The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) likely will have a busy evening on Thursday, August 2, as the land use agency has scheduled many public hearings for that session. The P&Z meeting is scheduled to start at 7:30 pm at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

Among the public hearings:

*The P&Z is proposing a set of zoning regulations that would allow drive-through window service for eateries at locations with B-2 (Business) zoning that are defined as "shopping centers."

*A firm known as 13 Hawleyville Road LLC is proposing a set of zoning regulations that would allow range of commercial uses at the vacant site at that address. Proposed uses include a gas station/convenience store, retail, professional offices, financial business, and a restaurant with drive-through window service. The site is on the west side of Hawleyville Road, north of Hawleyville Road's intersection with Covered Bridge Road.

*A firm known as NEMCO Limited Partnership is proposing a set of zoning regulations that would allow a gas station/convenience store at 26 Hawleyville Road, which is the site of Hawleyville Deli. The site is on the east side of Hawleyville Road, just north of the Housatonic Railroad's grade crossing.

*The P&Z plans to hold its fifth public hearing on Dauti Construction LLC's requested approval for its as-built plans for Edona Commons, a 26-unit condominium complex at 95 & 99 Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook Center.

*The P&Z is seeking to add wording to the zoning regulations to allow existing single-family dwellings in the Hawleyville Center Design District (HCDD) to be converted into two-family dwellings. The proposed rule change pertains to a property at 32 Hawleyville Road.

*The P&Z proposes allowing municipal buildings as a permitted land use in M-1 (Industrial) zones. The proposal concerns the town's proposed acquisition of 191 South Main Street and the abutting 61 Pecks Lane for conversion into a new police station and related facilities.

Other public hearings slated for the August 2 session concern a proposal to modify the signage regulations for duplex-style buildings in the Fairfield Hills Adaptive Reuse (FHAR) zone at Fairfield Hills and specifying the hours of operation of outdoor sports/recreation facilities in M-2A (Industrial) zones, among some other technical rule changes.

The hearings on proposed zoning regulations involve only those regulations, not development plans, whose approvals would later be sought by applicants if the proposed zoning regulations are enacted.