Planning & Zoning Commission (linked)

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT 
 
 
MEMORANDUM 
 
TO:  
 
Planning and Zoning Commission 
 
FROM:  
Mark Wujtewicz, Planner 
 
DATE:  
September 9, 2025 
 
TITLE:  
Staff Report:  The Williams School Athletic Complex 
 
 
 
 
Tennis and Pickleball Courts w/ lights greater than 40 feet tall 
 
 
 
122 Bloomingdale Road 
 
 
 
Site Plan/Special Permit 
Application PL-25-16 
 
 
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
The project as proposed is to modify an existing site plan for the construction of 6 tennis 
courts and 4 pickleball courts within a fenced enclosure located at the Williams School Athletic 
Complex at 122 Bloomingdale Road. The property consists of approximately 23 acres with 
existing athletic fields, a maintenance building, pavilion, team facility building that is currently 
under constructions and associated parking. Site improvements associated with the tennis and 
pickleball court construction includes grading, stormwater management, landscaping and 
installation of field lights that exceed 40 feet in height. The courts will be utilized by the 
Williams School as part of the athletic facilities on the site. While the property is located within 
the R-20 and R-40 Zone Districts, the proposed development for this application occurs within 
the R-40 Zone District. 
Prior Planning and Zoning Commission approvals granted for the site included the initial site 
plan approval on March 12, 2001(#01-101) for the development of the property to install athletic 
fields, tennis courts, maintenance building and associated parking. A modified site plan approval 
was granted on February 10, 2014 (PL-14-2) to construct a pavilion building. A modified site 
plan approval was granted on April 9, 2018 to relocate the previously approved pavilion building 
and to construct tennis courts in the area of the pavilion building. The latest modified site 
approval was granted by the Planning and Zoning Commission on September 10, 2024 through 
application PL-24-13 for the construction of the team facility building.  
 
 
FIFTEEN ROPE FERRY ROAD 
WATERFORD, CT 06385-2886 

C:\Users\mwujtewicz\Box\TOW_PZBD\Departments\In_Process\Planning\Bloomingdale Road, 122\Bloomingdale Road, 122  PL-25-16 Tennis 
Courts\Staff Report_DRAFT.docx 
 
 
BACKGROUND 
 
Pertinent Regulations 
CT General Statutes 
CGS 8-3(g) 
Town of Waterford Zoning Regulations 
Section 5 – Low Density Residential (R-40)  
Section 5.1.4 – Public or private parks and playgrounds, subject to the approval of 
a site plan under the provisions of Section 22 of these regulations 
Section 22 – Site Plans 
Section 23 – Special Permits with Design Review 
 
This application was received by the Commission on August 5, 2025  
The Public Hearing was advertised in The Day newspaper on August 27 and September 2, 2025. 
The date of Public Hearing was September 9, 2025. 
 
DISCUSSION 
In order for the Commission to approve a Site Plan with a Special Permit it must find that the 
site plan is consistent with the Town of Waterford Zoning Regulations. The Commission must 
act on the plan initially submitted for review and can find that the site plan is either compliant 
with the Zoning Regulations or it may approve the plan with modifications that are required to be 
implemented on the plan prior to filing on the land records.  
The proposal for the construction of the tennis and pickleball courts include the installation 
of field lighting on poles that exceed 40 feet in height. Section 5.2.1 states, in part, that “Radio 
or television antennae, flagpoles, towers, chimneys, water tanks or standpipes, any of which 
extend more than 40 feet above the ground…” are permitted subject to the approval of a Special 
Permit. Light poles are considered towers and have been regulated as specially permitted uses 
due to potential impact of lighting on adjacent properties. The lighting system design package 
submitted into the record (Exhibit 7) indicates that there will be no light trespass onto adjacent 
properties. The location of the light poles have been positioned outside of the required building 
setback lines and have been presented by the applicant as providing lighting for the court area 
only. The fixtures are proposed to be LED and manually controlled.   
The applicant has submitted Stormwater Drainage Calculations into the record (Exhibit 3). A 
stormwater infiltration trench will be installed along the western perimeter of the courts to 
mitigate the impacts of stormwater runoff. This proposed stormwater mitigation system is 
designed to meet the criteria of the Connecticut 2004 Stormwater Quality Manual.  
The existing parking with 105 spaces was approved by the Planning and Zoning Commission 
in the initial site plan approval #01-101. That site plan identified multiple athletic fields 
including a dedicated soccer field, two shared soccer and field hockey fields, a baseball and a 
softball field and six tennis courts. There are currently three athletic fields on the property. The 
baseball field, softball field and tennis courts were never constructed. The tennis courts and 

C:\Users\mwujtewicz\Box\TOW_PZBD\Departments\In_Process\Planning\Bloomingdale Road, 122\Bloomingdale Road, 122  PL-25-16 Tennis 
Courts\Staff Report_DRAFT.docx 
pickleball courts in this proposal will replace one of the existing multipurpose athletic fields. The 
number of tennis courts in this proposal matches the number of tennis courts originally approved 
while the four pickleball courts are in addition to the tennis courts. There is no proposal to 
modify or expand the amount of parking to accommodate the additional pickleball courts. The 
lack of the two baseball fields and the elimination of the existing multipurpose field would 
appear to accommodate the parking needed for the pickleball courts. Any further expansion of 
the sports facility may require additional parking and the Commission will evaluate the parking 
needs at the time of any future site plan applications.  
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION 
 
Based on the information provided, staff recommends the Planning and Zoning Commission find 
that:  
 
Findings: 
1.  
The application is for a use subject to a Special Permit and Site Plan approval, 
pursuant to Section 5.1.4 and 5.2.1 of the Waterford Zoning Regulations. 
2.  
The application meets the criteria for Special Permit and Site Plan approval, pursuant 
to Sections 22 and 23 of the Waterford Zoning Regulations, subject to modifications 
listed. 
 
and that the Commission approve the proposal with the following modifications:  
 
1. 
Lighting fixture details be placed on the site plan prior to filing the final plans on the 
land records.  
2. 
Top of wall elevations and bottom of wall elevations at proposed grade of the 
retaining wall to be noted on the plans prior to filing on the land records.  
 
Proposed Motion 
To approve with modifications, the Special Permit and Site Plan for the Williams School 
Tennis and Pickleball Courts application #PL-25-16 at 122 Bloomingdale Road, with 
modifications 1 and 2 and to adopt the findings 1 and 2 of the staff report dated September 
9, 2025.