Neighbors of the former Crabtree auto dealership said a redevelopment plan for the property will make an already bad traffic situation much worse.
About 40 people attended the Planning and Zoning Commission’s public hearing Wednesday on Blakeman Construction’s plans to tear down the former Crabtree auto dealership and replace it with a shopping center with room for a grocery store, bank and other retail space.
Blakeman first approached the commission with the plans more than a year ago. Dozens showed up to protest the plans, saying that the site at the intersection of Bridgeport Avenue, Buddington Road and Nells Rock Road couldn’t handle the additional traffic.
This is the third time Blakeman has submitted plans to redevelopment the property. First there was technical issues over who owned an access road to the property. The redevelopment application was pulled.
Then it was resubmitted after a “serious, single user” expressed interest in the property, said Dominick Thomas, Blakeman’s attorney. That didn’t pan out.
Blakeman’s now back with the original redevelopment plans for the land.
Residents who attended Wednesday’s meeting repeatedly said traffic is a major concern for the area. Many homes and condos are behind the former Crabtree dealership.
Resident Arnold Sapcro said the area is already congested.
“There is a lot of back up on Nells Rock Road and Buddington Road,” Sapcro said.
He said there are about 600 to 700 families living there.
“And that doesn’t include the traffic that comes down from White Hills,” he said. “I see a tremendous amount of congestion with these plans.”
Freedom Way resident John Babina gave the commission a packet of pictures he took of Nells Rock Road as proof of the traffic congestion that is already there.
“As I stood and watched the traffic go by, the road was so narrow that the cars were going over the line,” he said. “The road is too small for certain vehicles, they just don’t fit and it’s an extremely unsafe condition.”
Babina’s fear is that after the project is built it will fall to the city to improve the roads to accommodate it.
“I am not for or against [the application],” he said. “I am just concerned that the city will get stuck with a huge bill for the road, and the taxes [the project] generates will pale in comparison.”
“We all love this town and want to see the best for the city,” said Buddington Road resident David Hill. “We want to see the tax base expand and the blight at the site end. But we don’t want the city to have to pay the price.”
Hill’s house, built during the 18th century, sits on a section of ledge that leads down to the development. The ledge is slated to be blasted if approved, Hill said.
“That scares me,” he said. “What will happen to my home?”
Hill has lived on Buddington Road for 59 years.
The developer has the right to build on the site as long as it conforms to zoning regulations, Aspetuck Village resident Ron Pavluvcik said.
“I know some people would like the site to be all trees and let someone pay the taxes on it forever, but they have every right to develop it,” Pavluvcik said.
The public hearing was continued to Oct. 26.
