Planning & Zoning Commission (linked)

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 
 
 
MEMORANDUM 
 
TO:  
 
Planning and Zoning Commission 
 
FROM:  
Mark Wujtewicz, Planner 
 
DATE:  
January 14, 2025 
 
TITLE:  
Staff Report:  Proposed Building Expansion and Parking Modifications 
 
 
 
 
Wal-Mart Store #02331-1000 
 
 
 
 
155 Waterford Parkway North  
 
 
 
 
Site Plan/Special Permit Application PL-24-16 
 
 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
The project as proposed is to construct a single story 3,800 square foot addition to the east 
side of the existing Wal-Mart building located at 155 Waterford Parkway North. The proposed 
expansion is to accommodate storage and staging for the store’s existing online merchandise 
pickup program. The proposed building addition and reconfiguration of the parking layout in the 
immediate vicinity of the addition will result in an overall reduction of twenty-eight spaces. 
Additional restriping and traffic control signage are also incorporated into the site plan. 
The Planning and Zoning Commission, on April 10, 1995 granted  Site Plan and Special 
Permit  #95-302/103/201for the construction of the Wal-Mart building and an additional building 
on the pad and parking area adjacent to the west of the Wal-Mart site. On March 13, 2000, the 
Planning and Zoning Commission, approved a modified Site Plan and Special Permit #00-
104/302 with conditions to expand the Wal-Mart store for grocery sales, an auto tire and lube 
center and a garden center. This expansion added approximately 98,600 square feet to the 
building and established a new parking ratio of 4.57 spaces/1,000 square feet of Gross Floor 
Area (GFA). This Special Permit Application under consideration by the Commission is for a 
modification to the parking ratio granted by the previously approved Special Permit #00-
104/302.  
 
BACKGROUND 
 
Pertinent Regulations 
CGS 8-3(g) 
FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD 
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886 

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Permitted Use within the District:  
Section 9.1.2 – Retail Sales and Service Establishments  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Section 22 – Site Plans 
Section 22b – Design Review of Site and Building Requirements 
Section 23 – Special Permits with Design Review 
 
 
The Planning and Zoning Commission received this application on November 12, 2024. The 
Public Hearing was advertised in The Day on December 31, 2024 and January 7, 2025. The 
Public Hearing was opened on January 14, 2025. 
Staff provided the applicant with preliminary application review comments from various 
Town agencies and in response to comments, revised plans and reports were received and a 
formal application was submitted on November 8, 2024.  
 
DISCUSSION 
The expansion of the building for the storage and staging of online pickup orders requires a 
site plan approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission. The proposed changes to the 
existing parking layout and number of spaces requires a modification to the existing Special 
Permit. The Planning and Zoning Commission granted Special Permit #95-302/103/201, which 
included a parking ratio of 5.71 spaces/1,000 square feet total GFA. This initial Special Permit 
also included the proposed GFA for the pad site located west and adjacent to the Wal-Mart 
building site, which has not been constructed to date. On March 13, 2000, the Planning and 
Zoning Commission granted a modification to Special Permit #95-302/103/201 through 
application #00-104/302 for the expansion of the existing building to include a grocery, a vehicle 
tire and lube facility and a garden center. This modification to the previous Special Permit 
established a new parking ratio of 4.32 spaces/1,000 square feet GFA for the Wal-Mart Store.  
The proposed addition in this application increases the building area by 3,800 square feet 
and reduces the overall number of parking spaces by twenty-eight. The resulting parking ratio is 
4.12 spaces/1,000 square feet GFA. This modification reflects a reduction of .2 spaces/1,000 
square feet GFA from the previously approved Special Permit.  
The applicant has submitted information into the record (Exhibit 1b) that the Wal-Mart 
National preference for parking ratios is 4.0 spaces/1,000 square feet GFA. The modified parking 
ratio as a result of this project is 4.12 spaces/1000 square feet GFA and is consistent with the 
Wal-Mart National Parking Ratio preference. 
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION 
 
Based on the information provided, staff recommends the Planning and Zoning Commission find 
that:  
 
Findings: 
1.  
This application qualifies as a site plan approval and special permit modification in 
accordance with Sections 22 and 23.9 of the Waterford Zoning Regulations. 

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2. 
The Planning and Zoning Commission previously granted Site Plan and Special 
Permit approvals #95-302/103/201 on April 10, 1995 and #00-104/302 on March 13, 
2000 resulting in establishing parking ratios for the site.  
3. 
The application meets the criteria for site plan approval, pursuant to Section 22 of the 
Waterford Zoning Regulations. 
4. 
A reduction in the parking ratio from that established by Special Permit #00-104/302 
of 4.32/1000 square feet GFA to 4.12/1000 square feet GFA as a result of this 
application is consistent with the Wal-Mart National Parking Ratio preferences 
submitted into the record as Exhibit 1b. 
5. 
This application has been reviewed by the Town of Waterford Design Review Board 
in accordance with Section 22b of the Waterford Zoning Regulations and which 
Board submits a positive report to the Planning and Zoning Commission 
 
and that the Commission approve with modifications the proposal (with the following 
conditions):  
 
1. 
Submission of inspection logs relating to the maintenance of the stormwater systems 
shall be submitted to the Waterford Permitting Office prior to filing the final plans on 
the land records. 
 
 
Proposed Motion 
 
To approve the Site Plan and Special Permit modification for the proposed building 
expansion and parking modifications to the Wal-Mart building and site, application #PL-
24-16 located at 155 Waterford Parkway North with condition 1 and adopt the findings 1 
thru 5 of the staff report.