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WILTON — Wilton resident Sam Sadegi hopes he will be able to convince town planning and zoning officials to rezone his property despite opposition from nearby homeowners.

Sadegi owns property at 261 and 265 Danbury Road. Despite businesses operating on the two properties, including his business, Dave's Appliances, both parcels of land are zoned residential because of a zoning quirk.

But residents at the meeting were quick to voice their opposition to any moves which would change the property from what it is now.

Brian Colburn, one of about 10 Crowne Pond residents who attended the meeting, said changing the zone and introducing the possibility that new businesses could move in would threaten their safety. He said Route 7 is heavily traveled and a new business could bring more motorists pulling in and out of the area. Crowne Pond is a housing development which overlooks Sadegi's properties, across Route 7.

Sadegi said he understands their concerns, but noted that he isn't planning on erecting new buildings or opening a business which would bring more traffic to that busy section of Route 7.

"I'm not going to put a Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts there, it doesn't make sense," said Sadegi, pointing to the lack of space. "I just want to make it legal."

He decided to submit the zoning application after a jewelry business, which rented one of the buildings, left last year. Sadegi discovered it was going to be difficult for him to rent to a new business because of the residential zoning.

The two parcels of land are small, with 261 Danbury Road just under one third of an acre at 13,500 square feet and 265 Danbury Road at 7,000 square feet, or .18 of an acre.

Although there isn't any threat the businesses would have to close because they are considered "legal, non-conforming" by the town, Sadegi said he wants to ensure his properties are zoned as business.

Having them rezoned as GB (general business) would give him and his tenants more options on how they could advertise their business, he said.

Because of the residential zoning designation, he and his tenants face tougher restrictions on signs for their businesses, he said.

Town Planner Robert Nerney said he could not comment on Sadegi's application because it is still undergoing the public hearing process.

Sadegi bought the property at 265 Danbury Road in 1996 and three years later purchased the 261 Danbury Road property, where he and his wife and two sons currently live. It was an arrangement the previous owner also had.

"Alex Olexo, he was a lawyer, he had his office downstairs and lived upstairs and I do the same," said Sadegi.

A further complication for Sadegi is the Route 7 road widening, which will add two more lanes to the major thoroughfare.

His properties were already close to Route 7 before the project began, and now they're even closer, as the project has seen up to 25 feet of his frontage taken away by the state.

He's worried about the safety of his seven and five-year-old sons and is considering moving to another residence soon.

The public hearing on Sadegi's application continues at the Planning and Zoning Commission's next meeting on Monday, May 12.