Copyright Joliet, IL Patch
Ridgefield's Planning and Zoning Commission approved Aldrich Museum's outdoor events and clarified that private daycares are exempt from the RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Ridgefield Planning and Zoning Commission approved a revised special permit Oct. 21 allowing the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum to host limited outdoor private events and clarified that private daycares qualify as educational uses exempt from the town’s current building moratorium. The updated Aldrich resolution permits “outdoor private events,” such as weddings and corporate gatherings, to be held on the museum’s grounds. The approval outlines limits on frequency, lighting, curfews, and parking coordination with a neighboring church. Commissioners added a condition prohibiting events on Wednesdays and before noon on Sundays to avoid conflicts. The commission also approved a new community signboard at 150 Danbury Road, outside the Ridgefield Bank branch. The signboard will allow community notices, such as Toys for Tots drives, under existing town signage regulations and without lighting. Quarterly Planning Report Director of Planning & Zoning and Chief Zoning Enforcement Officer Aarti Paranjape presented her first quarterly report since taking over the department in July, summarizing permit activity from July through September. The planning office received 44 zoning and map applications during the quarter, seven of which required commission approval. Paranjape also outlined coordination with the Fire Marshal’s Office on 43 Danbury Road, budget preparations for 2026, and potential new software to improve aerial mapping and enforcement oversight. Commissioners discussed the possibility of adding planning services through a contracted firm while the town searches for a permanent planner. Paranjape said she plans to explore options with regional planners during an upcoming professional conference. Moratorium Clarification Much of the meeting focused on the town’s temporary development moratorium, adopted in May to allow a review of zoning regulations. Commissioners voted 5–2 to clarify that “educational uses,” as defined in local zoning rules, include private child daycares and training centers—effectively exempting them from the moratorium. The question arose after a potential buyer expressed interest in developing a daycare on Ethan Allen Highway. Several commissioners initially said the moratorium was intended to exclude only municipal or public school projects, but the majority agreed that the written definition of “educational use” applied broadly. Other Business The commission reviewed procedural improvements for enforcing approved plans, discussed potential fines and monitoring requirements for large projects, and continued its review of zoning regulation updates related to the moratorium. The next Planning and Zoning meeting is scheduled for early November, with continued discussions expected on regulation revisions and the Branchville planning study.
