#MiddleburyCT #StrawPond #DistributionCenter
Dear Editor:
As a resident for 83 years in the town of Middlebury I am appalled at what has taken place over the application for a distribution facility in town. The actions of the Middlebury Small Town Alliance after the Conservation Commissions vote were outrageous – something that has never before happened after a decision made by any town commission. The correct (and not riotous) procedure is to take legal action and to propose changes in the Planning and Zoning Commission’s regulations as was most recently done.
Perhaps members of the MSTA should take a look back about 20 years to what occurred with the Straw Pond housing application. It was denied on the basis it “wasn’t wanted” and not for just cause. The applicant sued and the case was tied up in the courts for 10 years and ended up costing Middlebury taxpayers about a million dollars in attorney fees and with the town ending up purchasing the property.
A town’s land-use issue being inserted into a state budget proposal by Rep. Bill Pizzuto who lives near the property in question, is troubling and appears to be a conflict of interest. Normally there is a strong objection to insertions unrelated to the budget. What happened to “home rule”? The provision bars zoning approval of a “warehousing or distribution facility” of a certain size plus other stipulations but only in a town of less than 8,000 people.” I wonder how other towns people feel about a provision created for one specific town could affect their town in the future? How many other issues going forward is the state going to override home rule?
House Minority Leader Vincent J. Candelora R-North Branford stated he wouldn’t advocate this provision for his town, but he didn’t object to it. This also is troubling.
I am not in favor of this monstrous facility, but it should be allowed to progress through the system. As a former member of the Middlebury P&Z Commission, the state’s taking away the commission’s power to decide specific land use proposals for our town is an overreach. These commissioners as well as all other members of a town commission are volunteers and try to do what is best for the town according to its regulations and without interference from the state.
I hope most residents realize that and we don’t see a repeat of the previous behavior of some people following any commission’s decisions in the future.
Richard Dews
Middlebury
