Goshen Planning & Zoning:
3/31/26 Special Meeting and Public Hearing, 7:30 PM
Present: Jon Carroll (Chair), Shilo Garceau, Lu-Ann Zbinden (Vice Chair), Jared Denis, Patrick Lucas (Z), Chris Hurlburt (Alt) Excused(Alt’s) Dustin Mosley and Jerrold Abrahams
Others Present: Spencer Musselman, Marissa Wright, Zoning Enforcement Officer
Denis recused himself, as he represents the owner of the property that was the subject of the public hearing.
The public hearing was opened, regarding the application from Denis of West Goshen properties at 660 and 664 Sharon Turnpike, to re-zone both properties to the Center Business Zone.
Denis spoke on behalf of his application, saying: "Basically, what I'm trying to accomplish, combining two parcels, and the reason I incorporated the retitle… it’s just housekeeping. …That's always been a commercial property, as far as I know, back to like the 70s. That’s the biggest reason for the request is not to change any use. Just in my opinion… the use has been the same since the 70s.”
A public comment by Brian Beausoleil: "If we approve these changes, is there anything else that it could be used for under that change of zoning, such as, could it be used for housing or apartments or anything like that?"
1st Selectman Seth Breakell commented: “We're currently operating under the 2016 POCD; we're a few months away from updating that POCD. Would it be possibly more prudent to just wait until we update that POCD to work off the 2026 POCD?”
Carroll said: "The public hearing will continue until next month, so people have the opportunity, after they see this, read about it, or feel so, to reach out or come to the next meeting."
He continued: "As far as a couple of the points that were brought up, if a zone change occurred, you are permitted to do what is permitted within that zone, regardless of what the change is. So it does open the use to various different uses within our regulations. I think that was the only definitive answer."
Musselman added: “Just because we do it now, doesn't mean you can't fix it in the future and make it…more conforming, or more, you know, better fitting that new zone we're going to propose the future. I think the properties being combined now is not possible because they're not conforming, both of them. So by combining them, you can expand the non-conformity…beyond what's allowed on the regulations.”
Zbinden said: “I would recommend that we add as a future goal to development section of the POCD the consideration of creating a new business zone for these non-conforming outlying businesses.”
She continued: "Establishing a new business zone will require a public hearing and should not be adopted hastily. Rezoning properties is a major change that could potentially impact the whole town, and careful planning is needed. The uses in the Center Business Zone are much broader, more liberal than the uses in like the RA zones, we need input from everyone … What are the pros and cons of creating a new business zone? What advantages do business owners want in the new zone? What uses should be permitted in the new zone? What requirements are needed? For example, should screening be required, not optional? What restrictions, if any, are needed? …We now have an opportunity to provide for businesses as stated in the 2026 Economic Development section of the POCD and protect Goshen's rural landscape at the same time.”
A motion was made to continue the public hearing at the April 28 meeting.
4/11/26 Special Meeting 10 AM
Present: Jon Carroll (Chair), Shilo Garceau, Lu-Ann Zbinden (Vice Chair), Jared Denis (Z), Patrick Lucas (Z) and Spencer Musselman
Absent: Dustin Mosley (Alt) and Chris Hurlburt (Alt)
A point was made about the importance of transparency, as the link to the April 11 meeting was not posted on the town website.
The Committee tabled action on the March 31 special meeting minutes until the April 28th meeting.
Regarding the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), Carroll said: “We were anticipating getting into the Housing after our last meeting; the Housing Commission that worked hard on putting together the original document we started from. … I think it's advantageous for us to allow them a week to reformat it to the rest of the formatting for the POCD with the goals, issues, topics, things like that, and some of the rules and regulations had changed from when they started working on it until today, to maybe update some of those factual items.”
Accessory apartments was a discussion point. Zbinden questioned the language of the current regulation, which, Musselman explained, allows for accessory apartments in existing buildings as of the time of the regulation adoption. Musselman expressed the view that it was unreasonable, and should be changed to allow for accessory apartments in new structures as well.
Carroll said: "Just based on this little conversation, that the accessory structure apartment use has to be reviewed at the next meeting. That's going to be something that's very important."
Zbinden raised a question regarding accessory apartments at Woodridge Lake, to which Musselman responded that the Town’s regulations do not allow for accessory apartments there. He suspected the HOA’s regulations also do not allow accessory apartments. Lucas suggested that if the Town changed its regulations, it would create an opportunity for the HOA to do the same.
Musselman brought up the Natural Resource Inventory (NRI), "a high-level environmental map of the town and the sensitive areas, steep slopes, that we can use for planning purposes, going forward next 10 years."
He said: “I think developing that – it’s a series of maps to just kind of explain the existing conditions of Goshen, and then we can plan around that.”
Carroll added: “I do think protecting our natural resources is one of the things that we all love and cherish. So however we can figure that out and or incorporate that into the Housing, because that is definitely one of the bigger concerns.”
On the topic of maps, Lucas brought up the University of Connecticut's Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) related to housing and emergency management, and asked about including maps that CLEAR generated to discuss wildland urban interface areas.
A public forum was scheduled for May 9. The Commission then engaged in discussion as to how the forum would be organized and publicized. A Direct Mail postcard was considered as well as the use of local media, including The Goshen News.
