PZC Denies Proposed Driveway Access to Middle Road

The Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission denied the application for a change in its regulations allowing for an egress for traffic onto Middle Road. Several residents turned out to oppose the change on grounds of increased traffic in a residential neighborhood and safety concerns.

The application for the change was filed by the Enfield Medical Partners, LLC. The access in question concerned the Hartford Hospital satellite facility located at 100 Hazard Ave. Current regulation only allows access to Middle Road for emergency purposes. The applicant sought a change allowing for right turn only access to the alternate roadway citing difficulty for employees and patients seeking to make a left onto Hazard Ave. A traffic study commissioned by the applicant showed motorists attempting the turn were forced to wait for a “coincidental opening” in the two way traffic to make the turn.

Many residents of the Middle Road area voiced their opposition to the change. Noting that the request for access had been made and rejected once before the facility opened, and that the driveway for emergency use was accepted in good faith, resident Kathy Kane claimed she was, “concerned about being duped,” about the intentions of the business interest.

Other residents spoke out about the likely increase in traffic, especially the addition of school bus traffic in light of the two schools closing in Enfield bringing more children to Eli Whitney Elementary School. They also presented a petition with 200 signatures to the Commission.

Speaking in favor of the change were several employees and a contractor who did business at the facility. They claimed that the exit onto Hazard Ave. was difficult for them to negotiate, and that many patients using the facility complained about the difficult access. A petition with 1200 signatures was presented in favor of the change, though there was some dispute over whether the signatures were from valid town residents.

Ultimately, the commission voted unanimously to deny the change, with Commissioner Peter Falk abstaining. Chairman Charles Duren expressed his concern that opening the driveway to traffic could yield disastrous usage consequences, because even if the use was designated an exit only, signs historically have not deterred dangerous traffic patterns in the area. Both sides agreed that the traffic light at Hazard Ave. contributed to the traffic problems, and should be addressed by the State of Connecticut.

Commissioner Kathleen Sarno spoke most forcefully against the proposal, “If we do open that up, it is going to become a cut through...I think it is opening up something that we don't want. I never have been for it, and I am not for it now either.”

In other business, the Commission approved a modification to the special use permit of the proposed elderly housing facility at 153 South Rd. Originally approved for 96 units, the additional plan calls for 72 more 1 or 2 bedroom apartments and a clubhouse for residents. The request came after the acquisition of a parcel of 6 acres by the developers. Enfield Properties, LLC applied for the special permit for the property it owns together with Anthony Troiano, Jr. Alan K. Tracy, Frank J. Troiano, Anthony Spazzarini and Michael T. Panella.