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Zoning board grants setback variance for Bloomfield Tennis Club at 45 Douglas St.
Summary
The Bloomfield Zoning Board of Appeals voted June 1, 2022, to grant a 12-foot rear-yard setback variance to 45 Douglas Street LLC so the Bloomfield Tennis Club can attach a roughly 60-foot addition to house an indoor tennis court; staff noted potential upland/wetlands review and called neighborhood impact minimal.
The Bloomfield Zoning Board of Appeals voted June 1, 2022, to grant a 12-foot rear-yard setback variance for 45 Douglas Street, allowing an attached roughly 60-foot addition so the Bloomfield Tennis Club can add an indoor court.
The applicant, landscape architect Andrew Woodward, told the board the addition "would require a 60 foot minimum expansion off the back to fit another full-size court" and that the parcel's angled shape produces a small wedge that causes the encroachment. Woodward said the addition will increase the club's year‑round playing capacity when outdoor courts are unusable.
In his staff comments, Alex said most parcels behind the site are town‑owned and that the building addition would sit on an existing gravel area and retain the existing retaining wall. "My thought on this was just the impact to the surrounding area is fairly minimal," Alex said, while also noting the project may involve regulated activity in the upland review area and that the Inland Wetlands/Watercourses Commission (staff named Peter) would review any wetlands‑related measures.
Board member Pansy, who said she visited the site, told colleagues she saw no problem with the proposal and supported granting the variance. Alan moved to grant the variance as requested under the zoning regulation (section 4.4B, bulk requirements for the I2 restricted industrial district) with plans dated April 28, 2026; Shelby seconded. The motion passed with no nays or abstentions recorded.
The board's written motion cited hardship findings related to the building's placement on the lot and the parcel shape that limit where an addition can be sited. Staff told the applicant to follow up with town staff about next procedural steps.
The board spent the remainder of the meeting on routine administrative items, including training for commissioners and alternates, and then adjourned.
What the record shows: the motion and staff report are in the meeting record; board members noted potential upland/wetlands review and said the addition would be attached to the existing building and confined to the gravel area behind it. The transcript includes an image and plan references dated April 2026; the public notice and meeting date are June 1, 2022.
