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SHELTON - Apartments are not in the future for a Todd Road parcel. The Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday denied an application from Joseph Salemme of J&L Enterprise LLC, based in Shelton, for a four-story, 57-unit apartment building at 74 Todd Road, which sits next to a building that formerly housed Wonder Years Learning Center. The plans were to contain some number of workforce housing units. This was the third such apartment plan submitted for this site in recent years. "This particular location is not appropriate for (a) residential (development) of this magnitude," said commission Chair Virginia Harger. "I do not see any compelling need to change the zone from (industrial) to a (Planned Development District)." Salemme sought a zone change to a PDD for the site, which is abutting a recycling operation and near other industrial related businesses. That proximity was also a concern for commissioners. "These commercial operations are in conflict with a residential, high-density building," commissioner Robert Cristiano said. This is the latest plan for the property. The commission denied a previous plan for an 86-unit, 55 and older restricted building earlier this year. At that time, Salemme's attorney Ben Proto submitted a letter to the commission acknowledging the plan was too dense and required adjustment. The letter, filed with the commission in April, stated the developer planned to submit a revised plan to reduce the number of units, remove the 55 and older age restriction, reconfigure the building design and provide additional green space and landscaping. The new plan includes two studios, 40 one-bedroom and 15 two-bedroom units. There will be 93 parking spaces, along with the 14,300-square-foot building on the 1.77-acre site. While the property is located in an industrial zone, it has not been used for an industrial purpose in decades, according to the application. The property has historically been used for commercial and residential uses. "Given the current economic conditions as well as the forecasted conditions, it is highly unlikely that any industrial use would ever be located on this property," the application states. The first application submitted three years ago was a PDD request for 60-74 Todd Road, some 2.5 acres in a total of three parcels. Those plans called for a structure with 94 apartments and 150 parking spaces, but the project was ultimately pulled from the Planning and Zoning Commission docket. The lot at 74 Todd Road used to contain two structures and was previously used as a veterinary office. The buildings have been razed. The lot listed as 64 Todd Road is a vacant lot and previously contained a single-family house. The lot at 60 Todd Road contains a two-story commercial building. The proposed development is down the road from the newly opened McDonald's. This article originally published at Shelton zoners deny workforce apartment plan off Todd Road. 'Not appropriate'.
