001Winchester commission meeting January 12th 2026 >> Jan Perry >> Scott Eisenl do that over >> mine was already on. Okay. >> Uh, so in absence of John. Oh, here he comes. >> Got a seat for Charlene. Oh, she's she's in. Yeah. So, we're all set. We're all set. >> Wow. >> So, almost. [snorts] >> John Corny came in a little bit late, but he's here. All right. Agenda review. Anybody have anything? Okay. Next. >> Uh we did just leave a little bit of information on your death story uh having to do with Mountaintop's last few renewals. >> Okay. >> So that's that's there. But that's all I have to offer. >> All right. So we have number three on the list is election of officers which we have to do every year. So we'll start
002with the chairman. >> I'll make a motion to elect Will Platt chairman. >> I'll second that. All in favor. >> Okay. And next one will be U vice chairman. So make a motion to elect Peter Marshian as vice chairman. >> Second. >> All in favor. Okay. Then secretary. >> Sorry. [clears throat] Who second it? >> John. >> I think I did. >> John did. That's who I wrote down. >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Okay. Then secretary. You want to do it again, John? >> Sure. >> Okay. >> I make a motion to elect John Cooney, secretary. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> Okay, so we don't have to play musical chairs. Public comment. Anybody have anything to say other than what they're here for? >> Work way better than our country's election.
003>> We try to >> Okay. So, no public comment. We don't have any old business. So the new business would be PZ25-23. Applicant Wesley Clow location 179 Kbrook River Road proposal excavation renewal permit special permit PI zone. >> I can make a motion. If not, >> go ahead. Uh make a motion to hold a public hearing for PZ. accept the application and hold a public hearing for PZC25-23 Wesley Cloud 179 Colbert River Road excavation renewal special permit. The special the public hearing will be held February 9th, 2026. >> I'll second it. >> Discussion though is uh it says is property within the 500 ft town line. Um yes it is. Does that make any uh any other complications? >> Yeah, we have to do a referral to Colbrook. >> Okay. Does that take any extra
004time before we set a date? >> No, we're all set. Okay. >> Yeah, that was what you had recommended on your sheet. So, >> I seconded it. All in favor? >> Okay, >> you're all set till next next time. >> Well, it's nice seeing you. I'll see you. >> And the next one is BZ-25-25. Applicant George Names. Location 25 Center Street. Proposal special permit application convert existing misuse building to a multif family town center zone. >> I'll second that. >> Any discussion? >> You want to set the public hearing date? >> Set a public hearing date of January. >> No, February 9th. >> February 9th. That's what it should be. Yeah. >> Okay. February 9th. >> I second it. Okay. >> All in favor? Okay. >> See you in the next meeting. >> Thank you.
005Do I have to do anything until the next meeting? >> Not now. Next meeting. >> February 9th. >> You'll have to do mail letters and stuff, right? >> Yeah. >> The office will be in touch. >> They'll be in touch. >> Oh, okay. But you have to do anything. >> But get a hold of them soon because you have a time limit on the notifications, right? 15. >> Yeah. Shane will take care. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I know it's going fast. Okay. >> Okay. Now we'll move on to other business. Discussion of regulation updates. >> Um Okay. So, we've got a public hearing coming up on the 26th, I guess it is. Yeah. Um for a number of items that we've discussed in the past. >> So, made some changes to those documents. They're all
006available online, but I don't want to get into uh editing any of that stuff until we get the public hearing open. So, we're going to let that lay where it is for now. Um, we've submitted the application. We've done the referrals that we need to do and um and so we'll open that uh at the end of the month. >> In the staff, Go ahead. >> New markups are online. >> Yeah, they're online. Yeah. Yeah. And I we'll send them out to you um before the next meeting, but they are in the application um on open gov. So, there's uh there's um couple of things. There's zoning regulation updates. That's the bulk of it. And then there's subdivision regulation updates. And I worked with Peter and Chief John Field uh just to update that language.
007The subdivision regarding sistns, fire sistns, and some other things. We incorporated some additional language that the chief has suggested [clears throat] that I think was set up to be a part of an ordinance, but we're not going down the ordinance path. So, we incorporate some of that language into uh the subdivision regulations. So, that's up there as well. You've seen that language. It was just set up a little bit differently than uh than it is currently. the last time you saw it maybe a month or so ago. >> John, Chief Feele said he'd be glad to come to a public hearing. So in case anybody has any questions, so I'll let I'll let them know. That's the 26th, right? >> Yep. That's 26. Yeah. Okay. Um couple of things that we talked about a while
008ago. I think it was before the holidays. Um they were sort of larger pieces that I think Willie had brought up and some other folks had brought up some some thoughts um that I just kind of want to have a general discussion on tonight. flood plane regulations. I think we all sort of agreed that we needed to go down that path, update those regulations. I'll work with the town manager to get them out of the ordinance or have the ordinance reflect the zoning regulations or refer to the zoning regulations rather and then I'll get you draft languaged um at the beginning of uh of February. Any concerns with that from anybody? >> I think it's pretty straightforward. It's FEMA language. usual. We'll just take the Connecticut state um model regulations and and uh customize them
009to Winchester and we'll go from there. >> So now, when is the state going to open up again? >> I don't The last time they updated I think was like 2018. >> I haven't heard anything but they're working on any updates. Nothing [clears throat] I'm aware of. >> So if we update it, is there a way to update it to the state regulations without having to update it again next time they change? >> Can you put language as amended by the state? >> It's it's so specific I think we probably are going to just be forced to to update it the next time the state updates which really is not a big deal. Um but because we're incorporating the language you know it's not like a public act where we say okay well in you
010know refer to a public act and then just say as amended we're actually taking the language and incorporating it into the regulations. So if that language changes from the state guidance we'll have to just go in and tinker the language. >> Okay. Uh it's, you know, I think it's it's a process. Obviously, we've got to go through it, but I don't think it's too big of a lift for us. That's my opinion. Um the second thing that I wanted to just touch base on or come back around to was this idea of residential compounds or family compounds. I don't know if anybody had I had given you a bunch of language from towns up in Massachusetts to review. I don't know if anybody's had a chance to take a look at any of that. That
011was back in November. I think I sent those out to you all. >> I didn't have a chance. >> I didn't Okay. >> I didn't get a chance to look at them, but I'm I'm pulling pulled up HB 802. >> Yeah, that's my next topic. [laughter] >> Well Well, so there's that. But I'm wondering I'm just trying I can't remember what it was called. It wasn't a TOC. [clears throat] It was um where towns can set aside part of like said a district for higher density development. >> The parking thing. >> Nope. >> That we No. >> Nope. >> Anyway, it seems like instead of a residential compound, if we're going to go through that work of what the density is, it might make sense to look at that. And um you would think how
012many times I've read this bill, I would know the language. >> You're an [clears throat] expert now, right? Not even close >> better than we are. >> Um, [clears throat] but maybe I'll when I find instead of sitting here now, I'll send it to you some thoughts to you when you get your um an approved priority housing development zone. Now, we don't necessarily have to go as far as getting it approved if we don't want to. Um, but there is some guidance in here. what a priority housing development zone might be. >> Yeah. >> And if we're looking for this kind of residential compound, I know it's different, but >> it might be able to fit both needs. >> Yep. Okay. We'll take a look at that. Um I can send out in an email
013the links to all of those other regulations, too, just for you all to kind of peruse. Um there's a bunch of towns up in Massachusetts that I pulled from specifically on the Birkshire side here, not too far, um that I think hit the mark that you were, you know, you were thinking of. So, >> uh I'll find those. They're in a document somewhere. I'll just send those out to the commission again. >> Um >> so, if I I guess what we'll do is take a look at those. We'll come back around to this topic. I'll look through 8002 with regard to that piece of it. Um and maybe we'll have this conversation. Not. We have a bunch of public hearings in two weeks. So maybe the first meeting in February, we'll we'll talk about flood
014plane regulations and we'll come back around to this compound conversation if that makes sense. >> Good. Um and then changes uh with regard to 802. We are going to a summit, I guess, for lack of a better term, next week uh down in Cromwell that I think the COGS are involved with and CCAPA and a whole bunch of other folks and Scott's probably there too. I mean, we're all sort of it's everybody I think will be there. Um, and the idea is for us to get a better understanding of what some of the language in there, how we should be interpreting it. So, once we have a chance to go through that session next week, we'll go through the regulations and we'll come back to you in the beginning of February with some ideas as
015to how we can make sure that we're in compliance with with that law. I think by and large we're in good shape. I think our zones for the most part are aligned with what the state is doing. Uh the, you know, the commercial conversion stuff that's in there, we're already talking about that. We're kind of ahead of the game with going to a site plan for uh mixed use in our town center zone. So, we might have to make some other tweaks based on that. Uh but we'll we'll report out to you in in early February. And there's sort of two waves to that legislation. There's a there's some of it that we have to comply with by July 1st and then there's more of it that we have to comply with by January 1st
016of 27 I think. So we'll focus on the July stuff first and then we can take a deeper dive later in the year. Look at the January stuff. >> Yeah. And I can just add so you talk about the COG. So there's nine COGS in this in the state all together were collectively known as Connecticut COG. So all of the planners, you know, planners within each cog has, we've been working to kind of create a summary of what this bill says, which is what's the basis of the APA event on the 22nd. But in addition to that, we've come up with thematic summaries and basically that there's four themes. There's the housing growth plans. There's the zoning changes. There's the um um rental uh not rental, the commissions, >> Fair housing commissions and [clears throat]
017um then like a miscellaneous one that just has like all the other random stuff that's in there. So, that won't be out by the January 22nd. It's pretty much done, but it's just There's a lot of people working on it, so it's not really edited correctly. But middle by middle February, that will be out too. And I think that will be >> it'll be another session or just >> I don't know what they're going to do, but but we'll have that out and that's going to list all the zoning regulations and changes and everything that that needs to be made. That'll be much more specific than the summary that's coming out on 27. >> So that that should be helpful hopefully. So more to come on that basically is what we are. [clears throat] It's
018a it's a big bill. I think it's 101 pages at the end of the day. It's got I don't know 30 some odd sections to it. So it's >> and they don't follow each other. >> No, they don't. Right. It's an aircraft carrier uphill. So it just >> um so more to come on that. >> Uh those are the the three things that I wanted to touch base with um in terms of the regulations. I don't know if any if anybody else has any other thoughts that we you know any other tweaks we want to make uh while we're while we're doing this and if you come up with something in the next couple of weeks let us know. I guess the other thing that I'll mention is that uh there was I don't know
019what we want to call it the water super group I guess or >> I don't have a better name yet. So >> so we we we had a large meeting back in December. Willie was there. Um, uh, Inland Wetlands was represented. Highland Lake Wershed was represented. We had public works. We had parks and wreck. We had, uh, the police chief. Kind of everybody that's, you know, >> Conservation Commission. Arista, were you there, too? Yeah, you were there. Um, kind of everybody that has anything to do with certainly Highland Lake, but really sort of watershed stuff in general. um we started to get this group together because we we know that there's a focus on uh water quality health, Highland Lake of course being the focus, but we really want to look at all the water
020bodies in town. Um, and so what that group is going to be doing over the course of the next bunch of months, and I don't know have a time frame yet, but is looking really looking at the zoning regulations, the wetlands regulations with regard to the upland review area. And I think ultimately we'll come to the planning and zoning commission with recommendations to possibly the LI rag, the storm water uh guidelines that are in your regulations and maybe some changes to the Highland Lake District to better protect the water quality of the lake and make some of those things a little bit more workable and a little bit more upto-date. So, uh, very preliminary stuff. I mean, we're we're sort of at the point where Jeff and I are going to sit down with our
021notes from that meeting, come up with what we think those priorities are that came out of that group. We're going to meet with them when against end of February, right? >> Yeah. >> Middle of February, >> February, something >> something like that. And then we'll start to really come up with a list of recommendations. >> Um, and you know, having Willie there and having the wetlands commission there was kind of key to this whole thing. I had read an article online about the state of Connecticut coming up with a super group like they did for this housing bill on riparian rights and the [clears throat] possibility of extending them and rewriting all of the the wetlands laws. Have you guys seen anything about that? I >> I read the article you're probably referencing. uh didn't
022seem like they knew exactly what they were going to do yet, but there might be some state level oversight rather than again 169 people saying, "Well, what do you guys think?" >> Yeah. >> So, good and bad. >> So, I know like Massachusetts has that and they've set their set back at 200 feet. So, if anything like that happens down here, that's going to be [clears throat] uh quite the change. Oh, is it a 200 foot just regulated area or is it a a buffer like a no built just regulated? [clears throat] >> If you want to cut a tree down within 200 feet of the wetlands, you have to get a permit to do it. >> Yeah, a lot of New England states are I mean New Hampshire has has uh legislation like that.
023I think Maine does too. So >> right now >> our upland review in town here, it's 100 from the lakes and streams and 75 from wetlands >> and it's just a regulated area. It's not a no build zone. It's a regulated area. So it goes to the wetland commission or to the agent. Um so anyway, so so you know again more to come on that. I I'm sorry I don't have a lot of details right now. We're just we're in the beginning stages of a few things here. So we'll keep you updated. >> Okay. I probably should have brought this up before, but did George need any more? Doesn't say whether he's going to four families or what? >> We don't know. I asked that question of him uh through the portal and I don't
024have the number yet. >> So, is he going to get rid of the all commercial? >> Yes. >> So, that would be four family then probably. >> Right. >> All right. >> I think that's right. I did ask the question of how many units. So, we're waiting. >> Does that mean a fire marshall inspection then? >> It will. Does he has He's aware. >> Nes fire marshal. >> Yeah, >> Jamie's met with him, been through the building as has Keith. Um, when we first did that, it was still contemplating to keep a commercial side on the first floor. So, things have changed slightly, but they're both in the loop over there. >> Okay. >> Anything else under >> So, is he converting the first floor to residential? >> Yeah, he's going fully residential. Anything else?
025No. Okay. Uh communication. Oh no. Other business. We have approval of minutes. I move to approve the December 9th, 2025 regular [clears throat] meeting minutes. >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> December 8th. >> Right. >> December 8th. >> Says December 9th here. >> Meeting clos >> December 8th. The minutes say the eth right ninth or eth. >> That's the eth. That's my That's my error. >> All right. >> It's the eth. >> December 8th minutes. >> Yep. It's the eth >> December 8th, 2025 regular meeting minutes. >> We have a second. >> I did. I second it. Yep. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> Okay. Communication. Do we have any communications? Anybody have anything? No. I'll make a motion to adjourn the meeting. >> Second. >> Got it. >> All in favor? >>
02620 minutes. That's a record. >> We'll be here a lot longer in two weeks. So, >> vacation tonight. >> And the one after that will be too February 9th. It won't the next two won't be 20 minutes. >> Next couple.