TL;DR — the short version
- →The meeting opened with several minutes of Zoom technical chaos — muted mics, feedback, a member's phone as backup speaker
- →New board leadership: Cheryl as Chair, John Ganon as Vice Chair, Crystal as Clerk
- →Two continued hearings pushed to May 18 — applicants who drove in were sent home without decisions
- →New restaurant wants 45 seats at 211 Route 9 — still under appeal
- →Rye, NY property owner seeking after-the-fact approval for lakefront expansion at Lake Raponda
- →Cold Brook Properties wants 5 lodging cabins and 15 bedrooms on Coldbrook Road — deliberations underway
The Cast
Act I: The tech nightmare
The drama started before the first agenda item. The board's Zoom connection refused to cooperate — muted microphones, feedback loops, frantic troubleshooting. At one point, they were routing audio through a board member's personal phone just to hear the people on the call.
It took the better part of ten minutes to establish something resembling a functional meeting. For a board that handles complex land-use decisions affecting real people's property and money, the technical infrastructure deserves better.
They made it work. They always do.
Act II: Reorganization and a surprise check
Once the chaos settled, the board held its annual reorganization. Cheryl was elected Chair, John Ganon as Vice Chair, Crystal as Clerk.
Then Stephen Chilla walked in — not to argue his case, but to drop off a $10,200 check for a wastewater permit. A brief, practical reminder that even in a small Vermont town, the stakes of zoning are very real.
Act III: The scheduling soap opera
The continued hearings turned into an awkward dance of apologies and calendar juggling. Two applications had to be pushed — applicants who had driven significant distances found themselves sent home without decisions, due to missing documentation or pending state-level requirements.
The board landed on May 18th for the Route 9 appeal after navigating around everyone's vacations and travel schedules. It was the kind of bureaucratic friction that's nobody's fault and everybody's frustration.
The cases on the docket
Application 2025-167 · Continued
211 Route 9 East — New restaurant, 45 seats
Applicant VT 211 LLC (Steven Chila and Joe Garra, New Fairfield CT) is seeking conditional approval to open a restaurant in an existing mixed-use commercial structure. Maximum occupancy: 45. Parking on-site in the Commercial/Residential zone. The hearing on the original DRB decision is under appeal.
Continued to May 18Application 2025-138 · After-the-fact · Continued
220 Lake Raponda Road — Lakefront expansion, Rye NY owners
Nicholas and Heather Oldfield (Rye, NY) are seeking after-the-fact approval for completed work on their Lake Raponda property: a larger front staircase, increased building footprint and deck area, added height, and a new basement laundry room. The expansion encroaches further into the rear setback and the Shoreland Protection Area adds a layer of scrutiny.
Continued — date TBDApplication 2026-014 · Main Event
441 Coldbrook Road — 5 lodging cabins, 15 bedrooms
Cold Brook Properties LLC is proposing to expand an existing lodging facility in Wilmington's Residential zone. Five new cabins totaling 15 bedrooms, with appurtenant driveways, wastewater systems, and potable water utilities. Agent Jacob Moore represented the applicant through a mix of phone-speaker audio and genuine preparation.
The board grilled Moore on bedroom counts, new wells, wastewater capacity, noise ordinances, and pedestrian safety signage. Moore navigated it methodically.
Hearing closed · Decision within 45 daysThe cliffhanger
The board moved into private deliberations on the Coldbrook Road application, leaving the fate of 15 new lodging bedrooms unresolved. The official decision will be released within 45 days.
It's the kind of decision that will quietly shape what Wilmington's residential areas look like for the next decade. Five cabins isn't a resort — but it's a signal of appetite. And the board's response to that signal will tell you something about how the town sees its own future.
A classic local government showdown — technical failures, neighborly tensions, and the relentless grind of zoning doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
Recap by brbVT Civic Staff · April 6, 2026 · Based on the full meeting recording published by the Town of Wilmington, Vermont. DRB decisions are official only when issued in writing by the board.