Developers pitch 35‑unit Simsmore Square apartment; zoning text change or PAD discussed

Terry Ann Hahn, of LAVAPC, representing Simsmore Square, presented a preliminary concept for a 35‑unit apartment building in Simsmore Square and asked the Simsbury Zoning Commission for feedback on zoning pathways and design constraints.

Hahn said the proposed building would step with the site topography—three stories on the Hot Meadow Street side and four stories on the lower side—yielding roughly 10 units on each upper floor and about five walk‑out units on the lower floor for a total of 35 units. “We’re here, just to get some reaction before we embark in a particular direction,” Hahn said. The developer team at the meeting included Nord Christensen and Rich Korea.

Why it matters: The parcel sits in B‑1/B‑2 zoning where multifamily residential is not currently permitted as a stand‑alone use; Hahn and staff discussed two regulatory paths: (1) a text amendment to allow multifamily in the B‑districts under defined conditions, or (2) creating a PAD that would treat Simsmore Square as a mixed‑use parcel with site‑specific standards. Commissioners expressed general support for adding housing and asked staff and the applicant to explore…