Controversial Housing Project Angers Southington Neighbors

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Town action on a controversial housing development proposal that has angered many neighbors has been tabled until after elections.

The Southington Planning and Zoning Commission tabled action at the request of the developer, Evergreen of Southington LLC, which stated it needs more time to fine-tune plans for the proposed 18-lot subdivision that would go on 567 Woodruff St., Southington.

Lawyers representing the developers told the PZC on Oct. 17 that they were still "addressing outstanding items" with the proposal for 18 new houses to go up there.

Meanwhile, Southington PZC Chairman Robert Hammersley said a pause in activity regarding the application would be good since the town's PZC, which is elected, will likely differ vastly from the one prior to the Nov. 7 elections.

That's because several members are not seeking new terms and new members are expected, Hammersley said.

Instead, the proposal's hearing and, possible action, will take place at the Southington PZC meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 21, at 7 p.m. in the John Weichsel Municipal Center, 196 N. Main St.

Technically, the PZC has two different applications from Evergreen for the project: one being a special permit for the site, which is zoned residential, and the other being a subdivision application.

According to engineer Chas Evans of Bohler Engineering out of West Hartford, the subdivision application requires a waiver of some zoning regulations, as the applicant is looking to do what is called an "open space" subdivision.

This means, that in addition to building housing lots on the property, some of the property must also be approved as "open space," meaning no buildings or development on that land.

According to a letter from Evans to the town, a total of 0.72 acres would be preserved as open space, general wooded areas that would buffer between the parcels and other properties.

The open space subdivision regs, however, require 10 lots, which is two more lots than what this parcel would be able to accommodate with a standard application, wrote Evans.

As a result, a waiver is being asked from the PZC to allow modifications of lot sizes and open space requirements that would allow for 10 lots or more — in this case, 18 lots.

This must be discussed at a public hearing, which has been opened and continued, and be voted on by the PZC.

Despite the fact the property is zoned for residential developments, many neighbors of the proposed subdivision have expressed opposition to the plan.

They're urging the PZC, whoever that entails post-elections, to not grant the waiver and, thus, scuttle the development.

Many cite concerns about traffic in the area, the impacts of 18 new families on town services/schools and general quality-of-life worries of having a new neighborhood nearby.

"We do not want this development on Woodruff Street. Enough already," wrote Megan Schmidt on Masters Drive.

"We need to stop the development until the education system catches up with this town's size. Our high school is bursting and is in disrepair! We are straining facilities and teachers. We don’t want more traffic on Woodruff and we want to preserve whatever open space we can. No more new houses."

"Please stop building more houses and condominiums. As a lifelong resident of Southington, I remember growing up in a small town with space for animals and trees and roads you could drive down without constant traffic," wrote local resident Marianne Slade to the town.

"I don’t understand why we need more when we are not changing the road system."

For all documents on the 567 Woodruff St. project, click on this link.

For the minutes of the Oct. 17 Southington Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.