A helicopter could be your new neighbor if you live near 14 Bradway Pond Road.
At the February 15, 2024, Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC), the board turned its attention to the best way to handle a request to put in a helipad at 14 Bradway Pond Road. This is not an application formally before the PZC. Rather, the interested party’s attorney submitted a packet to the town suggesting that a helipad is an accepted accessory use of the property and that all it requires is approval by the Zoning Enforcement Officer (ZEO), Andrew Marchese. The town attorney said it was up to the ZEO to decide if this was actually an accessory use.
Marchese said he checked with the Assessor’s Office and confirmed that there are no other helipads in town. PZC Chair Dave Palmberg said he would like the board’s general thoughts on the issue.
Richard Shuck brought up accepted, but sometimes controversial accessory uses such as dirt bike paths and backyard shooting ranges. Noting that there are many more guns in Stafford than helicopters. While the board generally felt that Stafford residents are used to being left alone to do what they want with their own properties, Dr. David Mordasky noted that the helipad would be in a subdivision where neighbors certainly did not expect to be living near a helipad when they bought their homes. A helicopter taking off and landing could upset nearby animals, as well as their owners.
After much discussion about the different options available to the ZEO, the board decided to ask the homeowner’s attorney to propose a text amendment to the zoning regulations that would permit helipads as an accessory use of the property.
Text amendments require a public hearing – which also requires that nearby property owners be notified, which allows them to weigh in. That public hearing has not yet been scheduled, so stay tuned.
Comments