P&Z Approves Zone Changes For Hawleyville

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members have approved 11 changes of zone in Hawleyville, setting the stage for the economic development of that largely undeveloped area.

On April 6, the commission unanimously approved changing the zoning designations on 29 individual properties in Hawleyville, covering an aggregate area of about 145 acres. The major rezoning was the subject of a February public hearing. 

The 11 changes of zone are within the area bounded by Mt Pleasant Road on the south, Hawleyville Road on the west, Hawleyville Center on the north, and Tunnel Road on the east.

The zone changes create a Hawleyville Center Design District-East (HCDD-E) zone of about 23 acres. That zone extends along the east side of Hawleyville Road northward from Interstate-84 to the area north of the Hawleyville post office, and also extends along Barnabas Road. Those areas had had residential and industrial zoning.

Permitted uses in the HCDD-E zone include retail, personal services, banks, offices, restaurants, museums, galleries, meeting halls, places of worship, parking, and transportation terminals. Certain industrial uses are allowed in the HCDD-E zone through a special exception to the zoning regulations.

In 1999, local developer Steve Nicolosi gained P&Z approval to convert the zoning designation of several acres he owns along both sides of the western end of Barnabas Road from a residential designation to HCDD-E zoning.

M-2A Zoning

The P&Z created new M-2A zoning on approximately 78 acres in Hawleyville, most of which lies to the north of Mt Pleasant Road, across Mt Pleasant Road from Tory Lane. That land has had one-acre residential zoning.

The M-2A zoning allows a variety of uses, including office buildings, hotel/conference centers limited to 250 guest rooms, light industrial complexes, plus research and development facilities. Limited retail and service businesses also are allowed.

P&Z members approved converting the zoning designation for a strip of land along the east side of Hawleyville Road, just north of the intersection of Mt Pleasant Road and Hawleyville Road, from its  residential and business designations to M-2A zoning.

As part of the Hawleyville rezoning, the P&Z revised sections of its M-2A zoning regulations to allow certain new land uses in such zones, and changed the description of that zone from “Industrial” to “Planned Commercial Development.” The new rules list site development standards concerning parking, landscaping, signs, building design, utilities, and accessory uses.

Also, the P&Z decreased the potential construction density of a tract of residentially zoned land. That land lies to the north of the turnarounds on Susan Lane and Whippoorwill Hill Road, and to the south of Interstate-84. That acreage was converted from minimum one-acre residential zoning to two-acre residential zoning.

The rezoning of 11 areas implements the Hawleyville economic development and transportation study, which the P&Z endorsed in April 1998. “We adopted the Hawleyville study almost two years ago,” P&Z Chairman Daniel Fogliano told P&Z members, adding that rezoning the Hawleyville land implements that plan, setting the stage for its economic development.

In February, the Housatonic Railroad had objected to the P&Z’s plans to rezone its railroad right-of-way from M-4 Industrial zoning to HCDD-E zoning. The railroad said there was no need to rezone its right-of-way because the land is exclusively used for railroading. P&Z members, however, rezoned that railroad property to HCDD-E zoning.

Rationale

 In rezoning Hawleyville Center to HCDD-E zoning, P&Z members decided the zone change is consistent with the Hawleyville economic development and transportation study. “The new [HCDD-E] zone will strengthen and encourage the redevelopment and enhancement of a village center in Hawleyville and will secure the overall development potential of the area for the economic benefit of the community,” according to the P&Z.

P&Z members approved the M-2A rezoning for similar reasons.

Rezoning the 145 acres in Hawleyville is part of a broader rezoning of Hawleyville planned by the P&Z. Future rezoning is planned for land along Mt Pleasant Road, extending from Mt Pleasant Road’s intersection with Hawleyville Road to the Bethel town line.

Town officials expect that the economic development of Hawleyville will occur during the coming decade and beyond. Such development would require improved roads in the area.

The economic development study, on which the Hawleyville rezoning project is based, describes developmental scenarios for Hawleyville extending toward the year 2017, creating a conceptual framework for growth. The study describes the types of growth that can be expected there due to market conditions, and the limitations on the land due to slopes, wetlands, soils, and floodplains. The 1997 study, which was sponsored by the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials, seeks to balance the interests of developers, the town, and the region.

Private developers would create the economic growth envisioned for Hawleyville.