Danbury Zoning Board Approves Variances to Convert Cartus Building to Danbury High School West, Allows Large Signs With Limits

The Danbury Zoning Board of Appeal on March 13 approved variances that clear the way for the City of Danbury to convert the former Cartus office building into Danbury High School West.

Antonio Idarola, the city's public works director and city engineer, told the board the project is on schedule to open this fall and that the conversion will relieve overcrowding at the existing high school. "It is a brand new high school, to take over the overcrowding that we have at the existing high school," Idarola said during the hearing.

Project representatives requested multiple variances. Dan Petrovich, who the city introduced as a project assistant, said the school needs larger rooftop air-handling units to meet classroom fresh-air requirements and asked the board to increase the allowable roof projection from 10 feet to 16 feet. "The unit heights are not above the 16 feet that are requested," Petrovich said, adding that shop drawings had been received and the units were ordered.

The petition also sought permission for expanded building identification: increasing wall signs from one to four, raising total wall-sign area from 32 square feet to 346 square feet, and allowing taller wall signs (sign A up to 50 feet 5 inches above grade; sign B up to 28 feet 4 inches). Petitioners said the largest wall sign would be in the same corner as the earlier Cardus/Cartus landmark sign and that the lettering would be unlit.

In addition, the board considered a double-sided freestanding monument sign adjacent to the main driveway: 51 square feet per face (102 square feet total) on a brick base, with an LED message board intended for school messaging. The project team said the LED display would not use strobing or high-color video effects but would allow changing messages for schedules and alerts.

Neighbors and city officials asked detailed questions about noise, visibility and hours of operation. Paul Rotello, a city councilman representing the Sixth Ward, said improved air handling is an urgent safety matter and urged strong HVAC performance: "We have to allow the technology to, get to the point where the air is safer in the school," Rotello said, noting pandemic-era lessons when discussing ventilation.

A nearby resident, Duffy O'Brien of Lake Place South, told the board she can see the new gym from her unit and voiced concern that a continuously running LED sign or louder rooftop equipment could affect condo residents: "In the wintertime, you can see everything," O'Brien said. Project staff said the main compressor/chillers will be ground-mounted in the rear of the site behind a noise wall and that rooftop air handlers are sized to meet classroom acoustic and fresh-air standards.

Board members debated operational controls for the electronic sign to balance school needs and neighborhood impacts. Commissioners proposed and discussed limits on message-change frequency and hours of illumination; staff recommended preventing flashing/strobing and establishing a reasonable transition interval between messages. The motion approved by the board included stipulations that the sign not use flashing/strobe effects, that messaging transitions be limited to no more than one change every 15 seconds, and that the sign be illuminated only during specified daytime hours and for designated school events.

Commissioner Rivas moved to approve application 25-0240 with the variances and stipulations as presented; the motion was seconded and the board voted in favor. The motion recorded the variances (roof projection to 16 feet for rooftop equipment; increases in allowable wall-sign area and number; a two-sided freestanding sign of 51 square feet per side; wall-sign height increases to 50.5 feet for sign A and 28.4 feet for sign B) and operational conditions for the LED sign. The transcript records the motion, second and affirmative votes but does not contain a roll-call tally by name.

The board concluded its deliberations by instructing staff and the petitioner to coordinate any timing or operational stipulations for the LED display with the city's zoning enforcement officer. The petitioner and city representatives said they would return any required documentation or clarifications to the board for record-keeping while the school moves forward toward the planned fall opening.

The Zoning Board closed the public hearing and then adjourned the meeting.