April 22, 2025
Members present: Eric Lukingbeal, Meg Jabaily, Mark Lockwood, Eric Myers, Robert Lavitt, Steve Muller, Brennan Sheahan and Paula Johnson.
Also present: Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon and Land Use Coordinator Renee Deltenre.
Members absent: Christine Chinni
Seating of Alternates: Jabaily was seated for Chinni.
Application seeking a Special Permit under Zoning Regulations Sections 8.5.2 and 8.5.3 for a detached accessory apartment in excess of 1,200 square feet for property located at 198R Salmon Brook Street, CE Zone.
Attorney Andrea Melanson, representing the applicant Jason Bogli, provided an overview of the special permits tied to the property and indicated that the attached accessory apartment approved in 2004 was never constructed and therefore is null and void. Melanson explained that Bogli is seeking approval to construct a detached accessory apartment within an existing structure that once housed the Farm Store/Brewery. The original request was for a two-story apartment consisting of approximately 1,600 square feet; however, the applicant submitted revisions on April 15 via email to town staff requesting a one-story apartment consisting of approximately 1,040 square feet.
Based on the reduced size of the apartment, reference to Section 8.5.3 of the Zoning Regulations is no longer applicable. The first floor would have a kitchen, shower room, half bath and living/sleeping area, and there would be no second floor. The existing structure is connected to public water and sewer, and the apartment would have direct access to the outside with adequate parking. The proposed use would provide an alternative income for the structure and would be less intrusive due to reduced noise and vehicular traffic.
Public Comment
Kristen Roach, 198 Salmon Brook Street, spoke in favor of the application and noted that the proposed use will be much quieter.
The commission approved the application subject to the following:
There shall only be one accessory apartment on the property.
As stated by the applicant on the record, there is not currently an accessory apartment on the property and the Special Permit for an accessory apartment recorded in Volume 308 Page 964 of the Granby Land Records is null and void.
The approved Farm Store/Brewery at the location to be used for the apartment cannot operate in the same structure as the apartment.
Plan of Conservation and Development 2026 Update
In accordance with CGS §8-23, each municipality must prepare or amend and adopt a Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) at least once every ten years to remain eligible to obtain discretionary state funding. The Town of Granby’s last POCD was adopted in September 2016.
Kenyon provided a draft outline of the proposed committee composition, opportunities for public input, meeting schedule and timeline. The boards/commissions listed were pulled from the last update, and the commission is asked to consider public representation on the committee, i.e., number of members, areas of expertise, eligibility, etc. Lukingbeal stated that one or two members of the public is not sufficient, and Johnson noted that all interested members of the public were included during the last update. The commission discussed the need to outline a selection process and had the idea of running an announcement in the Granby Drummer looking for volunteers based on the necessary qualifications. In preparation for the next meeting, staff will prepare a memo outlining a selection process for members of the public, as well as desired qualifications.
Editor’s Note: See article by Abigail Kenyon, also in this month’s issue.