WILTON – Planners approved three permits, tabled one and took no action on another when they met Thursday.

Resident Dennis Landry asked the board to table his application to build a driveway near Wilson Lake. Landry said he is working on gathering more information to present to the board.

At the last meeting Landry told planners he wants to build a driveway on a lot with frontage on Wilson Lake that he recently purchased. Landry said he plans to build a guest cottage on the property at some point, but would not use the driveway to access his existing house lot, adjacent to the new lot.

Residents told planners they are concerned about contamination to the lake and wildlife in the area. Code Enforcement Officer Brenda Medcoff said Landry would be required to meet certain requirements in order to minimize any drainage into the lake.

Planners and Medcoff agreed that there is nothing in the town’s ordinance that would stop Landry from building the driveway, unless the Department of Environmental Protection refused to allow it. They agreed to do a site visit and table the issue until they can get an opinion from DEP.

Planners approved a permit for Terry Bickford to operate Bickford’s Construction on Route 2 where Karkos Heating is. Medcoff said Karkos plans to relocate and Bickford will utilize the existing space for his business.

The business will not be used for retail sales and nothing is expected to be stored outside except in an existing storage bin. Planners Bernal Allen and Ted Keiler said they felt limitations should be put on the permit barring Bickford from storing anything within sight of the highway. Other planners disagreed saying they feel Bickford may need to store items such as lumber outside.

Planners also approved a permit for Gerald Skinner to operate the old Ironside Gym at 327 Main St. The business will remain the same, but will be renamed Brookside Gym.

Mary Beane was approved to operate a commercial kitchen and eventually a retail bakery and deli at 514 Main St. The business is expected to be open five days per week.

Medcoff said Beane will need to put in a grease trap and obtain a permit for any plumbing changes. Planners approved the business pending all applicable permits. Beane does have a Dumpster outside and plans to put up lattice work in order to conceal it.

Medcoff said Lee Rollings obtained a permit to build a house, garage and deck some time ago and asked for permission to bring in gravel to backfill the frost walls of his foundation.

Medcoff said she was notified of concerns from Rollings’ neighbors that he brought in more than 15 cubic feet of gravel recently. She said she initially misunderstood what the gravel was to be used for and wanted to make sure this was OK with planners.

Planners agreed that the work falls under Rollings’ original permit. Planning Board Chairman Russell Black said a building permit does not run out as long as work is still being done. Medcoff said Rollings did address erosion control in the area.

The board agreed to notify the neighbors of Protea Health Services on Depot Street that they plan to review a permit for the agency. Planners approved the clinic last September, saying they would review the permit in a year, after residents expressed concerns during a public hearing. Those concerns included what type of people the mental health facility would expose their children to.

In other business, planners continued working on issues for the upcoming year. The issues they have been working on include taking information out of the zoning ordinance that conflicts with a newly enacted subdivision ordinance, the possibility of increasing the number of hours Medcoff works in order to address a variety of violations in town, the enforcement of junkyard violations, and possible ordinance changes for setback requirements from the water in the downtown area.

Other issues include changes to the land use table, Routes 2 and 4 access management, regulations around signs that advertise brand name products, shoreland expansions and cluster development.


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