October 14, 2025
Members present: Meg Jabaily, Christine Chinni, Mark Lockwood, Eric Myers, Robert Lavitt, Steve Muller, Brennan Sheahan, Paula Johnson. Also present: Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon and Land Use Coordinator Renee Deltenre
Seating of Alternates
Jabaily was seated for Eric Lukingbeal.
Application seeking a Special Permit under Zoning Regulations Section 8.29.1.3 for a ground-mount solar array for property located at 123R Case Street.
Applicant and property owner Brendan Foley is seeking permission to install a 1,250 square foot, free-standing solar array within an existing field to provide power to an existing barn and a single-family home that is under construction. The property consists of 114.1 acres in the R4A Zone, and no structures are visible from the road or surrounding properties. The array would be just over 10 feet in height and be located 921 feet from the nearest property line. A variance from the zoning board of appeals was granted on July 15, 2025, as the proposed size of the structure exceeds 50 percent of the footprint of the principal building.
Public Comment
Paul Bors Sr., 142 Case St., spoke in favor of the application and stated that you will not see the structure from the road due to the size and orientation of the parcel.
Paul Bors Jr., 114 Case St., spoke in favor of the application.
The commission voted unanimously to approve the application.
Application seeking a Special Permit under Zoning Regulations Section 3.8.2.19 for a Special Event Facility for property located at 518 Salmon Brook Street; I Zone.
Applicant Allen Coachmen is seeking approval for a special event facility for conferences, birthday parties, baby showers, etc. Suite 4 [Granby Commons] is currently a vacant space consisting of 1,750 square feet. The facility would be available seven days a week from 6 a.m. to midnight and provide a refrigerator and food warmer, as there will be no cooking facilities on-site. The applicant has been working with the building official and fire marshal regarding interior modifications. There are no exterior modifications proposed, and the landlord has assured the applicant that trash removal will not be a concern. Staff indicated that there is plenty of parking spaces on-site to accommodate the proposed use.
There was no public comment. The commission voted unanimously to approve the application, subject to conditions.
October 28, 2025
Members present: Eric Lukingbeal, Christine Chinni, Eric Myers, Paula Johnson, Robert Lavitt, Steve Muller, Brennan Sheahan. Also present: Director of Community Development Abigail Kenyon and Land Use Coordinator Renee Deltenre
Seating of Alternates
Johnson was seated for Mark Lockwood.
Application seeking a Special Permit under Zoning Regulations Section 8.29.1.3 for a ground-mount solar array for property located at 129 Barn Door Hills Road; R2A Zone.
Property owner Derek Campbell and Damon Weiss of JD Solar Solutions are looking to install a ground -size that will be 1.5 ft off the ground in the front and 8.5-9 ft off the ground in the back. The system will consist of 40 panels, utilize six helical piles (ground screws) to secure to the ground, and approximately 590 ft of underground conduit within a PVC casing will be installed to connect the system to the house. The existing house is set 1,000 ft off the road and is surrounded by trees, and the proposed array would be located within the front yard, about 500 ft from the road.
The zoning board of appeals granted a variance for this location. The proposed location is 55 ft from the northern wetlands’ boundary within an open flat field and would be hidden due to topography of the land. The need for additional screening to prevent visibility from the road was discussed, and the applicant indicated that required plantings would not be an issue. Upon further deliberation, it was determined that staff would meet the property owner on-site after installation in order to determine appropriate screening measures.
There was no public comment. The commission unanimously approved the application, subject to a screening plan being submitted and approved by the director of community development.
CGS§8-24 Referral: Harness Way Road Acceptance
Kenyon stated that the 24-lot, single-family home subdivision approved in 2021 by the commission is now substantially complete, and the only outstanding item is the completion/sealing of one driveway apron. On Oct. 20, the board of selectmen voted to refer acceptance to the planning and zoning commission pursuant to the provisions of Section 8-24 of Connecticut General Statutes. The approved plans included a road, known as Harness Way, that is 2,468 linear feet, and a 0.96-acre parcel shown as “open space” where one of the water quality basins is located. Upon inspection by staff and consultation with the town engineer and department of public works, all work with the exception of the one driveway has been completed and the catch basins have been cleaned.
The commission voted unanimously to recommend board of selectmen acceptance subject to completion of sealing the one driveway noted.