Stonington - A proposal to build an addition to the rear of the Old Lighthouse Museum and another to hold the winter version of the Stonington Farmers Market inside the American Velvet Mill will come before two borough agencies for approval next week.

The owner of the museum, the Stonington Historical Society, is slated to outline its request for a variance to the Zoning Board of Appeals when it holds a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 15 at Borough Hall.

The society needs a variance for the 827-square-foot glass enclosed addition because a museum is a nonconforming use in the residential zone where it is located, and a variance is needed to expand a nonconforming use. The project meets other zoning requirements for items such as lot coverage and setbacks. If approved by the ZBA, the historical society would then need the approval of the Planning and Zoning Commission.

In its application, the society said the "modestly sized" addition to the 2,442-square-foot museum provides a properly sized entrance lobby as well as handicapped access and bathrooms. The application adds that the addition is not intended to intensify the facility's use as a museum.

The lobby would overlook Little Narragansett Bay and Sandy Point and create a ticket, shop and exhibit area. A crushed stone path would lead to a terrace off the lobby. The project also includes climate control measures for the collection.

On Aug.13, the borough Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on a special permit request by Velvet Mill Equities to host the farmers market on Saturdays from November through April. The hearing will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Borough Hall.

In past years, the winter market was held in the auditorium of the Stonington Community Center. Parking was limited as the COMO also runs a popular youth basketball league on Saturday mornings. In the warm weather months, the market is held at the Town Dock.

The application for the market, which is run by the Stonington Village Improvement Association, states it would run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. while vendors would begin setting up at 9 a.m. and break down their displays until 2 p.m. There is large amount of on-site parking at the mill and there would be direct access to the mill from Bayview Avenue.

In a letter to the commission, farmers market Chairwoman Julia Roberts wrote that for the past 15 years, the market has given small farms, food producers and artisans who aren't large enough to have their own retail outlets or be in grocery stores the opportunity to sell Connecticut grown and made items.

Roberts is also the chairwoman of the commission, so she will have to recuse herself from participating in the hearing and in the subsequent vote.

She added in her letter that people come to the market to not only shop and talk to the farmers but also to catch up with neighbors and friends.

"It's become a unique community event," she wrote.

Her letter was signed by 24 vendors from the market.

j.wojtas@theday.com