Zone Change Mulled In Farmington For Proposed Storage Building

FARMINGTON, CT — The town's zoning board is mulling a zone change that would allow for the construction of a large, self-storage building on land that is currently zoned residential.

The Farmington Plan and Zoning Commission first discussed the zone change application May 22, with the issue expcted on the PZC's next meeting agenda June 12, when it meets at 7 p.m. at Farmington Town Hall.

Proposed by Bulwark LLC, the plan calls for the conversion of lots 8120 and 8122 Colt Highway (Route 6) from residential zones to commercial zones, allowing for development of a personal, self-storage facility.

Attorney Robin Pearson, representing the applicants, was on hand May 22 to introduce the project to the PZC, which voted to continue discussions to June 12.

According to Pearson, the parcel is nearly 5 acres on the north side of Route 6 and a sign is up signifying the zone change proposal.

Engineerineg consultant David Ziaks, of East Granby-based F.A. Hesketh & Associates, said the building's footprint would be 19,800 square feet, with a two-way entrance/exit driveway to the site.

Consultant Scott Hesketh, of F.A. Hesketh & Associates, said the roadway would be able to accommodate any increased traffic due to the facility.

As for the storage facility building itself, the four-story structure would be 79,200 square feet and house 700 individual storage units of varying sizes, according to architect Mark Dean of Dean Architects.

Dean said the building would include elevators, a rental office and it would have fire sprinklers installed with climate control inside.

Donald Jones of Donald Jones Consulting, who was hired by the applicant, said there will be an on-site manager with office hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.

User access to the storage sites, Jones said, would be from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

Zoning board members had a few technical questions on the proposal, with more testimony expected at the June 12 meeting.

For the minutes of the March 22 Farmington Plan & Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.