Granby ZBA unanimously rejects shed dealer's outdoor display permit request

GRANBY -- April 1, 2025, Granby Zoning Board of Appeals rejects outdoor shed sales permit, citing bylaw with no granting authority. The five-member board voted unanimously April 1 to deny a petition from 185 West State Street LLC, doing business as Chateau Sheds, which had sought to sell and display prefabricated sheds, greenhouses, and similar structures on its general business zone property at 185 West State Street. Board Chair Gaffle Bronner said town counsel confirmed that Zoning Bylaw Section 3.5.19 contains no provision allowing the ZBA or any other municipal body to issue a special permit overriding the building commissioner's determination that outdoor display of goods and wares is prohibited. Member Steven Nally, who researched the definition of "goods and wares" across multiple sources, concluded the term was "so broad" it could not be interpreted to exclude outdoor structures. The denial starts a two-year bar on reapplication unless the Planning Board amends the bylaw through public hearings and a two-thirds town meeting vote, a process Bronner said she would urge Planning Board Chair Jim Frank to prioritize.