A new, non-binding pre-application has been filed with the Planning & Zoning Commission for PAWS of Greenwich LLC to operate a dog grooming, training, day care and boarding facility for dogs, and the sale of related pet products, at 1340 East Putnam Ave.
The property is owned by 1340 East Putnam Avenue LLC, which is registered to Lawrence and Jennifer Goichman of Greenwich.
According to a letter to P&Z Director Katie DeLuca from the applicant’s attorney Chip Haslun, the principals of PAWS of Greenwich, Greenwich residents Jessica DelGuercio and Brian Levinson, have established themselves as trusted local pet care professionals.
Mr. Haslun said the goal of the applicants is to “provide exceptional pet care services at this one location on the eastern end of the Post Road in the LB zone, which zone permits such uses by site plan and special permit approval from the commission.”
They propose to operate from 7:00am to 7:00pm, with day care drop-off and pick-up from 7:00am to 9:00pm and 4:00pm to 7:00pm respectively.
Services will be offered by prior appointment only.
Valet transportation will also be offered, which Haslun said would reduce traffic and ease demand on the existing 12 parking spaces, which are shared by the neighboring Magic Touch dry cleaner and Curry & Hurry.
The building is non-conforming with just 12 parking spaces, where 42 would be required in the underlying zone.
The one story building dates back to 1975.
The total square footage will remain at 8,324, though alterations are proposed. Almost triple the sq footage – 21,780 – are permitted in the LB zone. The property is .51 acres.
The building is one story, though if it were redeveloped and submitted under the updated 6-110 regulation it could be 3 or 3-1/2 stories high depending on the number of below market rate units offered in exchange for the incentives.
Attorney Haslun said the applicant looked forward to presenting the pre-application at the next available hearing.
Note to readers: This is a pre-application, and has yet to be scheduled for a meeting agenda, so P&Z commission and town planner are unable to answer questions at this time.
The time to comment or ask questions is if and when the application is scheduled for a public P&Z meeting. The idea of a pre-application is to dedicate about 20 minutes to the item during a P&Z meeting so the applicant gets enough feedback to determine whether to pursue an application.
Per CT Gen Stat § 7-159b (2013) pre-applications are non binding.They may not be appealed under any provision of the general statutes, and shall not be binding on the applicant or any authority, commission, department, agency or other official having jurisdiction to review the proposed project.