Planning Board Subs Agree to Hear Controversial Zoning Board Application

Two of the three members of Manchester's asked to fill the vacancies left on the zoning board after four members recused themselves from the Manchester Rehab Realty application have accepted the assignment. 

Planning board alternate Christina Edwards and member Sanford Krasky said at the body's regular monthly meeting on Tuesday night that they will fill the openings left when Karen Vaccaro, Hank Glen, William Cook and Phil Salvia recused themselves from hearing the application at the zoning board's August regular meeting because they live in Renaissance, a senior community near the proposed facility site at 3086 Ridgeway Road where the bulk of those opposing the center reside.

Pro temp member David Borowski was absent from the planning board's Tuesday meeting, but will be asked to fill in. 

Replacements must be Class IV planning board members, meaning that they were mayoral appointments.

Though four zoning board members recused themselves, only three replacements are needed to reach the minimum required for a vote.

"If [Borowski] is not available, then we have a situation," said planning board coordinator Marianne Borthwick. 

"If for some reason we need to go beyond these, can we go into the next class?" questioned planning board alternate attorney Christina Faustina, who was filling in for regular attorney Edward Lister. She said that she will research and report the procedure to the board within the next few days.

Renaissance residents only began actively opposing the application in July after a word-of-mouth campaign , which is why these board members did not recuse themselves earlier. 

In August, Zoning board attorney Christopher Reid said that, since a variance approval , members of the planning board will be used to fill in the empty seats. They will listen to all of the already recorded testimony and attend future zoning board meetings, he said.

The application for the $25 million facility has  with those living nearby since it requires a variance as the land is zoned as residential. Some nearby also worry that the facility could one day be used for drug and alcohol rehabilitation, even though Manchester Rehab Realty has not applied for those usages and could not offer those services without again going through the application process.

The zoning board's next meeting is set for Sept. 22 at unless otherwise changed, though proper notice would be given in that case, said secretary Darlene Garcia.