By Jack Beckett | Senior Writer, The Farmington Mercury
This zoning-packed edition of The Farmington Mercury is brought to you by Farmington Storage — 155 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT. Call 860.777.4001 and tell them Jack sent you. No discount. Just quiet judgment and top-tier concrete floors.
🧭 What Happened
The Farmington Town Plan and Zoning Commission met on March 24, 2025, for a hybrid session covering sign variances, zoning text amendments, special permits for small food businesses, and a pathway material debate more passionate than most presidential primaries.
Commission Chair Matthew Bandle was joined by members Robert Bird, Scott Halstead, and alternates Bruce Polsky, Mike Tucci, and Peter Zarella (who joined late but was promoted into the panel). Town Planner Shannon Rutherford facilitated the meeting.
Two applications were pulled from the agenda:
- ❌ Withdrawn: Town’s permit for raw wood processing at 8750 Roma Drive
- ⏳ Continued: Richard Jones’ zoning request for 8556 New Britain Avenue — now scheduled for April 28, 2025
✨ Illuminated Signage at 80 Batterson Park Road
Applicant: Mark from Sign Light, Inc., representing Olmsted in Farmington
Request: Two monument signs:
- 🔠 59-square-foot halo-lit sign on a retaining wall (9 sq. ft. above allowed limit)
- 🪧 50-square-foot freestanding halo-lit sign at the interior entrance
🗣️ “It is the only sign on the property facing Batterson Park… from the street it’s not readable” — Mark, Sign Light Inc.
📐 The wall-mounted sign exceeded town size limits, requiring a 5/6 vote. It will use warm white halo lighting, with letters offset one inch from a brick wall for a subtle glow. The second sign will also use halo-lit stencil-cut letters with an opaque aluminum background.
⚖️ Commissioner Dave asked: “Do we allow internally lit signs?”
Rutherford replied: “No, internal illumination is not permitted.”
Mark clarified that both signs use halo-lighting, not full-face illumination.
🔎 Why it matters: Illuminated signage in residential-adjacent areas is tightly controlled. Halo lighting threads the regulatory needle.
✅ Vote: Approved unanimously, with a condition that Sign Two is halo-lit. Commissioner Polsky sat in for Bird.
🛣️ Asphalt Wins Over Concrete at 402 Farmington Avenue
Applicant: Kyle Richards, Metro Realty Group
Request: Change previously approved 1,200-ft concrete pedestrian path to bituminous concrete (asphalt)
🗣️ “There’s over a 30-foot grade change from Farmington Avenue to the site.” — Kyle Richards
Richards argued that asphalt is safer, more flexible, and more in harmony with the surrounding topography. The path will connect the 130-unit development to Farmington Avenue and UConn Health.
📸 Visuals included existing bituminous paths at other Metro Realty properties, including senior housing. Richards added that bituminous “heats faster in winter,” is “less slippery,” and “more organic in look.”
🧱 Chair Bandle asked, “What changed from when we had those original hearings and the decision was made to go with concrete?”
🗣️ Richards: “Truthfully, there were probably other things on our mind… that’s the honest answer.”
💡 Lighting was confirmed: “The sidewalk is right up adjacent to the road… the sidewalk is fully illuminated,” said Richards.
🔎 Why it matters: Bituminous is cheaper—but this decision was framed as safety- and maintenance-driven. It also sets a precedent for future development materials.
✅ Vote: Approved unanimously
✅ Applications Accepted for April 28 Hearings
🗓️ Public hearings scheduled for the next meeting:
- 🏘️ Zoning Text Amendment to allow two-family dwellings on a single lot in R-12 zones
- 🛠️ Christian & Heather Gombos – Home expansion exceeding 2,400 sq. ft. at 21 Church Street (R-20 zone)
✅ Both applications were accepted and scheduled without discussion.
🚚 Food Truck at 17 Depot Place: CraftBird Gets the Green Light
Applicant: Eric Stagle, Unionville
Location: 17 Depot Place, C-1 zone
Request: Special permit to operate a food truck 3 days/week (approx. 3–8 PM)
🗣️ “We’re not planning on any seating at… start. Mostly I’m hoping just all takeout stuff.” — Eric Stagle
Stagle will use a Honda generator housed in a built-in cubby, with no music and no illuminated signage. Takeout orders will be available online. Three picnic tables may be added in warm months.
Nearby businesses support the plan, including Daily Grind, Lucky Dragon, and Quentyn.
One neighbor, Ian Waters of 135 Plainville Ave., raised concerns about noise and a nearby gas pump. Rutherford clarified the pump is active “a handful of times a month” and should not conflict with the truck’s location.
🗣️ “Thank you very much… absolutely.” — Stagle after unanimous approval
🔎 Why it matters: This is the first food truck application under Farmington’s newly formalized permit process. It sets precedent for both use and enforcement.
✅ Vote: Approved unanimously
🍞 Home Bakery at 46 Hillside Ave: Dough Mama Rises
Applicant: Ashley Chapman
Location: 46 Hillside Ave
Request: Special permit for a cottage bakery business
Operations:
- Orders via Hot Plate platform
- Porch pickups only
- Sundays 9 AM–12 PM
- Typical volume: 10–15 customers
🗣️ “Everything is pre-ordered and paid for, labeled, and then just a quick pickup on Sundays.” — Ashley Chapman
Chapman confirmed she moved her pickup stand to the porch from the street, responding to traffic concerns. She plans to include driveway-use instructions in customer notifications.
💬 Public support came from four neighbors who praised the bakery’s community feel.
📬 One formal complaint was submitted by neighbor Ann Safczak (48 Hillside), citing trespassing, turnarounds in driveways, and the street’s narrow layout.
🗣️ Safczak: “Listen, I love bread… I just don’t like it located right next door.”
🗣️ Chapman: “I appreciate a quiet street… we’re always out there monitoring.”
🔎 Why it matters: As home-based businesses grow, the town must balance entrepreneurship with residential character and traffic concerns.
✅ Vote: Approved unanimously
📌 Condition: Pickup location must remain on porch. Any future change must return to the commission.
⏳ Continued Application: Richard Jones, 8556 New Britain Avenue
Request:
- Zone change (CR to C-1)
- Site plan to construct three contractor buildings
- Flood zone work, landscaping and impervious surface waivers
🗓️ Hearing Date: Continued to April 28, 2025
🗂️ Other Business
- 🧾 Minutes from March 10, 2025: Approved (6–0, with 1 abstention)
- 🛑 Planner’s Report: No new items reported by Shannon Rutherford
The Farmington Mercury
Brought to you by Farmington Storage — 155 Scott Swamp Road. 📦 Need to store a kayak, a food truck, or your pandemic-era bread starter? Call 860.777.4001. Ask for “the unit with the least ghosts.”
☕ Jack Beckett, Senior Writer, powered by dark roast and zoning transcripts.
When I’m not decoding sign square footage or quoting generator specs, I’m quietly stalking public hearings for gems like “gummier asphalt” and “no more than three picnic tables.” For more smart local news:
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