After a wave of community opposition, town leaders have scuttled a company’s plan to clear a couple dozen acres of woodlands to make way for a new 119,000-square-foot refrigerated foods warehouse, smaller industrial buildings, a restaurant and apartments.
Cheshire homeowners mounted a petition drive that generated more than 1,800 signatures, and twice turned out in big numbers to oppose the plan during town council hearings.
Tthe council unanimously voted against selling a 58-acre parcel to 3 Squared LLC.
“Through the council, the entire community is deciding on what we want for Cheshire. It’s not the developers, it’s not the regulations, it’s not the nine members of Planning and Zoning,” council Vice Chair Jim Jinks told the crowded hearing room.
“For once the little guy has the power. This time we get to save a piece of Cheshire for Cheshire,” Jinks said. “Over the past four to six weeks I haven’t heard from a single person saying they support the project, not one.”
Layout of the proposed 3 Squared development in Cheshire near the Southington border. (Courtesy of Town of Cheshire)
More than two dozen residents spoke against the proposal at a hearing Aug. 12, and a standing-room-only crowd showed up at town hall recently for the second half of the session. The council also got scores of emails urging a “no” vote.
Resident John Lounsbury held up more than 40 pages of printed petitions and called on Cheshire not to sell the 58-acre parcel to 3 Squared.
“These (names) are residents, past residents, family and friends of everyone in this room,” Lounsbury said. “This is not just another development, this a 24/7 industrial cold storage facility with nonstop truck traffic, diesel emissions and noise pollution right next to homes, schools and small businesses.
“We support reasonable development. We want Cheshire to thrive,” he said. “This proposal is the wrong project in the wrong place. It serves private interest not the public good.”
Resident Tim Slocum, a former councilor and zoning commissioner, agreed, saying that if were still in office he’d vote against the proposal.
“The public says no, I say no. It’s a no-brainer,” he told the council.
“Cold storage warehouses do not belong next to established neighborhoods,” argued Elaine Wilkinson. “The reasons for opposing this warehouse are many and compelling. Why introduce a cold storage facility next to a long-standing neighborhood and across the street from a new shopping center and upscale housing?”
The audience broke into applause as speakers said using half the 58 acres for industrial development would make no sense. Several suggested that leaving part of the property undisturbed and allowing residential development on the rest would be wise.
“A 55-plus community would enhance the neighborhood, the Stonebridge residences and the shopping center rather than detract from them,” Wilkinson said. “It would also provide equivalent tax revenue without the significant and lasting cost to the town Residents are frustrated with the over-development and increasing traffic.”
Representatives of 3 Squared said the plant would not operate 24/7 and would comply with all noise regulations. The company noted that an ad hoc committee had reviewed proposals and unanimously endorsed the company’s plan.
State Rep. Liz Lenihan, who lives in Cheshire, announced she opposed the 3 Squared proposal, saying cold storage facilities can be noisy and consume copious amounts of energy. She said some have emitted the kind of low-frequency industrial hum that has been irritating homeowners near the Covanta trash-burning plant in Bristol for years.
Lenihan said she also would no longer support selling the 58 acres. The state owns the property, but authorized Cheshire to market it to potential buyers for economic development. Lenihan said she’ll work to spit the tract in two, with the frontage along Route 10 available for development but the bulk of the property behind that to be reserved for open space and passive recreation.
“I offer if the council votes down this (3 Squared proposal), I will represent this town and will seek to have the entire property conveyed to the town,” Lenihan said.
