Another Zone Change Approved for Proposed CREC Magnet School

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved the Capitol Region Education Council's request for a zone change on over an acre more of land for its proposed Reggio Magnet School of the Arts at its Tuesday night meeting at the Avon Senior Center.

The application passed by a tight 4-3 vote. Linda Keith, Carol Griffin, Douglas Thompson and Duane Star voted in favor of the education council's application to rezone about 1.4 acres, where the vacant yellow Le Jardin building sits, from NB commercial to RU2A residential to match the rest of the 59 Waterville Rd. site being considered for a pre-kindergarten to fifth grade magnet school.

Marianne Clark, Peter Mahoney and David Cappello voted against the application.

Before the meeting the education council withdrew its application for a subdivision of the Avon Cider Mill property after successful negotiations with landowner Dr. Roy Beebe to purchase his remaining land. Combined, the plot is 10 acres. The education council also withdrew its request to increase the lot coverage maximum from 10 to 15 percent because the increased acreage decreases the proposed magnet school's building footprint from just over 11 percent to under 10.

“This concept is more in line of a mixed usage of the land,” Attorney David Hoops, who represents the education council, said when presenting the new proposal. “A school will be a good transition in that location to that of a commercial building. It’s similar in scale only it’s far less traffic intensive with no weekend congestion.”

“It seems like spot zoning and that doesn’t comply with what's good land use. It lowers property values,” said Attorney Julie Blake, who represents Avon resident Joseph F. Delbone. Delbone, one of two plaintiffs appealing the Planning and Zoning Commission's first zone change on the property, was not present.

Hoops disagreed with Blake, arguing that the small commercial parcel was inconsistent with the residential area around it. "What we're trying to do is exactly opposite of spot zoning," said Hoops.

Traffic continues to be a concern for some residents. Waterville Road, or Route 10, where the school would be located intersects with Route 44 at the bottom of Avon Mountain.

“I think putting a school in that location will have a negative impact on businesses and Avon residents. Route 44 is crowded enough. School traffic will increase to an already busy road,” Margaret Bratton, Avon resident and Board of Finance member, said during the public hearing.

"Putting a pre-k school near a well-travelled intersection is dangerous," Avon resident Robert Paine, a Town Council candidate, said after the commission passed the zone change.

However, the vote to approve the zone change made some happy.

“A magnet school in Avon is positive, and I think it’s great idea,” Avon Board of Education chairperson Peggy Roell said.

Hoops emphasized to the commission that the zone change approval date has scheduling significance.

It needed to be effective by Sept. 26 so that the education council can submit updated applications to be included on the Oct. 18 meeting agenda.

Town Planner Steven Kushner previously said that the education council will next submit the revised site plan and that the application will most likely be discussed at the October Planning and Zoning meeting.