The commission unanimously approved two amendments to the zoning regulations.

The first pertained to small, illuminated signs displayed inside a business establishment used to identify commercial enterprises, places of worship, organizations and government establishments.

The zoning regulations will ensure the signs are compatible with surrounding land use and preserve the town's character.

George Benson, the town's director of Planning and Land Use, explained that the second amendment should reduce development timelines in Newtown by lowering the number of minor changes that need to come before the full board for approval.

Special exemptions are clearly defined in the amendment and focus on changes that have nothing to do with the structure of a building but are usually field adjustments on construction sites.

Engineering reasons usually necessitate these types of changes.

The town engineer, zoning enforcement officer and chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be responsible for verifying that changes are minor or whether they should be brought to the board.

The commission reviewed a map to discuss rezoning Route 6 from the Bethel town line to the Old Hawleyville Road intersection.

The area includes an assortment of zones and Chair Lilla J. Dean and Commissioner Robert Mulholland identified one large piece of property in the area that the commission might change from R2 to commercial.

The area contains a mix of homes and professional offices.

Ms. Dean said the homes in this area are not close to the road and there is not the same pressure to change the zoning. She said she thought the commission should leave well enough alone.

Mr. Mulholland said commissioners could consider Business & Professional Office zoning (BPO) for the property if an application came before the commission asking for commercial zoning.

The option would allow the commission to avoid "commercial creep" where the zoning would slowly changes without any controls.

The commission agreed with Ms. Dean and Mr. Mulholland's suggestions.

In order to finalize Newtown's contribution to the Geographic Information System, the commission discussed one last adjustment to zone lines.

Mr. Benson suggested drawing an artificial line through a property on Berkshire Road 1,000 feet from the road, to give surveyors something to measure if the property is ever developed. It would be a combination of R2/R1 zones.

He could not rationalize making the property all R1 and said this was a good compromise.

Commissioners said they would like to see a final drawing before approving the map.

Commissioner Richard English asked if the commission could specify trees to be left untouched during development.

He wanted to avoid situations where a developer clear-cuts land after the commission approves a plan.

Mr. Benson said the commission could specify this, but recommended the applicant be required to document the request on the map.

Ms. Dean read a judge's mandate pertaining to the Hunter Ridge subdivision. The judge wanted the commission to consider the impact of the development on the ecosystem.

Mr. Benson had already discussed the matter with Rob Sibley, deputy director of Planning and Land Use. The Inland Wetlands Commission has already approved the development.

Mr. Benson said the commission has already shown a willingness to accept the improvements that the developer has shown on the maps.

Ms. Dean said commissioners should walk the property and make themselves familiar with it because the way in which the land lies has some bearing on their decision.

The commission approved a one year extension of the completion deadline and a waiver of the commencement deadline for Phase II, Highland Plaza, 121, 123 & 125 South Main Street.

The commission also reviewed a concept for a small pedestrian shopping center proposed between Glen and Riverside Roads.

The concept is similar to Mystic Village in Mystic and the developers wanted feedback from the commission.

Mr. Mulholland expressed the opinion that it was a good idea and Ms. Dean said that, from a zoning standpoint, it lent itself to the style of the Sandy Hook Village District.