[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6158139,"mediaKeyId","5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9","parentId",5461261,"title","Simsbury staff introduces draft dark‑sky lighting regulations; work session set for September","audioSeconds",926,"startMs",2824000,"endMs",3750000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9&start=2824&end=3750","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9/thumbnail_2824000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6158139/Simsbury-Center/Capitol-County/Connecticut/Simsbury-staff-introduces-draft-darksky-lighting-regulations-work-session-set-for-September","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6158139-a17249c5d5734e80f074427825bff122/orig.mp4?Expires=1769985513&Signature=Z0dKYWvqQu~nxP7eofKb1VfGxy6TBoWepjssp4AzZKIPhjEhLZjWI2sdoyB4e7HMrwkFbl2JAW5o8WxuGobde~Typl5xHr~lnNnbUVYo6kr~h~KNSRuBmahw2FU12PmplJ08tbCEyY1uvizpPpIv~XrUcrBW94Ty8-DnCpJgpJWSddgP6jZ~Q5IgBK9iqlFhTAaT21sKZ9PdnCKIxIqsKHCbIf49ueaA7MX5IFcbfAXJt5awlqwS78FJ8fEKDy0QgO2A-qtY09PrmJFO5Y5ugKWYEACMSHxWrbum2J~QnZHy7z7jM5XcOrHG05NMXgbB3U2EqI3rmm7c8WILGc3DAw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Simsbury, CT","date","2025-07-24T11:40:07.457Z","article","Planning staff introduced a draft lighting regulation intended to incorporate dark‑sky principles into Simsbury's zoning codes and form‑based center codes. The draft aims to reduce light pollution, encourage shielded fixtures, set limits on brightness at property lines and establish color‑temperature and timing controls for new development.

\"Dark sky lighting aims to, among many things, reduce light pollution and its impact to the night skies as well as reducing energy use,\" planning staff member Britney told the commission. Staff said the draft implements several familiar dark‑sky measures: fully shielded fixtures, photometric limits measured in foot‑candles at property lines, lower correlated color temperature for exterior fixtures, and timing controls such as motion sensors or curfews for nonessential lighting.

Why it matters

Commissioners and staff framed the draft as an implementation item from the town's 2024 Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). The regulation would create consistent expectations for developers and permit reviewers, reduce unnecessary uplight and glare, and standardize how the town evaluates photometric plans submitted with site plans.

Scope and exemptions

Staff said the draft would apply to new site plans and site‑plan amendments that change lighting; it would not retroactively force homeowners to change existing residential fixtures. Street lighting for future subdivisions and lighting for new residential developments would be subject to the rules at the time of site plan or subdivision approval. Staff said the town would likely use outreach and education rather than enforcement to encourage voluntary residential compliance.

Concerns and next steps

Commissioners asked about enforcement difficulty, costs and potential pushback from developers who weigh lighting as part of safety and branding. Staff said many compliant fixtures are widely available and that the department will gather cost and vendor information, consult with other towns and schedule a work session in September. A public hearing is anticipated after further refinement, with staff planning outreach to the Chamber of Commerce, Main Street and local developers.

Planning staff also noted that draft rules do not yet apply to signage and said that fixtures already in place generally become legal nonconforming if the regulation is adopted; modifications that change fixture height or illumination would require a site‑plan amendment.

Ending

The commission directed staff to hold a work session on the draft in September and to follow with a public hearing in October after additional outreach and refinement.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Zoning Commission Meeting - July 21, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning staff introduced a draft lighting regulation to add dark‑sky standards—shielded fixtures, brightness limits, color‑temperature guidance and timing controls—to Simsbury's zoning codes.","taxTitle","Simsbury Center, Capitol County, Connecticut","taxId",70146,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6158143,"Commission tables Nest School sign application after design‑review color change",564,2213000,2777000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9&start=2213&end=2777","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9/thumbnail_2213000.jpg","/articles/6158143/Simsbury-Center/Capitol-County/Connecticut/Commission-tables-Nest-School-sign-application-after-designreview-color-change","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6158143-474d44c5e2dc546a399a1481a7836a19/orig.mp4?Expires=1769985513&Signature=nuCeSa2WEBpxIRb9kWuDCU-e-aBkSsRcQv2L4w2xL5fVt3x9F2EJLzRd7gNV6q2R5kHxcg6orISIboQD4RETEwt3S3LCghZON4hfTjtHrC3INwWqD~uSRni6PtiIrjMCawt0XnMZ~9ACXglWRkS4DlXP4iBnPg2SAhpPF6LvgD1bRpVMgCJh3--d5pZ5F6Ji-B61kPybiM80Ry4BMk7Bcwj4dptIJMu~S-y0jaNtPESjEMCiKXfxncdIebIjnfiSXuFoJWdPGNPEM4YCVlf8edSXjY3mdC1tipSxmdfQmab~G~Fg-pYETA0lxpfZM-80TR0AzgtTCiOqk2Ll3-23lQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Simsbury Planning and Zoning Commission voted to table site‑plan application 2515 for signage at The Nest School, 30 Hot Meadow Street, after the Design Review Board recommended a different color treatment for the freestanding sign and the applicant failed to attend the meeting.

Planning staff reported the Design Review Board gave a positive recommendation but conditioned the freestanding sign to \"match the building colors\" — described by the DRB as a white background with blue trim to match existing blue trim on the school's canopies. Staff said the DRB expressed concerns about the freestanding sign's current beige/gray background and some board members questioned the proposed font.

Key facts and numbers

- Location: The Nest School, 30 Hot Meadow Street (readdressed from 34 in earlier paperwork).
- Proposed freestanding sign: double‑sided, 12 square feet, 6 feet high (applicant submission).
- Wall sign: 52 square feet, composed of individual letters above the entrance (applicant submission).
- Town standard: Maximum allowed freestanding sign area is 32 square feet; the proposed freestanding sign complies with the numeric limit.

Why it matters

The freestanding sign marks the school's driveway off the main access road into the Aspen Green site. DRB members said a color change would help drivers distinguish the school entrance from a nearby apartment building and improve wayfinding.

Commission action and rationale

Commissioners discussed whether to act without the applicant present. Several members said the absence made it preferable to table so the applicant could respond to the DRB's color recommendation; one commissioner noted the commission had previously overridden a DRB recommendation when the applicant explained it was infeasible. The body voted to table the application to a future meeting to allow applicant participation.

Next steps

Planning staff said the application will return to the commission at a future meeting; commissioners referenced the September meeting schedule as a likely next opportunity. If the applicant accepts the DRB condition, the commission indicated it could act sooner; if the applicant objects, the proposal would return with the applicant's requested revisions.

Ending

The commission tabled application 2515 to permit the applicant to respond to the Design Review Board's requested white‑background/blue‑trim treatment for the freestanding sign and to address DRB comments about font and visibility.","The Planning and Zoning Commission tabled a site‑plan application for freestanding and wall signs at The Nest School, 30 Hot Meadow Street, after the Design Review Board recommended changing the freestanding sign's color scheme; the applicant was not present and commissioners sought the applicant's response.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6158148,"Simsbury planning panel approves updated Simsbury Commons sign plan",2081,112000,2193000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9&start=112&end=2193","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5461261-8b7eabbce6f39e389b703c1eb9f33ee9/thumbnail_112000.jpg","/articles/6158148/Simsbury-Center/Capitol-County/Connecticut/Simsbury-planning-panel-approves-updated-Simsbury-Commons-sign-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6158148-7353a669a6d0edb6c25b57b1f34dd523/orig.mp4?Expires=1769985513&Signature=h9~viR0~MH3dSDZRq-pEKkEI8EdcpfajBYzvHK8sGltjwVdjEHrYbb1ANdRwmDE4bny4w3bPmg9C97Vpk6SgZt1qadhbhY7Gjp36TdXLG8OUaCt8tT3zy0XdY2NbSxCZ51TDkekLCQ3VFkBjKpSMkPHUXgMGvZg0MpxK9n4BhzSHKkT-Jqgwj8GuAUhE7QLZzTmiIj~TVTmYwMWaRI8ERxZt2NBuX~1OlhNTwIlNLPkc2BoiVAipy263~SGx7rge10sORakifx3-uqSrenbFVl6rXi7ol~g4B6s8hNan8w3xgYrZIQWIJIEx93GVR7xnhXbOlVS1ykWFLbFMzVqNxQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Simsbury Planning and Zoning Commission voted to approve a revision to the unified sign plan for Simsbury Commons, allowing nine new under‑canopy blade signs and a standardized system for tenant panels and monument signs at 530 Bushy Hill Road.

The revision, filed as ZC 25‑13 by Artifex on behalf of Simsbury Commons LLC, updates a unified sign plan that the applicant and staff said dates to 1999. \"We're requesting 9 of them, for a total of 36 square feet,\" said Matt Haskell of Artifex, the applicant's design representative. Haskell said the update also adds standardized mounting, lighting and a rail system intended to reduce repeated drilling into building facades.

The commission's approval follows a public hearing and a review of materials Haskell said were supplied in a full package including a project narrative and revised plans. The motion approved by the commission directed that the signage \"substantially conform to the plans generated by Artifex, dated 07/10/2025,\" and commissioners voted to pass the application unanimously.

Why it matters

Commissioners and the applicant described the change as a modernization of an aging document and a way to manage tenant turnover. Haskell said the unified plan will make staff review of future tenant signage simpler and reduce visible wall damage caused by repeated sign mountings. He also said the proposed blade signs improve pedestrian wayfinding within the canopy area.

Key details

- Applicant: Matt Haskell, Artifex, representing Simsbury Commons LLC.
- Location: 530 Bushy Hill Road (Simsbury Commons).
- Proposal: Add nine under‑canopy blade signs (total ~36 sq ft), standardize tenant panels with white backgrounds, revise two freestanding monument signs and adopt a rail mounting system with acrylic backer and halo illumination at 5,000 Kelvin as shown in the submitted plans.
- Earlier action: Haskell said the Zoning Board of Appeals granted a variance last year to increase reader‑board square footage for the monument signs; he stated that approval allowed an additional nine square feet, attributing that number to his recollection.

Discussion and concerns

Commissioners asked about illumination and dark‑sky impacts. Planning staff told the commission that the town's draft dark‑sky lighting regulations do not yet apply to signage and that existing fixtures would generally be grandfathered if not changed. Commissioners also asked how the plan would interact with previously discussed potential multi‑family development on part of the parcel; staff and the applicant said the unified sign plan applies to the retail portion now and could be revised if a future project alters the site.

Outcome and next steps

The commission approved ZC 25‑13 as submitted with the condition that installed signage substantially conform to the Artifex plans dated 07/10/2025. Staff and the applicant said the unified plan is intended to be scalable — it can accommodate future tenant additions or consolidations without ad hoc sign approvals. The commission did not set additional immediate conditions beyond the approved plan text and drawings.

\"This plan allows for scalability,\" Haskell said, noting it can be adjusted if the parcel is reconfigured in the future.

Ending

With the vote, the approved unified sign plan will form the standard for tenant signage at Simsbury Commons moving forward; any future changes that alter lighting or sign structure would be subject to review under existing permit rules or any subsequently adopted lighting standards.","The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a revision to the Simsbury Commons unified sign plan to add nine under‑canopy blade signs, standardize tenant panels and modernize mounting and lighting standards; the applicant said the changes reduce total plaza signage and improve pedestrian wayfinding.","actionData","errors"]

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Simsbury staff introduces draft dark‑sky lighting regulations; work session set for September

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