Massive Hotel Proposal Draws Opposition In Stonington

STONINGTON, CT — The Planning and Zoning Commission has continued a public hearing on a developer's controversial bid to construct two new hotels at 6 Coogan Boulevard and Village Farm Road/Ciara Drive until Feb. 4. A meeting was held last week at Stonington Middle School.

The developer is seeking to construct two new hotels, adding 217 new hotel rooms in two buildings totaling 142,170-square-feet. The hotels would be added at the rear of the existing Holiday Inn Express. The project would be phased to construct a Hilton Homewood Suites, followed by a second hotel later on, according to recent meeting minutes. The developer would need to come back for approval on the second hotel.

The parking would be shared among all of the properties. The developer needs a zone change from the zoning commission.

Judy Reed, of Mystic, spoke at the public hearing and said she is concerned about more buildings popping up in Mystic and she also had concerns about the size of the buildings and parking spaces.

Another resident questioned the need for an additional 200 plus hotel rooms in town. Davnet Schaeffer, resident and executive director of Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center and Coogan Farm, spoke and said their were concerns about the development.

"This proposal would eliminate the required buffer to their environmentally protected property," Schaeffer said, according to meeting minutes. "These will be visible to the river and have a negative impact on wildlife."

Other concerns centered on increased traffic. Michael McQuade, owner of McQuade's Marketplace, expressed concerns over water pressure in the area.

The developer countered that there is a need for more hotel space in town and said the hotels would be four stories with flat roofs.