Farmington TPZ Clears a Full December Agenda, Advancing Youth Programming, Contractor Space, and Housing-Adjacent Requests
FARMINGTON, CT — The Town Plan and Zoning Commission met for nearly four hours on December 8, moving through a full slate of applications touching education, small-business expansion, construction timelines, zoning text amendments, and a future housing proposal that will return in January. Chair Scott Halstead opened the meeting following roll call by Town Planner Shannon Rutherford, noting all full members present.
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Spy Farm LLC: Youth STEM and Skills Program Approved at 9 Eastview Drive
The commission opened with a presentation from Paul Battista of Spy Farm LLC, joined by his wife Ashley and father Paul Sr., all Farmington residents. They outlined plans for an after-school STEM and physical-skills program at 9 Eastview Drive, co-located with Nutmeg Television, which will remain in two-thirds of the building.
The program will include:
- 30 minutes of STEM instruction (gadgets, engineering concepts, simulators)
- 30 minutes of physical training (self-defense, escape-and-evasion skills, obstacle setups)
- Initial class sizes of eight students
- After-school hours from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Possible program expansion depending on interest
Battista described the project as a long-term skills-based confidence-builder for students, with a rotating curriculum and an eventual plan for two to three classes operating simultaneously.
Commissioners raised questions on parking, weekend hours (none planned), class turnover logistics, and building modifications. Battista confirmed only limited seating for parents, intended drop-offs, and no exterior building changes unless required by the fire marshal.
Commissioner Mike Tucci, participating online, praised the project as a former STEM educator. The TPZ voted unanimously to approve the site plan modification for the educational use.
402 Farmington Avenue: Limited Saturday Construction Hours Approved Through April 30, 2026
Kyle Richards of Metro Realty Group returned to request a modification of past conditions on the 402 Farmington Avenue affordable/market-rate mixed-income development. The original 2021 approval barred Saturday construction due to neighborhood concerns during early blasting and heavy civil work.
With the building now fully enclosed, Richards requested permission for interior-only work on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to accelerate completion by one to two months.
Key assurances:
- No heavy equipment
- No exterior work
- Only workers’ personal vehicles onsite
- Deliveries restricted to weekdays
- Interior work only, through April
Commissioner Canto questioned summer noise impacts. Richards agreed to prohibit Saturday work after April 30, 2026.
Commissioner Halstead reminded the board of past contentiousness but allowed members to vote individually without binding precedent. The motion passed with the April cutoff included.
Barnes Landscaping Contractor Building: 9,000-Square-Foot Structure Approved at 1533 New Britain Avenue
Mark Borghese, representing Borghese Building, and Farmington residents Gary, Diane, and Austin Barnes, presented a plan for a 9,000-square-foot contractor storage building behind the existing office at 1533 New Britain Avenue.
Background:
- Barnes Landscaping has operated from the site since 2017 under a use permit.
- The family sought a permanent structure to replace the hoop house previously used for storage.
- Proposed building contains five units, one occupied by Barnes Landscaping.
- Typical tenants imagined: small electricians, plumbers, or general contractors.
- Hours requested: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., later reduced to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. after commissioner feedback.
Commissioners focused heavily on:
- Snow-storage location
- Septic capacity (a new system will be built)
- Drainage and detention
- Impervious surface (40.5%)
- Prohibition on outdoor truck-washing
- Dumpster placement
- Lighting (motion sensors planned)
The town engineer raised no objections contingent on revised drainage calculations and the addition of water-quality measures. A neighbor submitted written support. The application passed unanimously, requiring six votes due to impervious-coverage waivers.
Applications Set for Public Hearing on January 26, 2026
The commission accepted three future applications:
- Farmington Motorsports, 148 Brickyard Road — landscaping, parking, and buffer improvements
- James W. Panito, 35 Mountain Spring Road — barn shed exceeding 700 sq. ft.
- Metro Realty Management, 20 Scott Swamp Road — text amendment, zone change (BR to SSROZ), and site plan review for a 62-unit multifamily community under CGS § 8-30g
All will be heard on January 26, 2026.
Zoning Text Amendment: Commercial Vehicles Regulation Adopted
Assistant Town Planner Garrett Dagel delivered the final presentation of the night: a multi-month overhaul of Farmington’s rules governing commercial vehicles on residential properties. The updated regulation:
- Defines “commercial vehicle,” “passenger vehicle,” and “gross vehicle weight rating”
- Sets standards for height (7 ft. passenger / 8 ft. commercial)
- Uses cargo length and FHWA classes to distinguish vehicle types
- Allows:
- 1 commercial vehicle on lots ≤ 15,000 sq. ft.
- 2 commercial vehicles on larger lots
- Establishes a special-permit pathway for exceptions
- Removes allowance for parking behind rear walls unless on a driveway
- Prohibits trailers under the passenger-vehicle definition
- Removes “equipment” and “recreation” from the commercial-vehicle definition
Public comment was extensive, both supportive and critical. The commission unanimously adopted the regulation with amendments.
RTX Returns With Revised Options for 10 Farm Springs Road Security Entrance
In old business, RTX (formerly Raytheon) returned seeking approval for two modified layout options for the new security entrance approved earlier this year. Both alternatives avoid an easement area and shift the security checkpoint’s geometry. The commission authorized staff to finalize either scheme pending engineering review.
Meeting Minutes and Final Actions
The TPZ approved minutes from Nov. 12, 2025, and corrected minutes from Oct. 27, 2025. The meeting adjourned after a brief recess and planner’s report.
About the Author
Jack Beckett drinks coffee strong enough to register as a zoning violation and writes for The Farmington Mercury because someone has to read all these site plans so you don’t have to. When the caffeine hits, he covers governance, zoning, and the eternal quest for adequate parking. ☕🚧
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This article, “Farmington TPZ Approves Spy Farm Program, Contractor Building, and Construction-Hour Changes After Lengthy Review,” by Jack Beckett is licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.
“Farmington TPZ Approves Spy Farm Program, Contractor Building, and Construction-Hour Changes After Lengthy Review”
by Jack Beckett, The Farmington Mercury (CC BY-ND 4.0)
