SEYMOUR – Members of the Seymour Planning and Zoning Commission May 14 approved a zone change for three properties on Pearl Street that could ultimately pave the way for construction of 108 apartments.
The commission was unanimous in its decision to rezone three single-family, residentially zoned parcels at 18, 28 and 32 Pearl St. to multi-family.
Second Street Construction, LLC, based in Oxford, made the request for the zone change. The developer owns all three properties, which comprise about 14 acres.
The request had been denied by the commission twice before, and had been met with opposition from neighbors who said adding more high-density housing would strain resources and impact traffic.
Seymour Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Brian Sirowich, who previously spoke in favor of the application in 2024, said the zone change complies with the town’s plan of conservation and development.
“My mom couldn’t afford to stay in her house anymore after my dad passed but wanted to stay in this town. A lot of seniors are having a hard time being able to afford homes,” Sirowich said.
With the zone change approved, the developer can now submit a site plan application to the commission for what he intends to do with the properties.
Attorney Dominick Thomas, representing the developer, said his client wants to build 108, one and two-bedroom apartments, in three separate buildings. Thomas did not specify the square-footage for the units. He said they’d be geared to young couples and empty nesters and would not generate a lot of schoolchildren. Thomas said the properties’ close-proximity to downtown Seymour and the train station is an attractive option for young people without cars commuting to work.
“These apartments would most likely attract singles, young couples and the elderly who want to downsize,” Thomas said.
Thomas said based on the town’s current mill rate, 108 apartments, assessed at $14 million, would generate nearly $400,000 annually to the town’s coffers.
“The people living in these apartments will also be spending their money in Seymour and that is a known fact of economic development,” Thomas said. “This is a residential development that addresses the housing shortage in town and would encourage businesses in Seymour to expand.”
An application to build 108 units on the properties would also need the approval of the planning and zoning commission.
Background
The zone change the commission approved May 14 was twice denied by them before. The commission denied a previous request to change the zoning to multi-family in August 2023 by a 2-1 vote. They cited concerns about traffic and property values.
The commission voted 3-2 in favor of the zone change in April 2024. However, a verified “protest petition” had been filed with the commission, which triggered a rule in Seymour land use rules that required a two-thirds vote for it to pass. It needed one additional “yes” vote to pass.
Thomas said a new state housing law changed the rules regarding “protest petitions.” A simple majority is now needed.
The Properties
According to town land records, 28 Pearl St. is the Roberta King Estate, a circa-1900 brick mansion previously owned by the late Roberta King, a former Seymour Selectwoman and philanthropist. Thomas told the commission the mansion would be preserved. The property at 18 Pearl St. houses a Cape-style home built in 1745. The property at 32 Pearl St. is vacant land.
Second Street Construction purchased the three properties for $1.3 million in 2018, according to town land records. The properties are surrounded by a mix of single-family and multi-family homes, along with a nearby deli, a Thai restaurant, a barber shop, and apartments at the former LoPresti School site.
Not Supported By Neighbors
Neighbors have repeatedly expressed their opposition to the zone change each time it’s come before the commission.
Prior to the commission’s vote May 14, a public hearing was held at the Seymour Community Center. More than 100 people showed up. About 20 residents cited concerns of increased traffic congestion in a neighborhood that already has high density housing.
Nobody spoke in favor of the zone change.
“On a good day, our streets resemble a racetrack,” said Maple Street resident Scott Jarzombek. “I personally have witnessed students almost getting struck while getting off the school bus. This section of Pearl Street is treacherous in rain and snow and is not nearly wide enough to accommodate two-way traffic. I do not oppose housing, but I support it where it makes sense. And this area is totally inappropriate for any housing this size.”
Resident John Livolsi, who owns property on Pearl Street and nearby South Main Street, said the width of the road in front of the Roberta King mansion is too narrow to accommodate an influx of cars from any potential development.
“The road in front of the mansion measures 20 ft. x 10 inches and that’s 9 ft., two inches shy of the town’s standard of 30 feet,” Livolsi said. “Cars now can barely go back and forth there without one having to stop to let the other one pass.”
Gina Venezia, of Maple Street, lives adjacent to the properties and has voiced her opposition to the zone change three times.
“The first and second time it was denied, so why we’re here a third time is beyond me,” Venezia said. “I came here from New York City to get that hometown feel, and I no longer have that. From my bedroom window, I can see the apartments on Maple Street and the glow from the lights keeps me awake at night. My mother-in-law came here from Italy 60 years ago and she has seen a vast change and the change is horrible. I don’t know what road we’re going down but it’s a horrible one.”