Danbury Mall Seeks To Rezone 116 Acres

DANBURY, CT — The owners of the Danbury Mall are seeking to rezone seven parcels on Backus Avenue from the CG-20 (general commercial) Zoning District to the MURM (mixed-use regional mall) Zoning District, according to documents filed this month.

In a three-page report, Sharon B. Calitro, AICP, Planning Director wrote a letter addressing the mall's request to the planning and zoning commissions. The request is still pending.

Here are excerpts from Calitro's report:

"While Danbury Mall, LLC owns the majority of the land proposed to be rezoned, other lots are included in the petition. These lots are owned by Macy’s Retail Holdings LLC-CT, CTL Propco I, LLC, and MS Portfolio LLC. The Macerich Company is the parent company of both MS Portfolio LLC and Danbury Mall, LLC. All lot owners have endorsed letters agreeing to be included in the MURM Zoning District," the report states.

The seven subject parcels comprise 116.29 acres. The area requested to be rezoned per the petition totals 119.84 acres.

"Rezoning would allow changes in use on all developed lots to any use allowed in the MURM Zoning District, including the myriad of commercial uses as well as an apartment house or garden apartment," the report states. "For purposes of a residential unit density calculation, a site(s) comprised of 116.29 acres would allow for 144 residential dwelling units. Additional units may be provided if the lot owner(s) request development approval under the Housing Incentive Option in Section 5.I.7.b. All changes in use and other site changes are subject to the requirements of the new MURM Zoning District and any necessary land use approvals," the report states.

Plan of Conservation and Development (“POCD”)

"The POCD recognized the Danbury Fair Mall as an important economic driver for the City. It recommended consideration of flexibility in zoning to accommodate future needs of the City," the report states. "The Danbury Fair Mall lots were designated on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) as appropriate for inclusion in a Regional Mall category. This category, and its description in the POCD, formed the basis of the new MURM Zoning District. Therefore, rezoning of the lots is consistent with the POCD."

Conclusion

"Rezoning to the MURM Zoning District is consistent with the POCD and meets the zone change criteria as indicated above. Additionally, as noted by Attorney (Thomas) Beecher, this rezoning request represents the culmination of a planning and zoning amendment process that has been ongoing for several years. As such, Staff has no objection to this request," the report states.

"The Planning Commission shall include in its report to the Zoning Commission a statement of findings on the consistency of the proposed zoning change with the POCD and the reasons for its findings. To approve the petition and amend the Official Zoning Map, the Zoning Commission must find that it has considered the POCD as required by state statutes and that the rezoning meets the zone change criteria requirements of the Zoning Regulations. Rezoning should result in the use of land that is in the best interest of the City and will not detrimentally impact the health, safety and welfare of the public."

You can read the full 3-page report here.

You can read the full 28-report as filed by mall owners here.