Newington panel backs radio tower, warehouse plan

Planning and Zoning · Meeting of October 14, 2026

Newington's Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously backed a decade-in-the-making emergency radio tower and a Woodgrain warehouse expansion at its October 14 meeting. The commission issued a favorable referral under Connecticut General Statutes Section 8-24 for a 180-foot communications tower on East Cedar Street, with Fire Chief Jeff Traumer calling the current Callahan Acres site "in dire need of an upgrade." Commissioners also approved nine new loading docks at Woodgrain Building Products' 407 Alumni Road warehouse, a project General Manager Troy Mittler said could bring 75 to 100 new jobs, and granted a special permit letting Hello Fitness relocate within a Berlin Turnpike medical plaza. A pre-application for an auto repair shop at the former Boston Market site drew pushback over bay doors facing Superior Avenue, which Commissioner Woods noted would otherwise face residential homes if moved to comply with regulations.

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 2,708 words

Source: the Planning and Zoning meeting of October 14, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

The Full Article

Introduction of New Town Planner

Background and stakes: Newington's town planner position had an opening the commission needed filled; Brittany McGilton started one week before the meeting.

The commission opened by introducing McGilton as the town's new town planner. She introduced herself briefly, noting it was her "week anniversary" on the job, and the chairman welcomed her aboard. No substantive business attached to the introduction; it set up her later report on open-space parcel inventory work.

Zoning Enforcement Officer Report

Background and stakes: The zoning office routinely briefs the commission on enforcement activity and pending litigation before each meeting.

Assistant Town Planner Eric Hinkley told commissioners he remains in litigation on two matters and has a hearing scheduled for the following Monday on the Stam Road case. He also flagged that letters complaining about blight conditions had circulated among Elton Drive residents, apparently sent by one resident of that street to others, and said his office had not received a formal complaint of its own but would follow up if one arrived. Commissioner Harpy asked about a separate complaint referencing Alumni Road; Hinkley confirmed it involved a storage facility that expanded its parking lot without an approved site plan, following what he believed was a recent fire at the site, and said the owner is working on a new plan. No vote was associated with this report; it was informational.

Public Hearing: Fitness Facility Special Permit, TPZ 26-20

Background and stakes: Petition TPZ 26-20 sought a special permit under Section 3.15.6 to operate a fitness facility at 2278 Berlin Turnpike, also addressed as 2272-2286 Berlin Turnpike, in the Business Berlin Turnpike CBT zone. The site was previously approved for medical uses only, requiring a special permit to add a fitness use.

The question before the body: whether to approve a special permit allowing a fitness facility inside an existing medical-use building.

Substantive content: Applicant contact Parth Patel, identified as manager for owner Siva Sedan LLC, told the commission the plan involves relocating an existing Newington business, Hello Fitness, into about 4,000 square feet of previously unused space within a plaza that also houses a walk-in clinic, a Quest diagnostics lab, a pharmacy and the cannabis dispensary Fine Fettle. The chairman noted ample existing parking and said the use appeared to be largely a relocation of an operating business rather than a new use.

The deliberation: Commissioner Harpy asked Patel whether the business had applied for any new state licensing associated with relocating to a different address. Patel said he did not believe new licensing was required. "I don't think, no, I don't think you have to do that," Patel said, prompting Harpy to note, "I'm just trying to save you any headaches if something comes up." No other commissioners had questions. During public comment, Nicole Andriotta of 230 Baybury Road, Manchester, and Ben Andriotta, identified as one of the owners of Hello Fitness, both spoke in favor of the relocation.

Procedural steps and outcome: A commissioner moved to close the public hearing on TPZ 26-20; the motion was seconded and approved unanimously on a voice vote. Later in the meeting, once the item returned under old business for formal action, a motion to approve the special permit was made and seconded, with the stated reason that "this application meets the requirements of the Newington zoning regulations." The vote was unanimous.

Implications and what is next: Hello Fitness can now complete its relocation within the same commercial plaza; no further commission action is required for this petition.

New Business: Warehouse Expansion at Woodgrain Building Products, TPZ 26-19

Background and stakes: Petition TPZ 26-19 is a site plan modification under Section 5.3.9 to add nine loading docks at an industrial building at 407 Alumni Road, addressed alternately as 353-407 Alumni Road, in the Industrial I zone. The applicant and owner is WG Newington LLC; Woodgrain Building Products recently purchased the roughly 612,000-square-foot building and occupies about two-thirds of it, with the remainder leased to Corsicana Mattress and a tenant identified as Piho.

The question before the body: whether to approve the site plan modification allowing the loading dock additions, parking reconfiguration and related stormwater and landscaping changes.

Substantive content: Project manager Gareth Wilson of BL Companies, 355 Research Parkway in Meriden, presented the plan alongside Woodgrain General Manager Troy Mittler. The project adds three loading docks on the receiving side of the building, where 10 already exist, and six new docks on the opposite, previously dock-less side, bringing the total to 19. The plan reduces impervious coverage overall by lowering grade around sunken loading dock areas and adding landscaping, while reconfiguring the existing parking lot. Parking will total 339 spaces, which Wilson said is 74 more than required based on an estimated maximum of 140 employees across projected new hiring of 75 to 100 workers. Wilson said the project anticipates an increase in truck traffic of about seven inbound and 15 outbound trucks per day, operating primarily as a single Monday-through-Friday shift from roughly 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for warehouse staff and until about 5 p.m. for office staff, with minimal weekend activity. Of the three tenants in the building, Woodgrain occupies approximately 410,000 square feet, Corsicana Mattress about 157,000 square feet, and Piho about 44,000 square feet.

The deliberation: Commissioner Harpy asked about outdoor pallet storage directly against the building, saying it raised fire safety concerns, and asked whether the fire department had reviewed the project. Mittler said the fire marshal would be contacting the applicant and that the company does not intend to keep permanent storage against the building once construction and parking-lot repaving are complete. "It really wouldn't be efficient to operate like that," Mittler said. Commissioner Fox asked how delivery trucks, including vehicles up to 18-wheelers, would access the site given a state-installed right-in, right-out restriction on nearby Cedar Street; Wilson confirmed trucks already operate from the site daily via Alumni Road. Commissioner Woods asked detailed questions about whether interior loading docks built roughly a decade ago, when a prior tenant (Davidson, a jeans importer, since departed) occupied part of the building, remained available; Wilson and Mittler said any interior docks that exist are associated with Corsicana Mattress's space, not Woodgrain's.

Procedural steps and outcome: A commissioner moved to approve the site plan modification "including the addition of nine loading docks," stating the application meets town zoning regulation requirements. The motion was seconded and approved unanimously.

Implications and what is next: The approval allows Woodgrain to proceed with construction of the additional loading docks and parking lot reconfiguration; the commission asked that the fire department separately review outdoor storage practices as the project proceeds.

8-24 Referral: Emergency Radio Communications Tower, TPZ 26-21

Background and stakes: Petition TPZ 26-21 is a referral under Connecticut General Statutes Section 8-24 for municipal approval of a proposed emergency communications tower site. According to Fire Chief Jeff Traumer, Newington has spent roughly five years upgrading its communications systems, with portions of emergency communications shifting to a state network while critical local infrastructure remains housed at an aging site at Callahan Acres. Traumer said a consultant evaluated alternative sites, and town staff, including Scott Sharlow of the town administration, later identified a town-owned parcel in the East Cedar Street right-of-way, deeded to the town decades earlier, as a viable option.

The question before the body: whether to issue a favorable 8-24 referral recommending the East Cedar Street site for a new communications tower, with final decision authority resting with the town council.

Substantive content: The presentation, delivered jointly by Traumer and a Newington Police Department sergeant identified only as Brendan, described a proposed lattice tower roughly 180 feet tall on a triangular foundation, paired with a 27-by-12-foot equipment shelter, using a site draft prepared by the town engineer, identified as Chris Abidio. The presenters said theoretical coverage modeling predicts performance "as good or better" than the current site, within a margin they characterized as potentially a rounding error between VHF and UHF band comparisons. The team is targeting completion in the third quarter of 2027, pending regulatory approvals, and said the new shelter would replace a facility currently cooled only by a window air conditioning unit.

The deliberation: Commissioner Harpy asked whether there would be any gap in coverage during the transition. "So, your goal would be to go seamless if you can accomplish that?" Harpy asked. Traumer and Brendan said that if a parallel Board of Education communications upgrade aligns with the new site's construction, the systems could migrate with minimal interruption, with contingency plans in place for fire and EMS dispatch in the interim. Commissioner Woods asked whether the new tower would eliminate existing dead spots in that part of town; the presenters said they could not say definitively but that modeling predicts coverage at least on par with current service. Commissioner Miner confirmed the town, not a private vendor, would own the resulting tower.

Procedural steps and outcome: A commissioner moved to issue a favorable referral for the East Cedar Street location, stating the referral "does not conflict with the POCD and finds general support for upgrading facilities to meet community needs." The motion was seconded and approved unanimously on a roll-call vote. The chairman noted the referral now returns to the town council for further action, since the commission's role is advisory under the 8-24 process.

Implications and what is next: The town council will next take up the referral; the fire and police departments are targeting a third-quarter 2027 completion if the project proceeds through remaining regulatory steps.

Pre-Application Review: Proposed Auto Service Facility, TPZ 26-22

Background and stakes: Petition TPZ 26-22 is a pre-application review, not a filed application, for a special permit allowing a motor vehicle service use at 2495 Berlin Turnpike, the site of a former Boston Market restaurant, in the Berlin Turnpike Business BVT zone. Pre-application reviews let applicants get informal commission feedback before filing a formal special permit request.

The question before the body: whether to offer informal feedback on site design issues, including bay door orientation and parking, ahead of a future formal application.

Substantive content: Engineer Taylor Capel of Solley Engineering, 993 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford, representing applicant Liscotti Development and owner Venice Take 5 CT LLC, presented a concept plan to demolish the former restaurant and build a roughly 10,374-square-foot auto service facility with three service bays. The plan would provide 32 parking spaces, based on Capel's calculation, though the town's zoning regulations do not establish a specific parking standard for motor vehicle service uses, leaving the count to commission discretion. The plan maintains two existing curb cuts, an entrance-only drive off Superior Avenue and a full-movement drive on Kitts Lane, and keeps the building more than 100 feet from residential properties to the west, meeting a regulation requiring a minimum 100-foot buffer for motor vehicle service uses near residential zones. Assistant Town Planner Eric Hinkley noted the project will also need to address a state requirement for electric-vehicle charging infrastructure in at least 10 percent of parking spaces for redevelopment projects.

The deliberation: The central dispute concerned the plan's three service bay doors, proposed to face Superior Avenue to the south. Hinkley said town regulations bar overhead doors from facing a public street, which would normally push the doors toward the western, residential side of the property instead. Commissioner Woods summarized the conflict: "If we follow the regulations by the letter of the law and put the overhead doors in the back, then our overhead doors are actually facing the residential neighborhood." Hinkley told the applicant the commission has no authority to waive its own regulations and that the options are to seek a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, amend the zoning regulations, or relocate the doors, potentially by reorienting the building. Commissioner Miner and Woods both said they supported the project in concept but wanted the door issue resolved before a formal filing; Woods suggested shifting the building southward and placing the doors on the north side facing Kitts Lane instead. Commissioners also discussed whether completed vehicles awaiting pickup could be parked in the westerly lot without violating the 100-foot residential buffer; Capel said the applicant could instead designate that area as employee parking to avoid the conflict.

Procedural steps and outcome: No vote was taken, consistent with the item's pre-application status. Commissioners offered their informal views: Woods said he was "not opposed" to the use but wanted the door orientation resolved; Miner said the proposal would be "a far better utilization of the property than it currently sits." Capel confirmed the applicant does not intend to seek a sales license, only a repair license, and does not plan vehicle sales on site.

Implications and what is next: Liscotti Development must resolve the bay-door orientation, either by redesigning the building layout or pursuing a Zoning Board of Appeals variance, before filing a formal special permit application, which would trigger a public hearing with additional public comment.

Old Business and Staff Updates

Town Planner Brittany McGilton reported that staff, including Charlotte and Eric Hinkley, are updating the town's inventory of open space parcels with assistance from the town's GIS team, with results expected by the next meeting or shortly after. She indicated a special meeting focused on open space may be scheduled in the future. The chairman thanked Hinkley for his work covering recent vacancies and again welcomed McGilton. He also thanked the police and fire departments and the town council for their work on the radio tower project, calling it "a very important issue to the town residents" and "a safety issue."

Commissioners present and participating: Commissioner Harpy, Commissioner Fox, Commissioner Gill, Commissioner Kane, Commissioner Davis, Commissioner Morales, Commissioner Miner, Commissioner Woods, Commissioner Pasquarelli. The commission's chairman presided but was not identified by name in the available sources. No absences were stated in the transcript.

Staff in attendance: Assistant Town Planner Eric Hinkley; Town Planner Brittany McGilton, in her first meeting in the role; a staff member referred to only as Noreen, who conducted the roll call.

Public commenters: Nicole Andriotta, 230 Baybury Road, Manchester, speaking in favor of the Hello Fitness relocation as a co-owner of the business; Ben Andriotta, identified similarly, also speaking in favor.

Outside parties: Parth Patel, manager for owner Siva Sedan LLC, applicant for the fitness facility special permit; Gareth Wilson, project manager, BL Companies, representing WG Newington LLC on the warehouse expansion; Troy Mittler, general manager, Woodgrain Building Products; Newington Fire Chief Jeff Traumer and a Newington Police Department sergeant identified only as Brendan, presenting the radio tower referral; Taylor Capel, engineer with Solley Engineering, representing Liscotti Development on the pre-application auto service facility; Chad Brubaker, with Liscotti Development, participating by video for the same item.

Newington Zoning Regulations, Section 3.15.6 — special permit basis cited for the fitness facility petition, TPZ 26-20.

Newington Zoning Regulations, Section 5.3.9 — site plan modification basis cited for the warehouse expansion, TPZ 26-19.

Newington Zoning Regulations, Section 611.5 — residential buffer requirement for motor vehicle service uses, cited in the TPZ 26-22 pre-application discussion.

Connecticut General Statutes Section 8-24 — statutory basis for the municipal referral process applied to the radio tower petition, TPZ 26-21.

Newington Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) — cited in the commission's stated reason for approving the radio tower referral.

Motorola — consulting company referenced by Fire Chief Traumer as having evaluated the existing Callahan Acres communications site during the town's multiyear system upgrade.

Eversource — utility referenced by presenters as having been consulted on service availability for the proposed radio tower site.

BL Companies — engineering firm representing WG Newington LLC on the Alumni Road warehouse expansion.

Solley Engineering — engineering firm representing Liscotti Development on the proposed 2495 Berlin Turnpike auto service facility.

Woodgrain Building Products — applicant tenant occupying roughly two-thirds of the 407 Alumni Road building, seeking the loading dock expansion.

Corsicana Mattress and Piho — co-tenants of the 407 Alumni Road building referenced in discussion of interior loading docks and building square footage.

Hello Fitness and Fine Fettle — businesses referenced in the Berlin Turnpike fitness facility relocation discussion.