The Berlin
Cit itiz ize en Berlin’s Only Hometown Newspaper
Volume 15, Number 7
Thursday, Februar y 17, 2011
Woman files variance to keep pet goat at home By Olivia L. Lawrence The Berlin Citizen
Sheri Sala rescued Benny, a dwarf Nigerian goat, about five years ago. Now she’s fighting to keep him, and has filed a zoning variance in hopes of saving him once again. There is currently a cease and desist order against her. “He’s been raised as a dog. I bottle fed him since he was three weeks old,” Sala said.
“He’s domesticated. It would kill me to get rid of him. I need to fight for this animal.” December 2010, the zoning department was alerted to the situation — that Sala had a farm animal at her home at 452 New Britain Road, a residential area, not zoned for this use. Subsequently, Sala received a letter from Zoning Officer Monica Holloway stating she needed three
Citizen photo by Olivia L. Lawrence
In her backyard on New Britain Road, Sheri Sala visits with her pets; goat Benny and Tiny, a Pomeranian.
Special election Feb. 22 A special election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 22, to fill a state senate vacancy for the 6th District. The candidates are Democrat Theresa Bielinski Gerratana, a former state legislator, and Republican Timothy Stewart, currently mayor of New Britain. All six polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. The deadline for registering to vote is noon Friday, Feb. 18. You must register in person at the Registrar of Voters office at Town Hall. For election results check The Citizen’s website www.berlincitizen.com.
acres to keep a goat and that she had 30 days to place Benny elsewhere, unless she filed a variance. Sala has about 7,500 square feet of property. Regulations regarding keeping farm animals require approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals even if one has the requisite amount of land. Goats are named specifically in the regulations, along with other animals such as horses and cows. Animals can only be kept for personal use “as an accessory use to a residence” and not for commercial means. Benny is neutered, dehorned and has all his shots, even ones that aren’t mandatory, Sala said. While Benny was tiny as a kid, and expected to grow to only 30 or 40 pounds, now he appears to be pushing the size limits of a purebred dwarf Nigerian, which can be no more than 23 inches at the withers for a male. By state statute, in order to gain a variance, a person must demonstrate hardship in regards to his or her situation, a standard that has a high threshold for meeting that situation. See Goat, page 7
When it comes to following his dreams, Mike Sorrentino doesn’t let detractors get in the way. “Whatever you’re interested in, keep going after it,” he said. “If you really want to make something happen, just keep doing whatever you have to do to drive it forward and you’ll find a way.”
BHS alum helps bring ‘edgy fishing show’ to TV By Nick Carroll The Berlin Citizen Mike Sorrentino, one of the driving forces behind the Sportsman Channel’s “Hook, Line & Skillet”, describes the program as an “edgy fishing show.”
“We’ve decided to combine the fun travel of Anthony Bourdain, with an educational fishing show, and the fun part of preparing and eating food that you see on The Food ChanSee Show, page 6
Prince of Peace church thrives at 50 By Karen Brancato Special to The Citizen Feb. 19, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church will celebrate the 50thanniversary of its inaugural worship service. The story of the church began when 18 people planned Berlin’s first Lutheran service, held at Willard School, and attended by 184 people. From these humble beginnings, Prince of Peace now has “approximately 200 parishioners and is growing with young families,” according to Pastor Frederick Raap.
Land on the Chamberlain Highway, to build a church, was purchased in 1964, and a parsonage on Stockings Brook Road was bought in 1965. The church was built, and a dedication service was held Aug. 17, 1969. There were 77 charter members. In time, the congregation longed to add space for its growing ministry. A “Celebration of Praise and Dedication” was held May 16, 1999. With architectural plans designed by Brian Humes of Kensing-
See Church, page 5