Danbury City environmental panel approves two regulated-activity permits, tables another

Danbury City’s Environmental Impact Commission met Oct. 23 and approved two regulated-activity permits with conditions, tabled a third application at the applicants’ request and postponed a staff administrative action for legal review.

Chair Matt Rose opened the meeting at 7 p.m. and led roll call. The commission first approved the minutes of its Oct. 9 meeting after a motion from Commissioner Jeff Harrell; the record notes that all voted in favor except Mark Pursuit, who did not cast a vote during that roll-call exchange.

The commission discussed regulated activity 12232 (Ezra Road) during staff presentation and questioning. Commissioner Jeff Harrell pressed how work had proceeded without a permit being pulled first; Chair Matt Rose responded, “My fault. I take full responsibility,” acknowledging an administrative lapse recorded in the meeting.

Harrell moved to issue approval for the regulated activity listed in the staff report (referred in the transcript as "12 23"); he said the permit had been acquired and that the work met the health department’s satisfaction. The motion was seconded and approved by voice vote with the six conditions referenced in the staff report.

The commission then considered regulated activity recorded in the minutes as 12:24 for 36 Newtown Road. The applicant was recorded as Ron Wolf, identified in the meeting as a professional engineer representing 36 Newtown Road LLC. The applicant and representative said they had reviewed the staff report and had no objections. When Commissioner Harrell asked whether cleanup obligations for the neighboring property and the connected waterway would be incorporated, the applicant agreed to clean up to the drain and the commission placed that commitment on the record.

A commissioner moved to accept regulated activity 12 24 for 36 Newtown Road LLC with the seven conditions listed in the staff report; the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The applicants for regulated activity 1222 (recorded in the transcript at one point as “Country Bridal Road” and later as “Country Ridge Road”) requested tabling because they were still working on outstanding materials. The commission voted to table that application to the next scheduled meeting.

Staff reported no other administrative approvals at that time; the transcript records that staff member Alice will table an item to the next meeting and that corporate counsel is working on the issue. The commission also moved and approved a motion to table an administrative action regarding House’s property on Barnum Road pending counsel follow-up. The meeting was adjourned after a final motion to close.

What the record shows and what is not specified: the transcript records the number of conditions attached to the approved permits (six for the item referred to in the staff report as "12 23" and seven for 12 24) and records voice votes for approvals. The transcript does not contain a roll-call vote tally listing each member’s Yes/No vote for the permit approvals; where the transcript records details (for example, that Mark did not vote on the minutes), this article reports those specifics. If further details (complete vote tallies, final permit documents, or staff reports) are needed, they were not provided in the meeting transcript.