Meeting report · Planning and Zoning Commission
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Planning and Zoning Commission — March 2, 2026
The meeting transitioned from a routine industrial approval to a speculative and somewhat tense discussion regarding residential growth and zoning legality.
Public impact
Issues from this meeting with documented community impact.
01
Hillstone Road Zoning and Housing Density
Potential shift from rural residential to high-density multi-family or cluster subdivisions, impacting traffic and local infrastructure. Affected: Residents of Hillstone Road and the surrounding rural residential area
zoning change
Decisions logged
Every recorded vote, with timestamps and dissents.
Approval of Special Exception Modification for Allied Printing Services at 1046 Tollin Turnpike (noted as 1046 R Town Turnpike in transcript) for a 68,000 sq ft building addition and associated infrastructure.
Approved with modifications specified in an email from Deputy Director Renata Bertati dated March 2, 2026.
Unanimously approved
Certification of the Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan for Allied Printing Services.
Relates to the 68,000 sq ft building addition and associated site improvements.
Unanimously approved
Approval of minutes from the February 18, 2026, public hearing and business meeting.
Unanimously approved
Topics discussed
Click a topic to expand quotes and full context.
▶ 05:22 Allied Printing Services Special Exception Modification
A request for a modification to allow a 68,000 square foot building addition on the east side of the existing industrial facility, including parking relocation and stormwater/sewer improvements.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 45:43 Trivik Buildings LLC Pre-application Review
A non-binding discussion regarding two development options for 12 acres on Hillstone Road: a high-density Planned Regional Development (PRD) with approximately 60 apartment units, or a lower-density cluster subdivision of approximately 22 single-family homes.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
▶ 69:58 Administrative Reports
Updates on upcoming training sessions, regulation amendment meetings, and the status of various pending applications.
Speakers: Unidentified speaker
Controversy & dissent
Where the board, the community, or the agenda diverged.
Potentially controversial issues
01
Trivik Buildings LLC Hillstone Road Development
The proposal involves a choice between high-density apartments (60 units) or low-density single-family homes. This pits the town's stated goal of solving the housing crisis against resident concerns regarding traffic, neighborhood character, and potential 'spot zoning'.
Board position: The board signaled a cautious approach, expressing technical concerns about zoning legality and infrastructure (septic/wells) while acknowledging the broader housing mandate.
Internal dissent
While no formal vote was taken (pre-application review), Commissioner Kennedy expressed specific reservations regarding the legality of 'spot zoning' for a high-density project in a rural residential area.
medium concern
Community vs. board tension
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Action items
Who owes what, by when.
Consult with staff and determine the most feasible development scenario (PRD, cluster subdivision, or standard subdivision) based on Commission feedback.
Assigned: Trivik Buildings LLC
Provide POCD update on April 16.
Assigned: Renata Bertati (Staff) · Due: 2026-04-16
Notable statements
The Commission has approved several applications in the past year... signaling the town's commitment to solving the housing crisis. — Commissioner Reichelt · Discussion during the Trivik Buildings pre-application review regarding housing density. ▶ 63:48
Changing a rural residential tract to PRD... all surrounded by rural residential... conjures up spot zoning concerns. — Commissioner Kennedy · Feedback regarding the high-density apartment proposal for the Hillstone Road property. ▶ 51:01
Public comment
What residents said — verbatim, with timestamps.
3
Total speakers
1
Addressed
1
Partial
1
Not addressed
Ron Bauminger
Addressed
Presented the application for the Allied Building expansion, which includes a 68,000 square foot addition on the east side of the property. He detailed the project's compliance with stormwater, utility, and erosion control requirements, noting it is a seamless expansion of the existing industrial use.
Key concern
Requesting approval for the special exception modification and site/erosion plans for the building expansion.
Board responseThe board asked several clarifying questions regarding erosion control, proximity to a daycare, and traffic distribution, and ultimately voted unanimously to approve the modification and the erosion control plan.
The board engaged with the presenter's technical details and granted the requested approvals.
Harikupparaj
Partial
Presented a pre-application review for a potential development on 12 acres of land near the Glastonbury town line. He proposed two options: a high-density apartment project (approx. 60 units) using septic and community wells, or a lower-density cluster subdivision of single-family homes.
Key concern
Seeking honest feedback from the Commission on the feasibility of two different development options to address the housing shortage.
Board responseCommissioners provided extensive feedback, raising concerns about zoning changes (spot zoning), density, lack of public water/sewer, and the technical requirements for cluster subdivisions.
The board provided the requested feedback and engaged in a discussion regarding the feasibility of both options, though no formal decision was made as it was a non-binding pre-application review.
Unidentified speaker
Not addressed
Stated they live off Hillstone Road and are not supportive of either proposed application. They expressed concerns regarding increased traffic, neighborhood compatibility, and the high density of the apartment proposal.
Key concern
Opposition to the development due to traffic congestion and density/neighborhood compatibility issues.
Board responseThe board listened to the comment; the Chair noted that it is difficult to predict neighbor reactions but acknowledged the concerns regarding traffic and density.
As this was a pre-application meeting, the board could not act on the opposition, but they acknowledged the resident's perspective in the context of future public hearings.
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Report composed by
grok-4.3, gemma-4-26b, grok-4.20-0309-reasoning · analyzed 2026-05-30.