Torrington panel accepts subdivision to separate cannabis retail site at 53 McDermott Street

The Torrington Inland Wetlands Commission on Jan. 7 accepted an application to subdivide a 105,165-square-foot property at 53 McDermott Street into two lots so an existing cannabis retail operation can be on a separate parcel from the remainder of the property.

Dalen Semprebon, senior project manager and professional engineer with East West Engineering, said the smaller of the two proposed lots would be about 31,028 square feet and would contain the cannabis retail operation and 25 parking spaces; the remaining lot would be about 74,137 square feet. "The property itself, zoned local business, is about a 105,165 square feet," Semprebon said.

Semprebon said no work is proposed within the 100-foot Upland Review area; the wetlands on the site are located near a water-quality basin, and storm drainage would continue to discharge as it presently does. He said the applicant planned to remove a small one-story masonry building along the frontage because it conflicts with zoning setbacks and would prevent the creation of two conforming lots.

Staff and the applicant discussed the site's existing water-quality basin and a separate off-site watercourse. Nardi Cyrus said there is already a wetlands permit associated with the original special exception for the cannabis retail operation and that the permit includes maintenance obligations for the basin. He said a condition of subdivision approval should require the permit and maintenance obligations to be transferred to the new property owner.

Commission members moved and seconded a motion to accept the application; the motion carried by voice vote. The transcript records the vote as "Aye" and "Motion carries," but does not provide a roll-call tally.

Next steps: the accepted subdivision will proceed through any remaining local review steps; staff will require transfer of the existing wetlands maintenance permit as a condition of approval.