Diana Stricker Photo
The “village” of Stony Creek will soon become an official village.
Branford’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) voted 4-1 Thursday to grant the Village District designation to the quaint seaside community. The executive board of the Stony Creek Association (SCA) asked for the designation to help protect the unique character of its community.
When the ruling goes into effect Feb. 1, an architectural review board will be created to make recommendations to P&Z regarding major renovations or sizable new construction of both residential and commercial buildings.
“This is a good day for Stony Creek,” said Betsy Wieland, (pictured here last on right), a member of the SCA executive board and chair of the Village District Exploratory Committee. Following the meeting, Wieland and other members of the exploratory committee exchanged high-fives and hugs as they congratulated each other.
“I’m elated,” Wieland told the Eagle. “It was a very thorough discussion by the members,” she said. “They had good concerns and good thoughts about what this could accomplish.”
The proposal will not affect most of the homes in Stony Creek. It will only affect new construction or major renovation of homes that are at least 3,500 gross square-footage.
The P&Z Commission held public hearings on the issue in September and October, and spent about an hour discussing it Thursday night.
Ellsworth MacGuigan, P&Z chair, said he still had some misgivings about whether the designation would accomplish the residents’ objectives. He also said he wants it clearly stated that it will be an advisory board. He said it will serve in a similar capacity that Town Center Revitalization and Review Board does for the Town Center Village District.
Houses, Too
One major difference is that the Stony Creek Village District advisory board will also deal with residential buildings, not just commercial ones.
P&Z member Charles Andres said he was concerned that some residents did not want the designation. “I wish there was a greater consensus for it,” he said.
At the two public hearings, residents were split on their reaction to the proposal.
At the initial session in September, Wieland listed several reasons for enacting the new zoning designation—protecting the character of the community; reducing neighborhood conflict by creating a review board to assist in making design choices; and protecting property values. Click here to read about the first public hearing.
During the October hearing, James Walker, a Stony Creek resident and member of the Representative Town Meeting, said he opposed the Village District because it allows a few people on the review board to be the “harbingers of good taste.” Click here to read about that.
Andres said on Thursday that he was also concerned because they didn’t know the number of properties that could be affected.
P&Z member Marcia Palluzzi said she would prefer there be more than three members on the advisory board so it would be more diverse. The regulations call for at least three members.
Commission members suggested a few clarifications to the amendment before they voted. Fred Russo, who is an alternate on the board, was the only one who voted no on the issue.
Following the meeting, Wieland said she appreciated the time that Town Planner Jose Giner and his staff spent working with the committee to draft the proposed amendment to the zoning regulations.
The Village District designation was enacted by state statute in 1998, and the concept was adopted by Branford as part of its Plan of Conservation and Development that was approved in 2008. Branford’s Town Center became a Village District in 2011, and was the only neighborhood with that designation. Click here to read about that.
Wieland and members of the exploratory committee have been working on the Village District designation for a few years. They received a $7,500 grant from the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation and used matching funds to hire a consultant, Robert Orr & Associates. The consulting firm made a series of presentations in May 2012 to discuss the concept with residents. Click here to read about that.
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