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Driveway request for accessory apartment at 36 Green Knoll tabled pending Planning & Zoning rules
Summary
A contractor requested a second driveway to serve an accessory apartment for an elderly resident; after extended discussion about precedent, hardship and zoning authority, the board tabled the application and asked Planning & Zoning to draft regulations within 60 days.
The Board of Selectmen tabled an application July 6 from contractor Nat Pico seeking approval of an additional driveway at 36 Green Knoll Drive to serve an accessory apartment for an elderly resident.
Pico described the need as mobility-driven; he said the resident, 73, had difficulty navigating the existing walk from the driveway to the front door and that the family would return the area to grass if the driveway was no longer needed. Selectmen expressed sympathy for the resident but raised concerns about precedent — the town generally allows one driveway per property — and about whether driveway approvals belong in zoning rather than selectmen purview.
Board members discussed the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hardship standard and said a more consistent approach would be for Planning & Zoning to create rules that allow limited, yearly permits or other guardrails. The board voted to table the matter, authorized the First Selectman to ask Planning & Zoning to promulgate zoning laws regarding accessory driveways for accessory dwelling units within 60 days, and said the applicant would be informed of the referral and timeline so the case can be reconsidered when regulations are in place.
The board emphasized neighbor notification and more formal hardship review as desirable outcomes of a zoning-based process; no final permission for the driveway was granted at the meeting.
