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ZBA approves split of Shepherd Farm parcel at 1990 Litchfield Turnpike to preserve farmland
Summary
The Woodbridge Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance to allow Sarah Shepherd to split a 20.8-acre parcel at 1990 Litchfield Turnpike into a 12-acre residential lot with the existing farmhouse and an 8.8-acre farm lot, citing historic lot configuration and the goal of preserving farmland.
The Woodbridge Zoning Board of Appeals on July 13 approved a variance to let owner Sarah Shepherd split a historically defined farm parcel at 1990 Litchfield Turnpike into two lots, one to retain the existing farmhouse and one to remain as farmland.
Jesse Judson, a licensed land surveyor representing Shepherd, said the property is roughly 20.8 acres and that the existing farmhouse and residential area have been physically separated from farmland by a long-standing fence line visible in aerial photos dating back decades. "The farmhouse and a portion of land used for residential purposes around it have been clearly defined and separated from the farmland for decades," Judson said, and argued that steep slopes (more than 25%) reduce the amount of flat buildable area around the house to about 0.5 acres, creating a practical hardship under section 4.1 bulk regulations.
Board members asked brief clarifying questions about history and intent; staff noted the parcel’s age and that the proposal would create a lot that meets the town’s farm definition. After a short deliberation a member moved to approve the variance to allow the split "given the presentation we heard today regarding the original use, the merge and the goal to preserve it as a farm property," and the board voted in favor.
The approval allows lot 1 to contain the existing farmhouse (about 12 acres total) and lot 2 to be preserved as roughly 8.8 acres to be conveyed to a contract purchaser, with the proposal to follow the existing fence line as the lot divider. The board recorded that the lot otherwise conforms to bulk regulations apart from the specific slope/area restriction at issue and that septic reserve areas have been approved by Quinnipiac Valley Health District for both the farmhouse and a future four-bedroom house on the farmland portion.
The board closed the hearing on the matter and moved on to the next appeal. The case record will include aerial photos and survey materials Judson submitted, and the board’s vote will be reflected in the meeting minutes.
