July meetings resolved permit issues

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July 14 Meeting

The Planning and Zoning Commission heard three public hearings at its July 14 meeting and approved all special permit applications

The owner of 163 Hartland Road requested a special permit for an accessory apartment for his mother, who will be living with him. The existing ranch-style home, constructed in 1959, contains 1500 square feet with three bedrooms and 1.5 baths. The accessory apartment will be located within a proposed addition of 560 square feet connected to the front portion of the home. The building inspector reviewed the building plans and declared the apartment can be constructed in conformance with the building code.

The lot is in an R2A zone and contains 3.3 acres. The house is set back over 100 feet from Hartland Road and the new addition will be set back 75 feet from the road. The property contains over 1100 feet of frontage but has less depth. The rear property line is the West Branch of the Salmon Brook, and its furthest point the Salmon Brook is 250 feet back from the property line. The house is located over 275 feet from the nearest house, which is located on the opposite side of Hartland Road. Due to the location of the Salmon Brook, the proposed construction requires a Review of Activity under the Inland and Watercourses regulations. The owner has already applied and received approval of this review.

A Special Permit application for an accessory apartment for 147 Loomis Street was approved. The building inspector found that an accessory apartment designation currently exists as an in-law apartment approved on Dec. 11, 2002. This designation should be listed as an accessory apartment to conform with current regulations. He stated that the work on the previous permit was completed as approved. The current permit meets all requirements of the building code and accessory apartment requirements. The home has a total living area of 4,770 square feet with six bedrooms and 5.5 baths. The property is in an R2A zone, contains 18 acres, and is set back 600 feet from Loomis Street and 400 feet from the nearest home.

An application to renew a special permit for earth excavation on property at Salmon Brook Street was approved. Tilton, Inc. has been moving earth material from this area since 1955, and appears every two years for renewal of the permit as required by regulations. The last renewal was in July 2013 and approved subject to the bond renewal and the updating of the map, which were completed. Very little material has been moved. In the past, this area had problems with illegal trespassing by dirt bikers. Working with the police department and the Granby Land Trust, the owners successfully blocked the area.

The commission received an update on pending activities. A beauty salon will open on Salmon Brook Street, across from the high school and near the day care center. The site plan is completed, the septic system meets regulations, it connects to public water, and a parking lot gained a special permit because it is in the Center Zone.

Ed Lally has requested and was granted a 4-year extension on Cider Mill Drive to finish the road.

 A 10-acre rear lot that encompasses Hartland and Granby has been split into two parcels. The rear piece in Granby had a change in ownership and will have residential units.

A resident at 139 Notch Road commented on the large 10-feet-high hill from excavation that rises behind his property and asked why the town didn’t enforce the court order to repair the site.

Discussion on the excavation resulted in a suggestion that it would be best to not disturb the site as the rise acts as a flood retainer and the vegetation is growing to hide the view. Director of Community Development Fran Armentano promised to review the site.

July 28 Meeting

Special permits granted to Beauty Shop and rear lot astride Hartland – Granby

The Planning and Zoning Commission heard two special permit applications at the July 28 meeting. The first was the creation of a beauty shop at 308 Salmon Brook Street where the applicant, Shirley Dunn, proposed to convert the existing single-family home into the small business. The second special permit allows for a rear lot that is divided from a larger property at 291 Mountain Road.

The beauty salon is permitted under the Center Commons Zone that includes “personal services” such as barbershops, salons and cleaning establishments. This special permit is only allowed on a lot containing a minimum of 4,000 square feet and is compatible in design, scale and size with existing uses. This application complies with all stated requirements.

The home was built in 1900, and while some past renovations were done, none is planned with this application. Granby’s building official has inspected the building and has no problem with the proposed changes. The building contains a useable area of 1,600 square feet that will contain four stations, seats and two sinks. There will be two full time and two part-time employees. The salon will be open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. most days, closing at 5:30 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. on Saturday. The second floor will be used as office space and storage areas.

 In compliance with the regulations 14 parking spaces are proposed in a 9×18 paved parking lot, eliminating one on the north side to improve access. A traditional sign advertising the salon is limited to the parking area, as are two traditional style poles and fixtures, one at the entrance and one at the exit. The building has public water and a private septic system that the Farmington Valley Health District has demanded be replaced prior to any use. Dunn has contacted the State Department of Transportation in relation to the parking area/driveway permit and the curb cuts along Salmon Brook Street.

Commission members asked if the town would have plowing problems in the winter to access a home at the rear of this property. They were assured the plowing would be adequate. They also pointed out that any changes to the special permit application would require another review and special permit.

Director of Community Development Fran Armentano stated that he has discussed this application with Granby’s police department and the Superintendent of Schools in relation to the closeness of the property to the middle and high schools. If approved, the action should include a condition that the applicant obtain the required state roadway permit before filing the mylar and the town engineer be notified before the paving of the parking lot area and the exterior light posts are approved by the Community Development Director.

The second hearing involved a special permit creating a rear lot for property located at 291 Mountain Road and 219 Mountain Road. Larry Kraiza explained that the 10-acre rear lot was part of his mother’s estate that lies in both East Hartland and Granby. The property includes a barn and an apartment that meet zoning regulations. There is also an existing right of way that accesses the barn. The lot contains about 10 acres and was separated from a larger property that originally contained about 163 acres. If approved, the property will be split along the boundary of Hartland and Granby. Kraiza said this application was a two-step process, approval of a special permit from Granby and agreement from Hartland.

 The proposed lot will be separated from the larger property at 219 Mountain Road in the town of Hartland. This property contains a single-family house and a separate driveway and meets the regulations of the town of Hartland. A small portion of land located in Hartland will remain with the rear lot in Granby to allow the entire barn to be placed on one separate parcel. The proposed rear lot contains a large barn with a residential unit that is entirely in Granby. Approval of the application will establish a single property in Granby that contains the barn and the apartment.

Approval of the special permit will establish a single property line between the two towns, establish the area as a legal lot for assessment purposes, create a single Granby unit comprised of a barn and an apartment and place the two residential units on separate lots.

Correction

There was an error in the wording in the last Drummer relating to the comprehensive Granby Center Zone Criteria. The correct wording is:

 “The Planning and Zoning Commission shall notify the Salmon Brook Historical Society within 10 days of the receipt of any application that includes a property, or any portion of a property located within the Granby Center Historic Overly District.”

The reporter regrets the error.