On an unusually busy night at the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), three public hearings were held on July 3, 2025. Let’s see if we can get through them as efficiently as the PZC did.

A re-subdivided lot at 1 Lake Shore Blvd.

It started with a request from the applicant Jason Criniti, of Burlington, Connecticut and his parents Joseph and Sonia Criniti, of Stafford. The Crinitis wanted to re-subdivide their property at 1 Lake Shore Boulevard. Attorney Carl Landolina told the PZC that his clients wanted to build a second single-family home on the property and use the state’s 8-30g statute to do so. 

The statute allows property owners to override local zoning laws, provided that one-third of the units in question are set aside as affordable. Landolina informed the board that they would have to rent to tenants who earn no more than 60% of the median income in the area and would remove the current tenants if necessary. He also said that for the next 40 years, if the Crinitis were to sell the property, the price would be limited by affordability standards at that time. 

Landolina went on to point out the parts of the plan that do not comply with the current zoning standards, such as required frontage on the road. The commission, however, cannot legally consider anything other than health, safety, and welfare issues under 8-30g. Ken Slate, the town’s attorney, was there to provide advice, and he agreed with Landolina and pointed out that the new term for this kind of project is “workforce housing,” designed to give people like teachers and firefighters the ability to afford homes in their communities. 

As you have probably guessed, the PZC approved the application.

A change for some age-restricted communities

Next up was an application from local attorney, Wendell Avery, asking for a text amendment to Sections 7.17(A){l)  and 7.17(8)(2), which had two primary impacts.

Avery said the Commission included age-restricted housing as an allowed use in Zone A, in June of 2008. Before that change, the town’s only age-restricted development was in Zone B, and was recognized as a multi-family development, allowed in Zone B. Today, the zoning regulations allow multi-family development in Zone B, but not age-restricted housing. Avery thought this was likely an oversight and aimed to correct it. 

Avery also proposed a change to exempt previously approved age-restricted housing developments with developed access to a public road from the minimum frontage requirement. Instead, he suggested that pre-existing development be subject to the frontage requirements that were in place when it was first built. While the age-restricted community in question was never mentioned by name, PZC Chair Dave Palmberg pointed out that there is only one property to which this would apply.

The PZC approved these changes. 

Karen Bentley and the Big Heart Center coming to town

As we reported last September, Karen Bentley is looking to turn Staffordville Congregation Church into the home base for her education programs, fitness classes, podcasting and YouTube studio, while also creating a Heart Museum. In the ensuing months, Bentley has bought the property and her attorney, Wendell Avery, applied for a special use permit.

Bentley wants to turn the main church into her residence, use the smaller chapel for the museum and some programs, and include a public garden between the buildings. She also wants to get rid of the ranch house currently on the property. Whether it will be moved by someone interested in reusing it, or demolished was still being hashed out. Eventually the existing parking lot will be expanded. 

Members of Stafford’s Historical Advisory Commission who were present talked about the church’s historical significance, which makes it a candidate for adaptive reuse. In fact, it was the church of the first ordained female minister in the state. It was also the first church with a black pastor serving an entirely white congregation. Additionally, it is included in the 1992 Historic and Architectural resources survey and in the State of Connecticut cultural resources inventory. 

Bentley’s plans do not include major structural renovations to the outside of the church. She says she wants to maintain the architectural integrity, while giving it new paints, some accessibility updates, and other improvements to make the reuse possible. The commission eventually approve the special use permit.