A five-story office building and two retail buildings are moving toward approval in Shelton.
While members of the Planning and Zoning Commission Wednesday didn’t vote on the zone changes needed to make the projects happen, they did ask their planning consultant to write up a resolution approving it. That “draft resolution of approval” will be discussed at the next P&Z meeting.
The plans are proposed by Howard Saffan, the owner of Sports Center of Connecticut on River Road.
Saffan has plans to build two projects across the street from each other on River Road (Route 110).
The projects are:
- To convert an industrial property at 762 River Road into a five-story office building and a separate, one-story retail building. The property is along the shores of the Housatonic River. There would be 262 parking spaces. The office building would be set back 100 feet from the river, so there is potential to add a boardwalk or public access to the water.
- Construct a 5,800 square-foot, one-story retail building at 781-785 River Road. There would be 29 parking spaces.
Saffan needs the P&Z to grant a zone change for both properties. One property is zoned industrial. The other is zoned for residential use. He needs them both to be zoned commercial.
If and when he gets the zone changes, Saffon will return to the P&Z with detailed site plans.
Planning and Zoning Commissioners discussed the proposal for more than a half hour Wednesday. Most expressed confidence that the project would be a good fit for the neighborhood.
Commissioner Joan Flannery opposes the zone change at 781-785 River Road.
Flannery said she would prefer to see the land stay zoned residential. She worried about traffic from any new developments on the already busy road.
“I don’t want River Road to become another Bridgeport Avenue,” Flannery said.
