RTM Members Ask 1st Selectman For Costco Report

Representative Josh Brooks (left) asked First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove three hot-button questions at a Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Wednesday night — questions about a proposed Costco store, a development at Tabor Drive, and the fate of the public works building.

Brooks, who represents the village of Stony Creek, said he would like a report from Cosgrove about what discussion his office has had with developers at Exit 56, where a master plan featuring Costco is in the works. (Click here to read a story about those plans.)

Brooks, a Democrat, also asked what the plans are for the town-owned 77-acre Tabor Drive property, since the new public works building won’t be located there as originally planned. He asked if there are any other sites for the public works facility.

“I’m making a request to the selectman’s office to report to this body,” Brooks said, explaining that he did not expect an immediate answer.

Cosgrove said he was ready to address the issues. 

“I’m not involved in any discussion with developers over there,” Cosgrove told Brooks. He said the town has not yet received any formal proposals from the developers. Cosgrove, a Republican, said during his year’s first selectman campaign that he favors Costco coming to town because it would bring in new tax dollars.

This was the second RTM meeting since the Republicans took the majority of seats on the Board of Selectmen and the RTM. 

RTM member Doug Hanlon, a Democrat who represents the Third District, asked Cosgrove if the town could be proactive in determining if there would need to be a boost in police and fire services if a big-box store like Costco comes to Exit 56. Hanlon said the site is a distance from the police and fire departments and could necessitate the need for satellite safety departments to be established.

“What is the total cost to us?” Hanlon asked in regard for the need for additional public services and infrastructure.

Hanlon suggested Cosgrove’s office could start to calculate the cost of development at Exit 56 versus Exit 53. ​“What’s the most economically feasible place?” he asked.

Hanlon estimated there could be a 25 percent increase in police overtime if a project like Costco comes to town. ​“There’s a lot of interesting questions we need to be asking,” he said.

“The selectman’s office doesn’t site these projects,” Cosgrove said, adding that he doesn’t ​“have a decision on where we place this.” During the campaign debate, Cosgrove said he thinks Exit 56 off of Interstate 95 is the right place for the Costco development.

Cosgrove said Costco expressed interest in land near Exit 56. He said any proposals will be addressed by the appropriate regulatory boards such as Inland Wetlands and Planning and Zoning.

“There are a lot of implications that come with large developments, especially those not near town services,” Hanlon said.

RTM member Frank Twohill, a Republican who represents the First District, said the Planning and Zoning Commission has appropriate regulations in place regarding development. ​“I don’t believe Town Hall can interfere too much,” he said, adding that the town planner can work with police and fire departments regarding proposed developments.

“It’s not up to the first selectman to pick and choose what the location’s going to be,” Twohill said.

Cosgrove also responded to Brooks’ other two questions.

“Public works is an issue we do need to resolve,” Cosgrove said. He said he plans to bring a request next month to the RTM to form a Standing Building Commission. Such action would require the RTM to enact an ordinance.

Regarding the Tabor Drive property, Cosgrove said he wasn’t sure what Brooks wanted to know.

“Is there a new plan?” Brooks asked.

“No,” Cosgrove responded.
 

BUILDING A BRIDGE

The RTM unanimously approved funding to replace a deteriorating bridge on School Ground Road.

RTM member Peter Black, a Republican who represents the Third District, said the Ways and Means Committee unanimously approved the funding recommendation at a meeting earlier this month. He said the amount requested is about double the original ballpark estimate a few years ago. However, he said the bridge, which was built in 1941, has deteriorated, is too narrow, and floods about twice a year. ​“The present bridge is falling apart …it’s functionally obsolete.”

He said plans call for raising the bridge to a level where it would only flood once every 10 years. The said the costs were increased because of the amount of utility work needed for the project, and because of the need to remediate contamination from petroleum and pesticides found at the site. The remediation costs about $600,000.

Black said the construction project may impact area businesses when the temporary detour is in place. ​“It’s not going to be fun for them when the road is closed, but in the end they’re going to have less flooding.”

The increase in funding was unanimously approved by the Board of Finance (BOF) at its Nov. 25 meeting after a presentation by Town Engineer Janice Plaziak.

Plaziak (pictured) told the BOF that 80 percent of the costs of the project will be reimbursed by federal money through the Federal Local Bridge Program. In 2010, the town approved a resolution appropriating $2.25 million in bonding for the project, but she said that costs increased as the scope of the project increased. She said an additional $2.725 million will be needed, bringing the total to $4.975 million. She said the cost to the town will be $995,000 after the federal reimbursement is received.

Plaziak told the BOF that the bridge is obsolete and that one of the purposes in rebuilding it is to improve drainage because of flooding issues. She said the bridge will also have a pedestrian walkway because it has long served as a fishing site and the town wanted that aspect of the bridge’s use to remain. As far as traffic usage, she said the bridge gets about 8,000 trips a day. Construction is expected to begin in the spring and take about seven months.

During the project, traffic will be detoured onto Route 139. After the bridge is complete on School Ground Road, that road will be used as a detour when the state DOT replaces a bridge on Route 139.

Rep. Adam Hansen said he initially questioned the increased costs for the bridge project, but said he was reassured by Plaziak’s presentation to the BOF. Hansen said this will be an important improvement to the town’s infrastructure.

In other business, Republican Majority Leader Ray Ingraham sent a letter requesting that citizen petitions be reinstated as they were enacted in 2010. RTM Moderator Dennis Flanigan said he would send that request to the Rules and Ordinances Committee for deliberation. Click here to read a story on the RTM’s decision to repeal petitions.

There was also a letter from Democratic Minority Leader Chris Sullivan regarding seating at RTM meetings. Last month, the Republicans and Democrats sparred over seating issues. Click here to read that story.

Sullivan’s letter requested that the Rules and Ordinances committee look at rule 8.3 in the Town Code for possible amendment and clarification. Rule 8.3 states: ​“The regular RTM members shall sit together in a section apart.”

Flanigan sent the request to committee for discussion. ​“I‘m sending it for clarification,” he said. ​“This is not an amendment to the existing rule which is already in the town code.”

With a nod to the upcoming holidays, the meeting began with a performance by members of the Branford High School’s Music Makers. The group sang five carols and received a standing ovation.

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