Zoning Approves MX Floating Zone: The Day

Groton — Reversing a previous decision, the Zoning Commission approved Nov. 7, 2007, a regulation amendment that would allow creation of floating mixed commercial-residential zones in certain areas of the town, The Day Reported.

Following is from an article by Katie Warchut, with some additional information provided by GOSA:

The mixed-use zone, meant to be an alternative to traditional residential neighborhoods and strip development in four targeted areas of town, passed in a 4 to 1 vote.

Though commissioners rejected the so-called floating zone in a 3-2 vote last month, the town attorney advised them to reconsider after attorney Timothy Bates challenged the legality of the vote.

Bates represents the applicant, L&L Groton LLC, a division of READCO Management, which owns land in one of the areas the new zone would affect, at the intersection of routes 184 and 117. Bates had said alternate member Susan Marquardt should have been a voting member instead of Susan Sutherland, who had previously voted against the zone.

This time around, Marquardt approved the zone, as did commission Chairman Stephen Hudecek, who had previously voted against it.

Members Bob O’Neill and Richard Haviland also supported it, while Mariellen French was the lone dissenter.

[Ms. French objected that the regulation had been written by the lawyer for an applicant, rather than by the town. "This seems backwards," she said.]

The zone is designed to allow small, village-type development with commercial and residential features.

In addition to the area around routes 184 and 117, the zone would be allowed around the Naval Submarine Base; the intersection of routes 1, 12 and 184; and in downtown Groton, around the intersection of Route 1 and Poquonnock Road.

Instead of being drawn on a map, the proposed zone can only “land” when the commission approves a project.

[The Planning Commission would be consulted on such landings. A negative recommendation by the Planning Commission could be overcome only by a supermajority on the Zoning Commission.]

Commissioners made some changes to the plan, increasing the minimum development area from 3 acres to 5 acres in all areas except downtown and reducing some of the maximum heights allowed.

[The limits include 45 feet around the junction of Route 1 and 12, down from 75 feet previously, and 45 feet in the downtown, where no limit previously existed.]

Groups such as the Southeastern Connecticut Housing Alliance have supported the plan, as L&L Groton’s proposal supports “work-force housing.” Town Councilor Frank “Mick” O’Beirne has been an opponent, saying the regulations are too vague and that the Zoning Commission would have too much power to approve such projects.

[GOSA opposed the original proposal, which would have allowed floating zones in eight areas plus in the 1,200 acres of industrial zones. The proposal eventually was trimmed back to four zones and it excluded the 1,200 acres. Following this change, GOSA advocated building height limitations and some procedural changes -- not adopted -- for landing a zone.]

Environmental Impact | November 7, 2007