After months of deliberation, Newtown Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) made its decisions for three applications pertaining to a three-story apartment building at 35 South Main Street, during its meeting on January 20.

Robert Sherwood was the applicant who sought to have the building include 13 one-bedroom, 12 two-bedroom, and 2 three-bedroom apartments. The proposed property is located across the street from Modzelewski’s Towing & Recovery Inc and next to Chintz-N-Prints.

The applications by Sherwood for the 35 South Main Street property were:

Application 21.28 to change the zone from R-1/2 to South Main Village Design District #11 (SMVDD11);

Application 21.29 for a text amendment to the Newtown Zoning Regulations for a new South Main Village Design District (SMVDD11) located at 35 South Main Street to permit the construction of a three-story residential building for apartments; and

Application 21.30 for a site development plan to permit apartments located within the South Main Village Design District.

The public had the opportunity to lend input at previous P&Z meetings, and the majority who spoke up voiced concerns about the apartment proposal. Issues included, but were not limited to, its potential negative impact on the already congested traffic in the area, light pollution, drainage issues, and not being appropriate for South Main Street.

P&Z Chair Dennis Bloom started off the January 20 meeting with a discussion among commission members about the three applications.

“My problem is the height of the building. You’re coming in and out of the historic district, and I just don’t see the fit,” Bloom said.

Other commission members agreed with him.

P&Z alternate member Connie Widmann, a long-time local Real Estate professional, said that “there is a need for alternative housing,” but she felt a residential building would be better suited for the location versus a commercial development.

Land Use Agency Director of Planning George Benson mentioned that people have looked at the property for “auto-parts stores and all sorts of commercial development,” but perhaps an alternative housing proposal “might be a good fit.”

Widmann responded, “I would hate to see an auto-parts store or commercial facility there that isn’t as attractive as this building. While it is a transition location on South Main Street, we always have to be very careful about development. It has the potential for development.”

When the commission was done discussing the proposed applications, P&Z member Corinne Cox read the following into the record:

“Be it resolved that Application 21.28 by Robert Sherwood, for a Zone Change, for a property located at 35 South Main Street, so as to change the Zone from R-1/2 to South Main Village Design District #11 (SMVDD11) … hereby found inconsistent with the plan of conservation and development and shall be disapproved be it further resolved that this disapproval shall become effective February 12, 2022.”

The commission then voted unanimously to disapprove Application 21.28.

The remaining two applications, Application 21.29 and Application 21.30, were also voted on and unanimously disapproved.

For more information about Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission and upcoming meetings, visit newtown-ct.gov/planning-zoning-commission.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.