To the Editor:

It is with sadness that I am writing to alert the people of Newtown to the dangers of the proposed Wharton 75 bay Warehouse/Truck-Depot at exit 9.

I oppose the project for the following reasons:

Decreased safety, and increased air-pollution, water-pollution, noise-pollution, and light-pollution; all are very harmful, particularly to children and seniors.

Capacity of over a thousand tractor-trailers/day, many traveling through the center of town to and from I95 and other exits on I84, plus nearly 1000 employees.

Increased traffic accidents, traffic jams & just plain traffic. Particularly at overburdened, already failing, class F intersections.

Trucks idling for long periods, trucks circling through town waiting for a berth, emitting foul noxious odors, spewing carcinogens, and particulates.

Will emit tons of awful, foul-smelling, hazardous carcinogenic diesel fumes/particulates 24/7, which in Hawleyville will be particularly persistent due to the bowl-like nature of the terrain, also throughout the town’s main corridor.

Is right across the street from a preschool day-care center, another nearby school, near senior housing, and health care facilities.

Is surrounded by bucolic residential areas endangering health and losing serenity.

Creates water pollution in the sensitive pond-brook aquifer from runoff and particulates endangering protected wildlife.

Creates noise pollution 24/7 365/year, that will be heard for miles, interfering with sleep, robbing residents’ sense of peace and tranquility.

Creates light pollution 365/year, causing a permanent night-glow visible for miles, disrupting sleep.

The touted increased tax revenue is exaggerated and neglects the expenses incurred; inclusive analysis shows a net financial loss to the town.

All roads will take a beating from this massive increase in truck traffic; residents will shoulder all of the local, and some of the state expense.

Homeowner’s property values will drop, the town’s tax base will decrease.

Requires additional EMS services, police department expansion, fire department equipment, and road repair.

Increases demand on the water supply, requires additional sewage and waste disposal capacity.

They will not say what materials will be handled, the potential for toxic/hazmat cannot be ignored, meanwhile they ask for carte-blanche on this issue.

Will set a precedent for inevitable requests for expansion, and further undesirable development.

Surely some less egregious use can be found.

The litany of negatives far outweighs the meager false benefits of this proposal. Granting this special exception will permanently/irreversibly destroy Newtown’s small-town appeal.

I implore the people of Newtown to speak up. The next P&Z meeting is June 2 at 7 pm at Edmond Town Hall.

I further ask that the elected commissioners protect the interests of the people of Newtown and reject the private profit motivated interests of a few outside investors.

Please act to protect our health, our quality of life, the wholesome pastoral character of our town, prevent Newtown from becoming just another polluted, congested city like Bridgeport.

Don’t let Wall Street ruin Main Street.

Glenn Kessler

Newtown