Planning Commission backs Site-Specific Development zone with 50-acre minimum

The Fairfield Planning Commission on July 29 recommended that the Town Council adopt a new Site-Specific Development (SSD) zoning district and corresponding review procedures, intended for large, unique projects that cannot be addressed under existing zoning. Planner Jim Spung explained the SSD creates a two-step review (preliminary and final) and establishes that an SSD would not eliminate other required approvals such as subdivision or site-plan review. Commissioners generally agreed the SSD should be reserved for larger projects and reached consensus to recommend a 50-acre minimum project size; the recommendation also asked the Council to replace internal references to the Airpark, update the minimum size in the draft from 10 to 50 acres, and replace generic references to Town staff with the Planning Director or Mayor's designee.

Public commenters raised concerns about administering multiple SSD districts and the need for consistency. Vern Carson urged the Commission to consider the number and configuration of SSD districts and whether developments approved through SSD would still need to meet Town roadway standards. Brenda Tanner, speaking remotely, said she "was less concerned about the proposed acreage" after hearing the staff explanation but remained wary of the potential for multiple 50-acre SSD districts with differing standards. Commissioners moved the recommendation to the Town Council with the edits described; the motion carried unanimously.