Large Southington RV Dealer Plans Major Expansion

SOUTHINGTON, CT — A local recreational vehicle retailer in town has received Southington's OK to build a large sales and service center on its property to maintain and customize RVs.

A contractor representing Hemlock Hill RV, located at 2123 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike (Route 322), received the OK to build a 29,370-square-foot building on its 17-acre site to expand its service offerings to RV-owner customers.

In two separate votes, the Southington Planning and Zoning Commission last week said "yes" to both a site plan and a floodplain filling application.

The latter approval was necessary because the site is located near an "upland review area" close to nearby wetlands.

The applicant for both actions was the Torrington-based C. Borghesi Building & Engineering Co.

According to project plans on file with the Town of Southington, the new parts and service department will have a general entrance area in front, along with 16 garage bays where technicians will work on RVs.

Borghesi representative Rich Hall went before the PZC Feb. 7 to go over the plans, indicating the company has been working with town staff to fine-tune its application and address myriad questions staff members had.

"We have addressed all comments to date now," Hall said

According to Hall, Hemlock's plan is to expand its retails and service offerings, replacing an existing 14,100-square-foot building at the site.

This project, essentially, doubles Hemlock's parts and service capacity.

PZC members voted 6-1 to approve the special permit, with Democrat Nicholas Tedesco the lone dissenter.

In the vote on the flood plain filling permit, the PZC was unanimous, at 7-0.

Hall said the project, actually, would increase the site's capacity to cope with heavy water accumulations.

"We're going to add capacity to the flood plain instead of diminish it," Hall said.

For application information regarding the RV service area project, click on this link.

For more information on Hemlock Hill RV, click on this link.