Annual Report 2007-2008(color).pub - Town of South Windsor
Annual Report 2007-2008(color).pub - Town of South Windsor
Annual Report 2007-2008(color).pub - Town of South Windsor
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Zoning Board <strong>of</strong> Appeals<br />
Thomas Berstene<br />
Chairperson<br />
Established in 1938, the Zoning Board <strong>of</strong><br />
Appeals:<br />
1. Hears and decides request for variances<br />
where strict application <strong>of</strong> the zoning<br />
regulations result in exceptional difficulty<br />
or unusual hardship, and<br />
2. Hears and decides appeals from any<br />
decision, order or requirement issued by<br />
the Zoning Enforcement Officer.<br />
Variances can be granted only when “exceptional<br />
difficulty or unusual hardship” is shown by<br />
applying the zoning regulation to a specific parcel<br />
<strong>of</strong> land.<br />
The number <strong>of</strong> applications to the ZBA has<br />
decreased dramatically since the Planning and<br />
Zoning Commission revised the regulations. The<br />
ZBA has also worked with the P&Z in identifying<br />
repeat variance requests. These requests were<br />
considered in the P&Z regulations revision which<br />
contributed to the decreased workload.<br />
This year the Board granted three variances to<br />
industrial/commercial/institutional developments.<br />
These variances consisted <strong>of</strong> one variance for an<br />
expansion and two sign variances to increase<br />
sign height. Twelve variances were granted for<br />
residential properties which included four<br />
variances for expansions and eight variances for<br />
residential outbuildings and structures. Two<br />
variances were denied. There was one appeal to<br />
the Zoning Enforcement Officer’s decision<br />
alleging two violations. One appeal was for an <strong>of</strong>f<br />
premise sign and it was approved and overturned<br />
and one appeal alleging a mobile billboard sign in<br />
violation <strong>of</strong> the zoning regulations was denied<br />
and upheld.<br />
The Zoning Board <strong>of</strong> Appeals hearings are held<br />
at the <strong>South</strong> <strong>Windsor</strong> <strong>Town</strong> Hall generally on the<br />
first Thursday <strong>of</strong> the month in the Madden Room<br />
beginning at 7:30 p.m. The <strong>pub</strong>lic is always<br />
welcome to attend. Applications are available in<br />
the Planning Department at the <strong>Town</strong> Hall.<br />
Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Commission<br />
Elizabeth Warren<br />
Chairperson<br />
The Commission was appointed by the <strong>Town</strong><br />
Council in 1987 to aid in the preservation <strong>of</strong><br />
farmland and open space and to <strong>of</strong>fer support to<br />
the agricultural community. The Advisory<br />
Commission is comprised <strong>of</strong> representatives<br />
from a broad spectrum <strong>of</strong> the pr<strong>of</strong>essional<br />
community including farmers, local business<br />
people, realtors, town staff, and land use<br />
commissioners.<br />
SWALPAC helped formulate and bring to<br />
referendum the Open Space Funding in 1987<br />
and 1996. Several properties have been<br />
purchased with those funds: the Sluzkanis<br />
Property (Nevers Road Park), the Barton<br />
Property (Rye Street), Priest Farm (Sullivan<br />
Avenue), the Willard-Waldron-Kelley Property<br />
(Wapping Park), the Mitchell Property (Sullivan<br />
Avenue and West Road), and a portion <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Foster Farm property.<br />
The Commission continues to evaluate and<br />
comment on open space properties for possible<br />
purchase by the <strong>Town</strong>.<br />
54 | <strong>Town</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>South</strong> <strong>Windsor</strong>: <strong>Annual</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>2007</strong>/<strong>2008</strong>