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Community Corner

Zone Change Greenlighted in Northwest Corridor

The Planning and Zoning Commission created a new industrial zone off West Street.

The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a zone change on Tuesday, making 400 acres of R-40 residential zone land an industrial site.

The unanimous decision came despite opposition from neighbors living around the area between Mount Vernon Road, Welch Road to the Bristol town line. Residents such as Richard Landino complained changing the land to industrial would not only devalue their properties, but would add more traffic concerns to an already congested corridor.

"I have a three-bedroom ranch. When I go to sell my house and there's another three bedroom ranch for sale on the other side of town, which one do you think they're going to go for?" Landino said.

"Say what you will, but you can't tell me the values of our houses won't go down," he said. "What is the point of planning if you can change the zoning any time you want?"

"I have talked to many people in this area but I haven't talked to one person who is for this change," Highland Golf Course owner Julia Merrell said. "When I'm standing in my field in the middle of the night I can hear the work going on in that property (Tilcon). That kind of experience for the people who live here is very negative."

Commission Chairman Micheal DelSanto emphasized that the current properties within the affected area would remain residentially zoned, seeing tax changes or effects from the zone change.

Other town officials like Economic Development Director Louis Perillo III and West Street subcommittee member Stephanie Urillo, a Town Council Member, supported the change since building more homes in the area might lead to traffic concerns and possibly health concerns with new homes so close to a landfill.

"We repeatedly hear we don't want West Street to turn into Queen Street," Urillo said. "...we saw consequences with residences on Rejean Drive lost their homes because of the superfund site, which the town has no choice to pay for."

Commissioner Paul Chaplinsky Jr. said he understands the concerns of residents, however he believes the change would be the most beneficial option to the town as a whole.

"We looked at this and thought of all the options- putting commercial here, but that wouldn't work because it's too far removed for people to go there, and mixing residential traffic with industrial traffic – like (Louis) Perillo said is almost crazy, so this is the best plan for this area for the future of the town," Chaplinsky said.

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