Planning & Zoning Commission (linked)

MEMORANDUM 
 
TO: 
 
Mark Wujtewicz, Town Planner 
 
FROM: 
Jeffrey T. Londregan 
 
DATE: 
June 1, 2023 
 
 
 
Please accept the following white paper on behalf of our client, Melissa Occhionero Hune, 
in support of here pending application for a text amendment to the Town of Waterford Zoning 
Regulations. 
 
APPLICATION’S CONSISTENCY WITH THE TOWN OF WATERFORD’S 
PLAN OF CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT 
 
 
1. 
Part 1 – Policy Element, page 63.  Support Appropriate Home-Based Businesses 
 
The Town’s Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) states that the Town, “should 
maintain regulations to allow and manage home-based business…(personal services)….”  As part 
of this support, the POCD does call for “mitigating negative effects of home-based businesses.” 
 
The present application is consistent with these goals of the POCD.  First and foremost, 
hairdressing is a personal service business, which is specifically listed as a home-based business 
that should be allowed.  Second, the proposed limitations on the number of chairs that a home-
based hairdressing business may maintain (one), and the limitation on the number of 
visitors/customers at any one time (two), controls the potential negative effects of several car trips 
and visitors to the home-based business during any particular hour or day that the business is 
operating. 
 
 
2. 
Part 1 – Policy Element, page 52.  Consider Allowing Small-Scale Neighborhood 
Businesses Where Appropriate. 
 
The POCD addresses allowing small-scale neighborhood businesses, provided limitations 
and guidelines are utilized in order to ensure that the proposed use in integrated into the existing 
neighborhood.  This is evident by the fact that the current Zoning Regulations already allow for 
home-based occupations.  The proposed regulation amendment, with its limitations and restrictions 
on the number of chairs and the number of visitors/customers at any one time, keep the size of the 
business on a smaller scale and properly limit the hairdressing use so that it is seamlessly integrated 
into any existing neighborhood where it may be located. 
 

 
3. 
Part 1 – Policy Element, page 41.  Reduce Energy Use. 
 
The 
POCD 
seeks 
to 
promote 
the 
conservation 
of 
energy 
in 
terms 
of 
heating/cooling/lighting and vehicular transportation.  The proposed regulation amendment 
promotes this endeavor in that a smaller-sized hairdressing business may operate out of a 
residence, which will require that only one structure needs to be heated/cooled rather than both a 
residence and a storefront.  Moreover, it promotes a reduction in vehicular traffic in that the owner 
does not have to commute from their residence to their storefront. 

January 1, 2012 
 
63 
 
F. Support Appropriate Home-Based Businesses  
 
Due to technological and other improvements, more and more people are working from home.  Water-
ford should maintain regulations to allow and manage home-based businesses (professional uses, busi-
ness services, personal services, and contractors).  Waterford can be an “incubator” for such businesses so 
that, as they grow and prosper, they can move from residential neighborhoods to business areas. 
 
Special efforts should continue to: 
 managing the activities of home-based contractors, 
 limiting the parking of commercial vehicles in residential areas, and 
 mitigating negative effects of home-based businesses. 
 
Home Office 
 
Home-Based Professional 
 
 
Home-Based Service 
 
Home-Based Contractor 
 
 
 
 
See the “Implementation Element” of the Waterford Plan of Preservation, Conserva-
tion and Development for information on tasks and actions currently programmed for 
implementation of these Business Development strategies.  
 
 
 

January 1, 2012 
 
52 
 
C. Increase Opportunities For Mixed Use And Village-Style Development 
 
There is growing interest in Connecticut and elsewhere in creating opportunities for “smarter growth.”  
In general, this philosophy embraces the following principles: 
 
Conservation  
Concepts 
 
Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas 
Development  
Concepts 
 
Strengthen and direct development towards existing developed areas 
 
Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place 
 
Mix land uses 
 
Create a range of housing opportunities and choices 
 
Take advantage of compact building design 
Infrastructure  
Concepts 
 
Provide a variety of transportation choices 
 
Create walkable neighborhoods 
Process Concepts 
 
Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions 
 
Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective 
 
Since these principles can help support community structure and community character, opportunities to 
implement them should be considered, where appropriate.  As has been a basic growth principle in Wa-
terford for some time, such developments should only be located where consistent with the recommenda-
tions of this Plan and where infrastructure with adequate capacity exists to support it. 
 
Promoting “smarter growth” could include creating new mixed-use “village-type areas” in locations 
supported by transit and utility infrastructure where there will be a strong focus on integrating the de-
velopment within the overall structure of the community and the neighborhood, creating a pedestrian-
friendly environment and a strong sense of place. 
 
The term “mixed-use” refers to development devoted to more than one use or purpose on the same prop-
erty or in the same area.  Much development over the past several decades has been single-use on one 
property and use areas were required to be separated.  For the purposes of the Plan, the term “mixed-
use” generally means residential uses in combination with commercial, industrial, office, institutional, or 
other land uses. 
 
D. Consider Allowing Small-Scale Neighborhood Businesses Where Appropriate 
 
One way to begin supporting mixed use “village-type” areas might be to allow small-scale business uses 
(such as a small neighborhood “general store”) in areas of concentrated development provided that: 
 
the use is only allowed as a special permit to ensure that it is controlled and is compatible 
with the village character,  
 
the site is appropriately located (such as on a major street), and 
 
strict floor area limitations and design guidelines are utilized in order to ensure that the pro-
posed use is integrated into the existing neighborhood. 
 
 
See the “Implementation Element” of the Waterford Plan of Preservation, Conserva-
tion and Development for information on tasks and actions currently programmed for 
implementation of these Overall Structure strategies.  
 
 

January 1, 2012 
 
41 
 
A. Reduce Energy Use 
 
In recent years, Waterford has taken a leading role in promoting long-term thinking about energy con-
servation and energy efficiency in public buildings.  For example, the recent school renovation projects in 
Waterford utilized geo-thermal energy and considered the overall “life-cycle” costs.  Since a number of 
sources suggest that energy availability and cost are likely to be more significant issues in the future, Wa-
terford should continue these efforts and take a leadership role in educating residents and businesses 
about ways to conserve energy in terms of heating / cooling / lighting and vehicular transportation. 
 
Since energy availability and cost may cause people to consider using alternative technologies at their 
homes and businesses (solar, wind, geo-thermal, etc.), Waterford should investigate how and where the 
use of such technologies might be enabled in the community while minimizing potential conflicts.  
 
Wind Turbine 
 
Electric Vehicle 
 
Charging Station 
 
LED Street Lights 
 
 
 
 
B. Reduce Water Use 
 
The average person in the United States uses about 100 gallons of water per day for domestic purposes - 
the highest rate of personal water consumption in the world.  Simple changes to some everyday activities 
can easily reduce most people’s domestic water use by 10% or more.  Additional conservation measures 
can help people be more efficient and economical and can easily reduce water use even further.  Conser-
vation of water should be a high priority. 
 
At some point, additional water savings may only be possible through more aggressive techniques, the 
use of new technologies, and through better management of other types of water use (such as irrigation).  
Still, Waterford should encourage other strategies which will result in an overall reduction in water use. 
 
Water Conservation 
 
Xeriscaping Project 
 
Water Conservation