Safety Worries Torpedo Southington Daycare Project

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Citing safety concerns at the site, the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission Tuesday shot down a proposed daycare facility project planned for West Street.

Following lengthy debate at both a public hearing and during the business meeting, PZC members said they approved having a new daycare in town, but weren't convinced the plans addressed various safety worries associated with ingress and egress at the site.

The vote to deny the special permit application was 5-2, with the following members voting "yes" to deny the application: Southington PZC Chairman Robert Hamersley, a Republican; Republican Jennifer Clock; Republican Steve Walowski; Democrat Nicholas Tedesco; and Republican Peter Santago.

Those voting against denying the application were Democrat Christina Volpe and Republican Robert Salka.

The biggest concern by members, even those who ultimately voted against denying the application, were plans that called for left-hand turns out of the new facility onto a busy roadway.

"Southington West St. LLC" out of Southington applied to the PZC for both special permit and site plan approvals to build a 10,000-square-foot day care center on property owned by Southington-based Lovely Development Inc.

The proposed development, which would be at 1268 West St. (Route 229), is in an area zoned residential, as the location was once the site of a single-family residence.

A day care facility called "The Learning Experience Academy of Early Education" was to go up at the site.

"The Learning Experience" is a Florida-based chain of "child development centers" with facilities throughout the country, including several in Connecticut.

It would have served children aged 6 weeks to 5 years old and offer afterschool care for children up to age 8 and would have featured a 5,000-square-foot playground and 40 parking spaces, according to project plans.

But the busy roadway combined with reservations about making left-hand turns there prompted significant worries from PZC members.

Volpe, who still voted against denial, nonetheless expressed severe reservations with proposed traffic patterns there, worrying about a hill nearby and motorists exceeding the speed limit.

"We're talking about 50 accidents in the last three years," Volpe said. "It's extremely concerning to me. I don't know many people who are doing 40 miles per hour going down that hill."

"I'd hate to see something tragic happen, so I'm not in support of having a left-hand turn at that facility."

Others agreed, including those who, ultimately, voted to deny the project.

"Day care is needed in town, but the traffic concerns are pretty real. With that I'm wishy washy on that," said Walowski, who voted for denying the plan.

"What I heard didn't make me feel safe about taking a left-hand turn out," added Clock.

Tedesco, the lone Democrat on the PZC voting for denying the plan, expressed significant worries about having cars going in and out at the location and exiting and entering on Route 229.

"I think its dangerous. That's where I'm at with everything. I'm pretty uncomfortable right now," Tedesco said.

When questioned about safety during the public hearing, engineers representing the applicants said that was taken into consideration.

They also said the developers have experience building such daycare facilities and have constructed ones in even busier roadways than this one.

"We don't believe it will have any detrimental effects to public safety," said engineer Timothy Coon of JR Russo & Associates of East Windsor.

Scott Hesketh, the engineer who conducted a traffic analysis at the site, said those turning left might have to wait 50 or 60 seconds on a busy roadway.

He said multiple, nearby traffic lights would create "artificial gaps" in traffic and provide those going left with chances to exit safely.

PZC members had indicated a desire for a right-turn only lane out of the site, something developers said wasn't a "deal-breaker."

But Avon resident Eric Spungin of Avon, one of the developers, said other daycare facilities nearby are not restricted to one-way out, adding that could hurt this new operation.

"It's not impossible, but its restrictive and its something that the other daycare centers throughout West Street that are existing now are not restricted to do," Spungin said.

Hesketh said most reported accidents in that area, 56 in all in three years, were of the fender-bender variety and happened at stoplights.

"On a roadway such of this, is that a lot of accidents? Probably not. Most of them are property damage accidents." Hesketh said. "Yes, its a busy roadway. There's a lot of cars there. There's a possibility of accidents."

The possibility of a daycare center there is not completely dead, as the applicant could re-apply to the PZC with a proposal commissioners approve of regarding safety.

In shooting down the special permit, which would have been needed because the area was zoned residential, the PZC tabled the site plan application, which would have been for the actual project itself.

From Jan. 1: 'Large Childcare Center Plan Pitched In Southington'

Editor's Note: The year in the video below should say 1/3/2023