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Granby Center plan update: BFJ outlines zoning options, sets April 3 public meeting
Summary
BFJ consultants told the Granby Center Advisory Committee on Jan. 29 that an April 3 public meeting will be the next major milestone and presented zoning options including a possible Village District, reduced parking requirements and design guidelines; the committee asked for more outreach to property owners.
Consultants from BFJ presented an update on the Granby Center plan to the Town of Granby Granby Center Advisory Committee on Jan. 29, 2025, saying the next public meeting is scheduled for April 3 at the Senior Center and outlining zoning concepts that could shape redevelopment in the center.
The presentation matters because the committee is weighing tools that would affect parking, lot sizes, building design and how the center balances local-serving and visitor-serving uses. Those choices will guide later zoning language and conceptual plans the town may adopt.
Frank Fish of BFJ distributed a project timeline and emphasized the April 3 public meeting as the next major public engagement milestone. Fish summarized a January meeting with Granby Center property owners, saying owners raised traffic and parking concerns, discussed zoning and mixed uses, and generally favored consistent landscaping, lighting and preserving the area’s historic character. Fish said special districts and tax-increment financing were discussed briefly but drew limited interest.
Suzanne Goldberg described the project team’s approach to tracking public input and tying it back into plan recommendations. Thomas Madden distributed a draft market study and noted regional shifts, including changes in building occupants in Windsor and the presence of industries beyond insurance in Hartford; he said the study identifies a larger draw area that includes places such as Simsbury.
On zoning, BFJ presented a range of high-level ideas the committee will consider: lowering minimum parking requirements, enabling shared parking, applying access-management measures and easements, reducing lot sizes and front-yard setbacks, and adopting design guidelines to preserve character. Fish said one implementation option could be the creation of a Village District that would carry tailored design guidelines for the center. The committee scheduled a February meeting to review planning concepts and conceptual renderings that illustrate those options.
Votes at a glance: On a motion by Eric Myers, seconded by John Oates, the committee voted 3-0-0 to approve the Nov. 25, 2024 minutes. Later, on a motion by Myers, seconded by Oates, the meeting was adjourned at 8:56 p.m.
Next steps: BFJ will continue refining zoning concepts and present conceptual plans and renderings in February; the public meeting on April 3 will collect broader community feedback before the committee considers ordinance language or formal zoning changes.
