The Planning and Zoning Commission has delayed action on an application to remediate work done by Benjamin Shiff, principal of Love Simply, LLC, at 24 Greenwoods Road West, next to Infinity Hall.
Shiff, who owns both that building and the former pizza shop at 32 Greenwoods Road West, was cited in 2023 for changing the exterior of the building without getting a special permit. Efforts by land use officials since then to bring the building into compliance have been unsuccessful.
Shiff was represented at the P&Z’s Tuesday night meeting by Jack Hollihan of Canaan, who described himself as Shiff’s friend and landlord. He previously said he is trying to help Shiff resolve the zoning violation and the fines that have been levied.
The P&Z members closely questioned Hollihan about the plans to replace the windows removed and boarded up by Shiff. Shiff is proposing to use 12-over-12-pane windows in keeping with the style of the turn-of-the-last-century building, but commission members did not like his plan to leave the lower-level windows on the south side boarded up and to cover them with clapboard.
Members eventually moved and seconded approval of the plan, but with the lower-level windows to be restored. Before a vote could be taken, however, discussion turned to the continuing violation and the fines that continue to accrue.
Commission chairman Christopher Schaut said the fines and the restoration are separate issues, but members questioned what would happen if they approved the restoration plan and then the work not completed. They also wondered whether they could force completion of the work in a timely fashion.
“It begs the question of whether we should vote on this,” said vice chairman Ned Barron. “I want to vote on this, but this is a loose thread.”
In the end, the commission asked Zoning Enforcement Officer Stacey Sefcik to seek a legal opinion about the issue, and it set a special meeting for Thursday, October 23, at 6:30 p.m.