Commission approves zone change

0
45

PROSPECT — The Planning and Zoning Commission last week approved a zone change for a residential property on Waterbury Road.

Cathy Bochicchio, who lives at 86 Waterbury Road, applied to change to zone of her property from residential to business.

Bochicchio previously told the commission that she was applying for the change in order to help sell her house. According to Bochicchio, there had been interest in the home from people who wanted to live there and open a business in the house, like a salon, but that isn’t allowed in a residential zone.

The commission approved her application by a vote of 5 to 1.

Vice Chairman Alan Havican voted against the change.

“I don’t think it is fair to the other neighbors to make this zone change. They bought a residential property,” Havican said. “We are helping one person, and it may be possibly detrimental to the other neighbors. I just don’t feel it is fair.”

While that area may be residential, Chairman Gil Graveline said there is commercial property directly across the street. He added if a business does open on that property, it would be a small one.

“It is right on our main road,” Graveline said. “It is a small lot, which CVS would not be interested in.”

The property, which is .46 of an acre, according to the property card, is also in the town’s gateway overlay zone, which allows for a mix of retail, industrial and residential uses. The gateway overlay zone stretches along Route 68 from the Naugatuck border to the center of town and along Route 69 from the center of town to the Waterbury line. While it allows for commercial uses, the zone is designed to give the commission more oversight over new commercial development in the zone.