Greenwich Restaurant Expansion Approved By P&Z, With Conditions

GREENWICH, CT — Fans of Bella Nonna Restaurant & Pizza may soon have more room to sit and enjoy their meal, as the Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved an application, with conditions, to expand the restaurant's current space on Railroad Avenue.

According to documents submitted to the town's Planning and Zoning Commission late last month, the property's owner submitted an application to convert 300 square feet of adjacent retail space to restaurant use and connect it to the existing restaurant.

Attorney Christopher Bristol discussed the plans, on behalf of the owners of the property and the restaurant, during the commission's Nov. 5 meeting.

The planned expansion would add five more tables to the restaurant's dining area and allow more space for existing tables, according to the application.

See also: Greenwich's Bella Nonna Restaurant & Pizza Wants To Expand

"The proposal is to have 29 seats, but basically spread them out a bit between the two areas," Bristol said during the meeting.

He also noted the restaurant does "much more" takeout business than in-store dining, and the extra space would mainly be used for private gatherings.

The restaurant's kitchen and service facilities would be unaffected by the expansion.

Some commission members expressed concerns about parking at the building, which accommodates other businesses. Bristol noted there were about 150 parking spaces onsite, including parking behind the building and about 60 garage spaces underneath it.

"Understanding that parking is an issue," Bristol said, "we're only asking for the number of seats which work within the space to not change the parking."

Bristol said the extra parking needed for the expansion would be the equivalent of what they already are for the existing retail space the restaurant hopes to expand into.

Commission chair Margarita Alban noted she was unaware of the garage spaces, which can be accessed from Railroad Avenue.

"All things considered, I thought [the expansion] was a good and worthwhile thing to do," Bristol said. "It's a small business, it's a local business, and again we're only asking for the number of seats that work with the parking numbers and the area numbers that we have."

The commission ultimately approved the application with some conditions, including that staff coordinate with the health department regarding the revised approved seating plan.

According to Jacalyn Pruitt, the staff person for the project, the applicant will receive further approval from the commission once those conditions are addressed, and the application will then go through the Zoning Enforcement and Building Inspection departments.

According to their website, Bella Nonna has been coined by residents as a "hidden neighborhood gem" in Greenwich. Offering authentic Italian cuisine, pizza and more, the restaurant offers dine-in, takeout and delivery options.