allow for maximum sun exposure, in the VDO (Village District Overlay) district. Under Article 2 Section 21.5 b VI of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner Frank Selitte/ Applicant Tylon George. File # 032-23 V Gary Kohler, West Haven, is the sales rep for the solar company. The owner is looking to install solar panels on his home. They will be facing the road because of the east/west location of the home. The roof will also be changed so the panels will not be as visible. Mailings were submitted to the file. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. 107 York Street: An application to allow a first cut, to split this lot into two lots. Both lots exceed the general size and configuration that meets 75% of the lots in the block meeting regulation 47.2. A variance from the existing home of 10,842 where 16,000 square feet is required and a variance for the new lot of 13,390 where 16,000 square feet is required in the R3 (One-Two-Three Family) district pursuant to section 12.1; 47.2;90.1;90.2; and 90.3 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulation. Owner/ Applicant Walter Hurley File # 034-23 V Attorney Vincent Amendola, West Haven, is representing the applicant and seeking permission to split an existing lot. Attorney Amendola explained that this lot was #6 in 1923 before zoning, next conveyed in 1951 and purchased by his client in 2013. Deeds and photos were presented to the commission. A large section of the lot to the left is uninhabited and a garage was built there in 1964 and the house built in 1923. A stockade fence was installed for safety due to the steep drop off. In 1931 zoning allowed building on 4,000 sq. ft. and in 2006 regulations changed requiring16,000 sq. ft. creating the hardship. Looking at the lot after configuration it fits in with the other lots in the neighborhood. The existing house will remain on one part of the lot and the new lot will be 13,690 sq. ft. Mailings were submitted to the file. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. 2  CITY OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT Zoning Board of Appeals Planning & Development Department • City Hall • 355 Main Street • 1st Floor West Haven, Connecticut 06516 Phone 203.937.3580 • Fax 203.937.3742 CITY HALL 1896 -1967 John Clifford, Chairman open, Alternate. Ed Wise, Commissioner Rich Deleo, Alternate Brent Coscia, Commissioner Chuck Zentarski, Alternate Carol Porto, Commissioner Brian Miller Consultant Aleshia Caple, Commissioner Catherine Conniff, Asst. City Planner Stephen Hotchkiss Zoning Enforcement/ Inland Wetlands 16 Laurel Place: A change of use from a porch to living space. Front yard variance to permit 14’ where 30’ is required. An Easterly side yard line to permit 5’ and a Westerly side yard to permit 10’ where 15’ is required. In a R2 (Single Family Detached Residence) district, under section 11 & 12 of the City of West Haven Zoning Regulations. Owner/Applicant Anne Marie Devlin File # 035-23 V Applicants would like to extend their living space where an existing porch exists. The footings will be not changed. Commissioner Clifford stated he visited the site and the workers did not have the permits. Alan Parsons, West Haven, contractor stated he is waiting on permits. The building official stated he has up to 30 days and it has been 30 days. Commissioner Porto questions the hardship. Commissioner Clifford stated the porch is existing and they are just enclosing it and other houses in the neighborhood have done the same. Three calls were made to speak in favor and three calls were made to speak in opposition to this application. Lois Dorio, 14 Laurel Place, is in favor. Mary Collins, 20 Laurel Place, is in favor. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 855 Boston Post Road File # 030-23 V Commissioner Clifford made a motion to approve File #030-23 V, seconded by Commissioner Wise. Roll call was called. File #030-23 V approved 5 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 32 Northrop Road File # 031-23 SUE V Commissioner Coscia made a motion to approve File #031-23 SUE with the condition that the second kitchen be removed when the home is sold, seconded by Commissioner Porto. Roll call was called. File #031-23 SUE V approved 5 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 250 Brown Street File # 032-23 V Commissioner Coscia made a motion to approve File #032-23 V, seconded by Commissioner Caple. Roll call was called. File #032-23 V approved 5 – 0. Deliberation on Public Hearing: 107 York Street File # 034-23 V Commissioner Coscia made a motion to approve File #034-23 V, seconded by Commissioner Porto. Roll call was called. File #034-23 V approved 5 – 0. 3 Deliberation on Public Hearing: 16 Laurel Place File # 035-23 V Commissioner Coscia made a motion to approve File #035-23 V with the condition that all building cease and desist until building permits are issued, seconded by Commissioner Wise. Roll call was called. File #035-23 V approved 5 – 0. Staff Reports: No applications at this time for next month. Ms. Conniff stated they will be asking applicants to send applications digitally so they can send them to the commissioners. Adjournment: 7:22 p.m. Commissioner DeLeo made a motion to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Caple and passed. 4