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Farmington approves Big Y supermarket at West Farms Mall with landscape waiver
Summary
The Town Plan & Zoning Commission approved Big Y Foods’ special permit and site plan to build a 50,200-square-foot supermarket at West Farms Mall, granting a five‑foot reduction in a side‑yard landscape buffer and requiring staff conditions for stormwater, lighting and traffic coordination with state agencies.
The Town Plan & Zoning Commission voted Feb. 9 to approve Big Y Foods Inc.’s application to build a 50,200-square-foot supermarket and 2,300-square-foot mezzanine on a 6.2‑acre redevelopment parcel at West Farms Mall.
The applicant requested a five-foot reduction in the 50-foot side-yard landscape buffer along New Britain Avenue, citing existing mature plantings and a compensatory landscape package. Attorney Robin Pearson and lead engineer Guy Hesketh presented the plan and told the commission the project would reconfigure parking, require two loading docks for tractor‑trailers and include an underground infiltration system for stormwater. “It’s a 50,200 square foot, footprint building, a 2,300 square foot mezzanine,” Hesketh said during the presentation.
Traffic consultant Scott Hesketh presented a traffic-impact study using CTDOT tube counts and video turning-movement counts at 15 intersections during peak shopping periods. He estimated roughly 461 weekday peak-hour trips and concluded the intersections studied would maintain similar levels of service. The firm submitted its application to the Office of the State Traffic Administration for review of impacts to state highways.
Neighbors and one nearby resident, Jim Barbot, urged caution about added congestion on New Britain Avenue and asked about delivery hours and lighting. Big Y representatives said parcel lighting will use downward‑shielded LEDs to limit light spill and that most deliveries will occur during daytime hours (roughly 8 a.m.–1 p.m.), with limited evening deliveries concluding before about 8 p.m. Matt Demore of Big Y said the company typically “runs just minimal lighting at night, bare essential for night personnel for safety reasons.”
Commission staff recommended conditions covering detailed engineering revisions, stormwater and erosion controls, coordination with CTDOT for driveway impacts and final photometric controls; commissioners added those conditions to the approval. The commission also required the applicant to follow any further conditions set by state agencies during their reviews.
The decision was a formal approval of the special permit and site plan with the landscape waiver, clearing the way for the applicant to proceed with building permit reviews and required agency coordination. The project will next advance through final engineering and permitting steps identified by staff.
