PZC Hearing On Pawcatuck Condos Gets Heated
Last Public Comments On Cherenzia Proposal For 68-Attached Homes Scheduled For Wednesday
It was a standing room only crowd of more than 100 at Monday night’s Planning and Zoning Commission one agenda special meeting: the continuation of the public hearing on the hotly contested proposal for a 68 unit attached house subdivision near the intersection of Mary Hall and Greenhaven roads in Pawcatuck.
The vast majority of hearing attendees were there to speak in opposition to the proposal for the site owned by the Richard C. Panciera Remainder Charitable Trust II. The subdivision is being developed by the Cherenzia Companies.
A number of project neighbors hired local attorney Mark Kepple to make their case against the plan, which, among other points, included a debate and argument about a potential zoning compliance issue. But his remarks also quickly became an indictment of Town Director of Planning Bill Haase – who Kepple argued was in cahoots with Cherenzia.
“Where is Mr. Haase tonight,” Kepple asked. Haase is undergoing a second round of chemotherapy to combat cancer. Acting Director of Planning Keith Brynes, who is normally low key, rejected strenuously the allegations made by Kepple on behalf of his clients.
“These charges of bias, accusing Bill Haase of an improper relationship with the applicant, I have to object,” Brynes said moments before the hearing was closed for the night as it neared midnight. The hearing will be continued at another hearing, the last one allowed by state law, on Wednesday night at a location yet to be decided.
In addition to raising several key issues including potential consequences resulting from blasting on the site to arguing the project is far too big for the site and indeed, the largest of its kind in Stonington, Kepple called witnesses—and had, according to his first witness, Stonington First Selectman Edward Haberek Jr., “threatened to issue subpoenas” to compel appearances by Haberek and Zoning Official Joe Larkin.
Haberek said Haase was too ill to attend the meeting and in any event had been asked to remove himself from the application, “not because of [impropriety] but because there should be no perception of bias.”
And Larkin was called to address his comment that the application might not be complaint with regulations related to the removal of excavated materials, a matter that would become a bone of contention and will likely be revisited at Wednesday’s meeting when applicant Cherenzia has the opportunity for rebuttal.
But perhaps even more powerful and dramatic than Kepple’s animated and verbose presentation on behalf of his 10 clients—“the very quality and nature of their lives is being threatened”—were the comments of neighbors.
“People on this board, you think you’re a development commission,” project opponent Ed Mc Creary said. “You are there to represent us. We’re counting on you. Your primary function is to protect us.”
And Edith Rose did not mince words. She called the plan to blast the ledge on the site “unconscionable.”
Perhaps the most vocal opponent besides Peg Moran and Neal Madden is Rich McKrell. But since he had previously spoken at the first public hearing, it was left to his father to read his son’s six-page letter of opposition and complaint about the project where the word ‘ridiculous’ used to describe the application appeared often.
But not everyone was opposed.
At least four people came to the podium to speak well of Cherenzia and of their previous projects, including Fountain Crest in Westerly, a very similar development to the proposed one in Pawcatuck.
“I’m the blaster,” said David Boutin. “I’ve been blasting for 30 years and it’s done safely. I’ve known Sam [Cherenzia] for years and years and what he’s doing, what he’s offering to do for people is above and beyond.”
At Wednesday’s final hearing at 7 p.m., at Mystic Middle School, Cherenzia project attorney Thomas J. Ligouri Jr. is expected to wrap up the rebuttal and respond to commission questions.
The PZC then has 65 days to issue its verdict on the plan, one that while permitted under zoning regulations is hugely unpopular with neighbors who claim the subdivision of attached houses will forever change the rural character of their single family home neighborhood.
Interested Observer
8:48 am on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Shame on you Mr. Kepple for the ridiculous accusations you are throwing at a very sick man. Didn't you just promise the public that when you became the probate judge that you wouldn't be practicing anymore?
As for this project, if the neighbors want to keep the rural character of their neighborhood and protect its important environmental and coastal resources than this is the correct project. It preserves an incredible amount of undisturbed area. Much more so than dividing it up into tiny one family lots. This connected pattern of open space and the keeping of many buffered areas filled with trees and stonewalls will further the character of the neighborhood not detract from it. Pay attention. This is a solid project for Pawcatuck. The project in Westerly is a beautiful one. It is very well done and exactly the type of "aging in place" housing that we need to keep people in this area.
Michael J H Blair
5:39 pm on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Small but important note: Mark Kepple is the Attorney who represents the homeowners, his brother Nick was just elected Judge of Probate. They are different people.
Courtney
10:03 am on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Interested Observer, do you actually live in our neighborhood???? We are a small community of walkers, runners and moms with kids. We spend our days enjoying this beautiful area - if the Cherenzia corp is allowed to go forward with this plan our way of life will be changed. I am almost certain if this was planned for No. Main street in Stonington it wouldn't fly, but in lower Pawcatuck, why not. It is just disgusting. Kuddos to Mr. Kepple, for saying what so many of us are thinking.
miranda dekay
10:20 am on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
this project is
1. unnecessary
2. destructive to the environment
3. who will buy the houses?
Concerned Citizen
10:27 am on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Interested Observer, Nick Kepple is Judge of Probate, not Mark. Just saying...
Millie Donovan
10:28 am on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
I want to mention that the newly elected Probate Judge is Mr. Nick Kepple (not Mark).
As for the proposed project...I can't pretend to know the details of the project and the intentions of the Cherenzia corporation. What I can "observe" and be witness to is the fact that this area already has a condo style neighborhood (Prospect Place in Pawcatuck) that is located right next to the Cherenzia offices. I drive by this community everyday on my way home and everyday I am hit by the fact that the homes are sitting there...vacant. My question is, do we need another group of vacant homes in Pawcatuck when the inventory of single family homes is so high? The area is already very populated and the character of our little community will be forever changed but will they be positive changes? As it stands, there is an awful amount of what I would call "blighted" multifamily homes on Mechanic Street (leading to River Road) as well as old and abandoned industrial buildings that I have yet to see any improvement on. Shouldn't these areas be more important? I would love to see developers plan with areas that are in NEED of refurbishing and not destroy or raze our open spaces.
walt hastings
2:25 pm on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
can someone tell me where the sales office is, i want to buy at least one unit. thanks walt
Christine
7:15 pm on Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Greenhaven Road Resident
I was at last night's meeting. I sat with my 13 year old son and my 10 year old daughter who both wanted to attend this meeting. We are opposed to this project. Mr. Kepple - we applaud you. When Mr. Kepple spoke, my son, a Boy Scout in Troop 76 Mystic, whispered to me, "Mom, This man is great, I am so glad he is standing up for us". And the "us" is our community, our neighborhood.
I would have liked to have spoke, but by 10pm, I had to get the children home and to bed for school the next day. Had I been able to get up to the microphone, I would have applauded Mr. Kepple and thanked him for speaking for all of us in the Loop Community. I would have told Mr. Cherenzia that he had some nerve trying to put condo's into our rural, residential neighborhood. I had no idea until last night that Cherenzia is proposing to move parts of Mary Hall north. Mrs. Rose's comments broke my heart. Shame on Cherenzia. Your condos are not wanted in our neighborhood. How would you like to give up 6 to 12 feet of your land?? And as for the Town of Stonington and their role in the zoning process- it was enlightening on how unfair and unjust our paid officials are. I could not believe what I heard when Mr. Kepple spoke to Mr. Larkin. Really, Mr. Larkin works for the citizens of Stonington? You wouldn't have thought so.
Dan Lewis
2:47 pm on Monday, September 19, 2011
Joe Larkin does what he wants to do - regardless of the rules.
This man has no place in town business.
I wouldn't be surprised if he had an agreement with Cherenzia.
While they do nice work, this is the wrong place to build this project.
Why would someone do something that the neighborhod hates? Have they no respect for the people of Pawcatuck?