Danbury ZBA approves revised plan for 8 South Cornell with neighbor‑requested stipulations

The Danbury Zoning Board of Appeals voted May 28 to approve revised variances for 8 South Cornell Road, subject to conditions addressing neighborhood safety and privacy concerns. Applicant Myra Solano told the board she would remove exterior additions (patio, deck and retaining wall), restore the original slope and replant screening to address adjacent owners’ objections.

An email from adjacent homeowners Arthur and Linda Stock was read into the record describing what they called unpermitted construction, removal of an 8–10‑foot natural hedge that provided privacy, an incomplete retaining wall and a resulting ravine that they said posed a safety hazard for children and pets. The Stocks asked the city to require restoration of privacy plantings, modification or relocation of the deck, an engineer’s opinion on grading and completion of the retaining wall.

The applicant said she had halted exterior work after enforcement action and agreed to the board’s conditions, saying she planned to restore vegetation and work with an engineer. The motion that passed tied approval to the revised site plan and included four stipulations drawn from the neighbors’ requests and staff recommendations: removal of the problematic retaining wall, an engineer’s letter assessing grading/erosion impacts, installation of privacy screening (trees/hedges), and regrading/backfilling where construction disturbed surrounding property.

Why it matters: The vote shows the board balancing legal nonconformities and community safety—approving a path for the property owner to legalize portions of the work while requiring remedial steps to protect neighbors.

Next steps: The applicant must file the engineer's letter and meet the stipulated conditions as part of the permitting process; the building department and zoning staff will monitor compliance.