Oxford: No, You Still Can’t Use A Rock Crusher

Town officials last week again denied the use of a rock crusher at the Riverside subdivision.

The controversial subdivision — four houses on about 50 acres along Route 34 and Punkup Road — was initially rejected the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission in 2007.

Neighbors opposed the subdivision, saying the land, which slopes toward the Housatonic River, was environmentally sensitive and would damage the river.

However, the developer, Cocchiola Paving, Inc., appealed the decision with a civil lawsuit. The town and the developer worked out a compromise, essentially. Among the conditions included by Oxford — no rock crusher.

Cocchiola agreed — but it seems removing 197,000 cubic yards of material isn’t easy without a rock crusher.

The five-phase project is still stuck in its first phase — rock and soil removal. About 80,000 yards of stuff has been removed.

Compounding the problem — Cocchiola can’t sell any of the material, because no one buys fill during a recession, one of his representatives told members of the Board of Selectmen last week.

At this point, the developer, who declined comment for this story, could be running into a deadline problem.

The project is supposed to be completed by August 2011 — and that includes a one-year extension already granted by Oxford for the first phase of the project.

Last week Cocchiola tried to convince the town again that a rock crusher is needed.

Mike Horbal, a land surveyor representing Cocchiola Paving, told the Planning and Zoning Commission the developer needs about 6,000 cubic yards of crushed material to use to build a road and secure drainage areas.

Horbal said using a rock crusher on the property would save the developer the cost of transferring the material off site to be processed.

“With the use of a temporary rock crusher the developer can process the material on site,” he said. “This would also eliminate approximately 1,700 trips back and forth by truck.”

Cocchiola wanted the town to renegotiate the settlement of the lawsuit that is allowing the subdivision to be built — but the town said “no thanks.”

Still no rock crusher.

First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers said there is plenty of time to remove the material by truck — no rock crusher needed.

“We don’t need to go back to court on a judgment that gives you time to do what needs to be done,” she said. “If it takes additional truckloads, so be it.”

Town Attorney Fran Teodosio suggested one way to get a rock crusher on site — start over.

Teodosio said the developer could file a new application for the project with the Planning and Zoning Commission, stating a rock crusher is requested.

No one gave odds on whether the P&Z would approve that application.

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