Stafford, CT - October 3, 2024
Up until the last Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, the various fees for building permits were located in two places: in the zoning regulations and in town ordinances. Zoning Enforcement Officer Andy Marchese brought this to the commission’s attention and asked that they delete the fees from the zoning regulations.
Now that the town uses an online permitting system, he says, every time the software changes its fees, the town has to change its fees. Altering the zoning regulations requires the town to run a legal notice, which also costs money. However, if the fees are only in the town ordinances, changes can be made by the Board of Selectmen without running the legal notice. Ultimately, having these fees listed in one place costs the town less money.
This is all a part of an effort to simplify the permitting process and find savings. For instance, Marchese also noted that they are looking at ways to combine the zoning and building permits into one process, and instead of having a range of fees (from about $50 to $100) for a permit, to find the average price and simplify it.
Commissioner Ron Houle suggested that Marchese also look into changing the schedule of permit fees to list the price “plus service fees” so the office does not need to change the specific numbers every time the software provider changes its service fees.
PZC Chair Dave Palmberg said that CROG had no problem with this change and that it “makes perfect sense to clean it up.” The board voted unanimously to make the change.
Other items on the agenda
Additionally, the PZC briefly discussed a few small items.
Marchese told the board that Dunbeath LLC is still working on the drainage issues at the site of the old Country Village Shoppes. Confusion over the legal notice had been cleared up but the building office did not have any mylars yet.
When Richard Pisciotta and Eric Cross came before the PZC to discuss putting an auto sales and autobody shop at 44 West Main Street, several conditions were given, not all of which were met. The main issue is that the board asked for a fence to be put up, screening any damaged cars waiting to be worked on from the road. Marchese said he let Pisciotta know that the property owner is ultimately in violation.
Over at Basil’s, where there is new management, the neighbors have complained that trees that were supposed to be provided for screening are not up and that parking is happening in a gravel lot where it is not technically allowed. Additionally, there is a boat motor in the lot.
Similar problems have been brought up at Simon Says, where planting is required and lacking. Additionally, the board discussed that Beebe Landscaping is moving to the site next door, which was previously owned by the state.
An issue on Ash Street has also arisen where an unpermitted deck addition is holding up the sale of a house. The town is now involved in a lawsuit over the offending deck.
A property owner on Bradway Road is looking to renew a permit for a sand pit. The small operating sells roughly 500 yards per year and only to the town, however, there was soem confusion on the application about the correct address because there are two parcels in question.
Dr. David Mordasky, who is on the PZC, asked the board for an informal discussion on his property at 36 West Main Street (the building next to Stafford Veterinary Center). The building has already been approved for two housing units, and Mordasky explained that this would be used to temporarily house interns and employees who often require housing. With this in mind, he would like to put three units of roughly 600-700 square feet each in the building. The board speculated that the apartments would always have to be tied to the veterinary center and could never be sold separately. Still, he would only need to apply for a modification to the existing Special Use Permit.