New Haven Independent

It may not look as if it’s jumping with activity, yet the old U.S. Steel warehouse on Wheeler Avenue north of Forbes, in the port district, is growing popular, even though many of the companies don’t appear to have much to do with things maritime. Nearly a dozen companies rent space in this building. A-One Recycling is about to join them.

At Wednesday’s City Plan Commission meeting, the Branford-based company gained approval to rent the last remaining 5,000 square feet of space, with a few minor conditions. The real question aired was not environmental but, for the company, economic: Whether A-One, which bales cardboard and plastics for recycling, was fully aware of New Haven’s new Municipal Solid Waste Authority and the pertaining ordinance.

Its profits are at stake: The new ordinance requires all trash and recycling activity within our fair city to be handled by the MSWA.

City Engineer Richard Miller,pointedly asked A-One’s attorney, Richard Parzych, if he were aware of the new ordinance. The counselor replied, “It’s relatively new, yes, and we’ll look into it.”

For previous stories about the establishment of the authority and its workings, click here and here.

Commission member Roland Lemar said that he earnestly hopes A-One had taken that into account in its business plan. The MSWA — which he as an alderman helped to establish in part to plug a budget hole — would not permit A-One to have customers in New Haven.

“Oh, that shouldn’t be a problem,” said Parzych (pictured), after the hearing, “because most of my clients customers are commercial entities located outside of the city. However, we’ll check the ordinance to see if it pertains.”

He did not know, for example, whether the ordinance pertains to trash generated by the city — that is, municipal operations, or any trash, generated within the city limits.

Although the authority is not fully up and running, the state Supreme Court has upheld the right of a municipality to require that all trash and recycling within its own city limits be processed by a city-owned facility.

Parzych described his operation as mainly collecting and bailing of cardboard and plastics from 40-foot van-style trucks that make between five and ten trips to the 100 Wheeler Street address per day. One of the commissioners’ concerns, pollution through idling engines, was allayed because the trucks will not line up on the street; they will go directly to a loading dock and turn off their engines. All the activity takes place, in addition, inside the warehouse.

Commission zoning expert Tom Talbot indicated the permit is good for only five years. Any expansion of space beyond the 5,000 square feet would require another appearance before the CPC.

With an additional condition, namely, that A-One comply with all local ordinances, the application was approved unanimously.

Among the other occupants of the facility are construction companies, and electrical contractors, including Sunoco, many of whom utilize the space for vehicle storage.