The question of whether the town will change zoning laws to allow restaurants to serve beer and wine within 500 feet of a school is still brewing, with a public hearing set to continue Feb. 18.

At the Feb. 4 Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) meeting, a continued public hearing on the matter drew about a dozen people to give input; and the PZC decided to continue the hearing to its next meeting, Feb. 18, said Town Engineer Kurt Weiss.

"They took comments and continued the public hearing to the next Planning and Zoning Commission meeting in order to get more input," said Weiss. "They're not in a rush and want to give people as much of an opportunity as possible to comment."

The hearing continues Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m. at North Branford Town Hall.

When it comes to separating alcohol service from the vicinity of a  school, playground, church, or synagogue, current zoning requires a minimum distance of 500 feet or more for businesses with "liquor, wine, beer, and or ale sold at retail for consumption on or off premises." If a divided highway separates the business from a school, playground, church, or synagogue, zoning laws call for a distance requirement of at least 400 feet.

The Town of North Branford is the applicant seeking the zoning language text amendment. If adopted, any interested business fitting the new distance description would be required to apply for a special permit which would involve a public hearing.

As previously reported at Zip06, Town Planner Carey Duques confirmed one new business affected by the amendment would be the newly constructed Pacileo's Apizza & Pasta restaurant, now open on Foxon Road at the intersection of Merrick Road. Property belonging to Jerome Harrison Elementary School, including a fenced-in playing field and playground area, is across the street at the Merrick Road intersection.

See the full story at this link  http://www.zip06.com/news/20160131/nb-mulls-restaurant-beer-wine-served-closer-to-schools