Neighbors Seeking Stiff Restrictions Against Wonx Spring Industrial Park Proposal

For the past 25 years, the site of the Allied metal factory along Wonx Spring Road has gone virtually unused and remained unoccupied except for the rare environmentalist truck checking on cleanup efforts at the site, but a new proposal could soon turn the vacant property into a vibrant industrial park – but residents are concerned about what this could mean for the neighborhood around it.

Residents turned out in force, nearly 40 strong, on Tuesday evening to oppose the plan to subdivide the 32.9-acre property into nine lots to be used for light industrial use, saying it will bring heavy traffic, noise, light pollution and safety hazards that will diminish the quality of life for those living in the area.

“There are many concerns that neighbors have and they should,” said Carolyn Bean, resident of Roxbury Road. “This isn’t a subdivision at the edge of a residential neighborhood, it is a subdivision within a neighborhood.”

The proposal, now before both the Conservation Commission and Planning and Zoning Commission, calls for a subdivision of nine lots on the property owned by Wonx Road Partnership, LLC.

A new road, Progress Drive, would be Each of the nine lots would need to come back before the commission for individual building approval said Stephen Giudice, principal of Harry E. Cole & Sons and consultant to Wonx Road Partnerships, with each supporting only light industry and needing separate site plan approval.

Southington Economic Development Director Louis Perillo III supported the proposal, saying it is the best use for a property that formerly served as the home of a metal factory.

“There is already industrial activity in the area,” Perillo said. “We’ve had people call in for storage of materials, but that is not an appropriate use. Excavation would have added to the tax base, but not good for area.

“Certain regulations help protect the residents. There is also a sizeable amount of wetlands that provide buffer,” he said.

But residents believe the traffic and noise it will bring, paired with unsafe travel conditions that already exist, will greatly diminish quality of life for residents and cause constant problems for those in properties surrounding the subdivision.

Stuart Estra and Kristen Keska, both residents of Wonx Spring Road, said trucks already barrel through the neighborhoods and with the road measuring as little as 21 feet wide at points with several homes just ten feet from the road.

“My front yard buffer is only 10 feet and the trucks already there can be heard entire length of the road from the time they turn on Marion Drive all the way down,” Keska said “If this is allowed to be an industrial area, these trucks making a turn will go right through our dining room window.”

Together, neighbors demanded certain restrictions and limitations be set in place as part of a legal contract before the subdivision is approved.

Some of these included simple requests such as limiting hours for business, creating appropriate buffers and fencing and creating standards for lighting and traffic along the way. Others went as far to demand that Wonx Road Partnership extend and repave Wonx Spring Road to eliminate hairpin turn issues and widen where needed and eliminate all disturbed soild within 12 hours of their being removed from the ground.

The soil measure was presented as a counter to the fact the proposal comes on a property that had previously been cleared of environmental hazards and may still contain contaminants.

Jeffrey Gworek, principal of Diversified Environmental Services, Inc. said most of these environmental issues have been cleared through the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, while Giudice expressed concerns that some of the neighbors’ beliefs were outside the realm of things the applicant could address.

“We didn’t create this situation, and the applicant has a right to develop property within the regulations set by the town,” Giudice said.

“We are building new road on property, but we are not required to make improvements and state of Connecticut will not allow an off ramp from I-84 directly onto property. Believe me, we’ve looked at it. Applicant didn’t create this situation and we are doing the best we can within the town and guideline of their regulations,” he said.

Still others said the property has been abandoned and should be left alone to preserve the quality of life for those in the area.

“I am very upset that the partnership has given very little consideration to what this will do to our home life,” said Kathy Laforest. “If you consider progress, it is not! I don’t know why can’t just leave us alone!”

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