Liz Sanford
Chair, Town Plan and Zoning Commission, Farmington CT
Roles
- Government Official — Farmington Planning & Zoning
Coverage (20 articles)
Farmington Zoning Commission Unanimously Rejects the 237-Home Riverfront Enclave
Farmington's Town Plan and Zoning Commission unanimously rejected all four applications behind the Enclave at the Farmington River, the 237-home development proposed along the river between Farmington and Unionville. The vote, after a five-hour hearing and a unanimous negative recommendation from the Town Council, ended a nearly four-year effort and killed the largest residential proposal the town has weighed in years.
An Eagle Scout Candidate from Troop 170 Wants to Rebuild a Heritage Trail Kiosk. The TPZ Said Yes.
A Life Scout in Troop 170 of Unionville presented his Eagle Scout project to the Farmington Town Plan and Zoning Commission on May 27: demolish the deteriorated wooden kiosk at the Red Oak Hill Crossing of the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail and replace it with a covered, pressure-treated, shake-shingled successor. The commission approved unanimously. The chair, who is the mother of an Eagle Scout, added a remark that does not appear in the typical record.
Farmington TPZ Approves Reservation Road Staircase 6-1, With Davidson Dissenting
The Farmington Town Plan and Zoning Commission voted 6-1 Monday to approve an exterior staircase at 6 Reservation Road, with Commissioner Josh Davidson casting the only audible no vote in a sustained argument that the application is "an end run around our ADU regulations." Earlier in the meeting, Commissioner Bobby Canto had asked Davidson to recuse himself over social-media moderator work, then withdrew the request after staff confirmed the documents Davidson had referenced were publicly posted.
Farmington TPZ Accepts Enclave Application, Sets July 13 Public Hearing
Farmington TPZ on Monday night accepted a formal zoning application for the Enclave at the Farmington River — a 240-to-296-unit, $225 million proposal by Crown Equities affiliate National Land Holdings — and scheduled the public hearing for July 13. In separate action, TPZ approved a special permit and site plan for an accessory dwelling unit at 222 Talcott Notch Road and forwarded three sign permits to building-permit review. The POCD update RFP closes Friday.
Four Commissioners and a Sign Guy
Four of nine commissioners showed up. They elected a chair who declined the gavel, moved a $14.3 million school HVAC referendum in under ten minutes, approved a sign that can't be illuminated, and gave 114 dead arborvitae a second life. Monday in Farmington.
TPZ Backs $14.3M School Air Upgrade
The Farmington Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to send a $14.3 million HVAC referendum for four elementary schools to Town Council, approved a Progressive sign that can't be illuminated, and let 114 dead arborvitae get a second life.
Signs, Stormwater, and the Slow Crawl Toward 10%
**Farmington's TPZ cleared five applications Monday — frisbee camp lights at Miss Porter's, a stormwater overhaul for Horton Electric, and signs for the Warren Apartments. One commissioner picked a fight with the zoning code's definition of "frontage" and lost. Plus: cautiously good news on affordable housing, and a mixed-use project orphaned by two deaths finds new life.** 📋
Farmington P&Z Approves Big Y Supermarket, Country Club Expansion & Towing Lot in 4-Hour Meeting
Farmington’s Planning & Zoning Commission approved three major projects in a 4-hour marathon meeting: a Big Y supermarket, country club lounge expansion, and towing lot improvements.
Farmington Plan and Zoning Approves 62-Unit Scott Swamp Redevelopment, Continues Farmington Motorsports
A marathon Plan and Zoning meeting approved a 62-unit Scott Swamp housing project, multiple residential permits, and set the stage for February hearings.
Farmington HDC Approves 44 Colton Street Door Replacement, Elects Officers
The Commission’s work Tuesday night was procedural, precise, and refreshingly drama-free. In Farmington, that counts as a feature, not a bug.
Farmington HDC Meeting Nov 2025: Mountain Road & Church Street Updates
The Farmington HDC navigates the nuances of vinyl cladding, steel doors, and hewn crosses. From 14 Mountain Road to the crumbling silo at the Tint Barn, preservation remains a detailed art.
Farmington HDC Meeting Nov 2025: Mountain Road & More
Historic District Commission November 2025 meeting notes and approvals.
Farmington Historic District Commission Approves Church Renovations, Debates Memorial Cross Placement
Historic District Commission Juggles Church Signs, Windows, and a Wandering Cross A wooden memorial cross needs a home. A church signpost leans to one side. And 41 windows wait for replacement. Welcome to the October 21, 2025 meeting of Farmington’s Historic District Commission, where four members tackled five applications after Cliff Max resigned and left…
Farmington TPZ: ADU Approved on Penfield, Accessibility Expansion on Robbin, Historic Barn Work and New Garage on Mountain Spring; Nov. 12 Hearings Set
Farmington’s TPZ approved a 720 sf ADU, an accessibility-driven expansion on Robbin Road, and a new four-car garage with historic barn restoration on Mountain Spring. New hearings set for Nov. 12.
Farmington HDC Approves Brickyard Walk Sign and ~16 kW Solar at 93 Main; Winchell-Smith Dam Removal Confirmed
Farmington’s HDC approved a Brickyard Walk hanging sign at 769 Farmington Ave and a 16 kW solar array at 93 Main. Staff confirmed the Winchell-Smith Dam removal and a Nov. 6 oral-histories training.
Farmington HDC OKs St. James Door Fix, 5 Maple Solar, and 7 Church Sidelights; Dam Removal Starts Sept. 15
Farmington HDC’s Aug. 19 special meeting approved a St. James door modification (steel, with SDLs), a rear-roof solar array at 5 Maple, and clarified 7 Church sidelights. Dam removal begins Sept. 15. ⚖️
HDU Signs, Garage Revamp, and LED Spotlights Approved at Farmington Historic District Commission
Farmington Historic District Commission approves new signs for Noah Wallace School, tweaks a Church Street garage plan, and blesses LED spotlights for St. Patrick’s Church—all in one lively session.
Farmington TPZ Approves Land Trust Boardwalk, Red Oak Hill Home Expansion
Farmington TPZ approved removal of an eroding fishing platform to build an accessible boardwalk, widening the driveway, and a blasting permit for a 3,600 sq ft home on Red Oak Hill Road.
Enclave Development Plan Faces Design Scrutiny and Trail Demands in Farmington
Architectural reviewers weighed Crown Equities’ 65‑acre Enclave plan—townhomes, apartments, riverfront trails—and pressed for public space, mixed use, and river access in Farmington’s Midway District.
Farmington TPZ Debates Crown Equities’ 65‑Acre Midway District Plan
Farmington’s TPZ weighs a 65‑acre Crown Equities proposal mixing townhomes, apartments, and river‑view houses while traffic, schools, and a 100‑foot river buffer dominate the debate.