#MIDDLEBURY #TOLLBROTHERS
By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) at its June 2 meeting discussed continued complaints of dust caused by construction at Ridgewood of Middlebury on Southford Road. It authorized Zoning Enforcement Officer Curtis Bosco to withhold permits to Toll Brothers, builders of the property, until the matter is resolved.
Complaints of construction dust were reported by Bosco as far back as August 2014, when nearby Bona Road resident Robert Berger said Toll Brothers was not watering the construction area daily as required by construction permits. At that meeting P&Z Chairman Terry Smith suggested calcium chloride be utilized on a daily basis for dust control and instructed Bosco to manage the situation.
More dust complaints, this time from Ridgewood residents, were noted by Bosco in September 2015, at which time he told Smith he would hold back on Toll Brothers permits until the problem was handled by periodic wetting down of the construction area with a watering truck.
At the June 2 meeting Bosco told Smith “I finally, after weeks and weeks and weeks of requests for the watering logs – there’s a watering truck on premises – this is what I got. Since spring, they used the water truck twice.”
He told Commissioner Paul Babarik, “I went there with my black car on purpose, and (afterward) it was time to go to the car wash. It was ridiculous.”
Bosco said he met with Ridgewood residents three times in the office of First Selectman Edward B. St. John because St. John wanted him to protect their interests.
“I’ve been into every one of their homes, and you can do one of these,” Bosco said, dragging his finger across the conference table, “and you can roll the dust up into a ball. It’s disgusting.”
“We’ve had meetings,” Bosco sighed, “We’ve had big shots in from Toll Brothers.”
“Why don’t they just do it?” asked Commissioner Erika Carrington.
“Just stop the permits,” said Babarik, “that will get it done.”
The next regular P&Z meeting will be Thursday, July 7, at 7:30 p.m. at Shepardson Community Center.
