nothin New Haven Independent | IW Costco Hearings Slated For November

IW Costco Hearings Slated For November

Diana Stricker Photo

Commissioners Botta, Shapiro, Rusatsky, and Killelea.

The Inland Wetland Commission (IWC) scheduled three public hearings on Nov. 12 for the Costco retail complex after the commissioners made a three-hour site walk of the 44 acres, heard an informal presentation, and discussed the need to hire consultants to review the three applications.

Since large crowds are anticipated, the 7:30 p.m. hearings on Nov. 12 will be held at Branford Fire Headquarters, instead of the Canoe Brook Senior Center.

The developers submitted a site plan application for each of the three undeveloped properties in the Planned Development District (PDD). Wayne Cooke and the Cooke family corporations own a 22.36-acre site where Costco plans to build; Charles E. Weber Jr. and Al Secondino, and their 595 Corporate Circle corporation, own a 16.56-acre parcel where six buildings are proposed;  and trustee Peter G. Mandragouras, owns a 1.73 acre site, where one building is proposed.

Another Weber and Secondino corporation, Orchard Hill Partners LLC,  filed notice with the town that it has an option to purchase the Cooke family parcel where Costco is proposed to be built.  The option is in effect until March 29, 2017.  The land has been appraised at $3,010,800 according to town records.

Attorney Thomas Cody, of the Robinson & Cole law firm in Hartford, who represents Costco, suggested the commission could hold one combined public hearing and then make three separate decisions. “A combined public hearing would be more efficient,” Cody said at last week’s IWC meeting.

Diana Ross, the Inland Wetlands Environmental Director, said town attorney Bill Aniskovich advised the commission to hold three separate hearings.

“We really have to hold three hearings so the evidence for each one is clear,” said IWC chair Daniel Shapiro.

Cody introduced attorney Joy Moore, of Carroll, Curseaden & Moore LLC, in Milford, who will represent the other two properties—- Weber’s 595 Corporate Circle corporation site; and the trustee parcel.

The Planned Development District (PDD) and Master Plan for Costco and seven other commercial buildings were approved by the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission July 9 by a 3-2 vote. Click here to read about that.

The Branford Land Trust, which may become an intevener in the process, has hired New Haven attorney Timothy Yolen of the Yolen & Perzin law firm, to represent them in the IWC proceedings. The Land Trust also hired LANDTECH engineering consultants of Westport to evaluate the development plans and to help ensure that the proposed projects do not endanger open space properties and waterways that are downstream of the site. Click here to read a previous story. 

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Diana Stricker Photo

Klein making presentation with Cody at far right

Michael S. Klein, a soil and wetland scientist for Environmental Planning Services in West Hartford, presented a synopsis of the applications on behalf of the Costco complex team.

Klein, pictured above, said he has been studying soils at the 44-acre site at Exit 56 for two years. It’s advantageous and somewhat unusual,” to compile a study of that length, he said. Klein said most of the site has historically been used for agriculture and orchards. He described the wetland systems that the commissioners and others saw on the three-hour site walk, which took place Oct. 3.

We have studied the existing drainage systems extensively,” said Michelle Carlson, an engineer with BL Companies in Meriden. Carlson said there will be less stormwater runoff than there is now because of the techniques and management procedures that are proposed.

Diana Stricker Photo

Michelle Carlson making presentation.

Carlson, the project engineer, said the three properties are separate but work well together. “They all fit together like pieces of a puzzle,” she said.

In response to a question from commissioner Suzanne Botta, Carlson briefly listed the types of treatment systems that are planned. “We will prove during the public hearings that we are meeting the Branford and state regulations,” Carlson said.

Commissioner Peter Basserman asked if the location of the seven commercial pads are “fixed in stone.”

“They could change,” Carlson said.

Petitions from the Public for Hearings

Prior to the commission’s decision to hold public hearings, Shapiro said petitions were received formally requesting that public hearings be scheduled.

Commissioner John Rusatsky discussed the conditions that trigger public hearings, such as whether the proposed project constitutes significant activity. “I believe that the application is a significant activity,” Rusatsky said, adding that he based his decision on the materials he read, the site walk, and Klein’s report.

Botta agreed with Rusatsky, and also said public hearings are required because of the petitions.

Attorney Cody said he was not objecting, but he said that Klein also stated that the projects would not have a significant impact on the wetlands.  Cody said the combined direct impact to the wetlands would be “about one-tenth of an acre on the three applications.” 

In addition to the direct impact to wetlands and watercourses, a project narrative states the proposals also include three general areas of activity in the upland review areas, totaling about 7.12 acres. Upland review areas include property within 100 feet of a wetland or watercourse. 

The applications state the overall mitigation ratio for the entire PDD exceeds the IWC requirements. Mitigation is the creation or enhancement of wetlands to compensate for ones that are disturbed.

Cody said plans call for the Costco project to be built first, and that site plans would be submitted to P&Z if there is IWC approval. He said the next phase would be site plans from Weber and his team.

The commissioners voted unanimously to hold public hearings on each of the three applications.

Peer Review Consultants

The commission’s next order of business was determining how many consultants would be needed to review the developers’ applications, and what the scope of their work would be. The developers pay the costs of hiring consultants for peer reviews.

“There’s a lot of material,” Shapiro said, adding that he thought it would be necessary to hire an engineer and an environmental specialist. “I view it as two separate jobs,” he said.

The commission will make a decision on which specialists to hire, after requests for proposals are sent out and responses are received.

Cody asked if the public hearings could be delayed until December so the peer review consultants could make their reports, but Ross said that wouldn’t be possible because the commission has to meet certain timeframe conditions. 

Botta said additional hearing dates could be added to the schedule. The IWC typically meets only on the second Thursday of the month.


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