P&Z Conditionally Approves Second Building In Industrial Park

By Andrew Gorosko

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has conditionally approved the construction of a 24,200-square-foot industrial building in Curtis Corporate Park off Toddy Hill Road, marking the second structure approved for the 11-lot Sandy Hook development.

P&Z members on September 4 granted applicant Curtis Corporation a special exception to the zoning regulations to build the speculative structure at Lot 5 in the industrial park. The site is on the south side of Turnberry Lane. The steel building on the 2.7-acre lot would be 24 feet tall. The site is in a M-4 Industrial zone. The industrial park lies south of the intersection of Route 34 and Toddy Hill Road.

A potential future expansion of the planned building would increase its floor area to 30,700 square feet.

Architectural drawings for the 24,200-square-foot building show four loading bays on the east side of the building. A landscaping buffer of vegetation would be planted to visually screen the structure from the 20-lot Quarry Ridge Estates residential subdivision, which is now under construction on adjacent property to the south.

Both the industrial park and the residential subdivision are being built in a depleted surface mine, which was worked for many years by Newtown Sand and Gravel.

At the September 4 P&Z session, Don Droppo, president of Curtis Corporation, said the planned building would be constructed on speculation by the firm, in anticipation of some company assuming ownership.

P&Z members decided that whoever eventually owns the planned building, they would need to submit an aquifer protection analysis to the Conservation Commission to substantiate that activities at the building would not pose pollution hazards to the underlying Pootatuck Aquifer.

The industrial park is in the town’s Aquifer Protection District (APD), a specialized zoning district within which strict environmental regulations are in force to protect the water quality of the underlying aquifer. The Pootatuck Aquifer is the town’s sole source aquifer, serving as the source for two public water supplies and for thousands of individual domestic water wells.

The P&Z strengthened its aquifer protection regulations in June 1999, strictly limiting activities allowed in the APD.

Last January, P&Z members approved construction of the first building at the industrial park. That building is the La-Z-Boy Furniture Distribution Center. It is a 30,000-square-foot furniture warehouse. That building has been constructed.

Conditions of Approval

The P&Z placed many conditions on its approval of 24,200-square-foot building sought by Curtis Corporation.

Before receiving a certificate of occupancy for the building, the applicant must file an aquifer impact assessment for review and approval by the zoning enforcement officer.

Also, the property owner must develop a “best management practices” policy for the site in terms of aquifer protection. Such a policy concerns operations within the building and activities outside the building, listing emergency steps that would be taken in the event of a spill. The policy is intended to educate and inform employees and building tenants that the property lies within an environmentally sensitive area, where the groundwater constitutes a public water supply, plus provide guidance on how to deal with pollution emergencies. The policy must be posted in an obvious location on the premises.

Also, the waste dumpster to be kept on the site must be enclosed and covered at all times. A notice must be posted near the dumpster stating that the property is within an aquifer protection district and that hazardous materials dumping is prohibited.

The P&Z also is prohibiting the permanent outdoor storage of commercial vehicles and construction equipment. Maintenance of such vehicles and equipment also is prohibited.

The P&Z stresses that its construction approval concerns a “site development plan” and does extend to the specific future uses of the property. An aquifer impact review would be required before the property could be used.

In January 2001, the P&Z approved the Curtis Corporate Park industrial subdivision.

In March 2002, the P&Z approved creating 20 house lots on 48 acres in the adjacent Quarry Ridge Estates.

Curtis Corporate Park is the first development of its type to be built in Newtown in many years. The industrial park is being marketed as a site for corporate headquarters, light manufacturing, research and development, distribution/warehousing, and customer fulfillment centers.

The industrial park is adjacent to Curtis Corporation’s factory/warehouse complex for packaging materials. The industrial park covers about 40 acres. The adjacent ten-acre dammed Curtis Pond has been designated as an open space area for passive recreation.

The town’s land use regulations allow a variety of uses in such an industrial park, including offices, publishing firms, shopping centers, plus various light industrial uses including manufacturing, packaging, bottling, assembly, wholesaling, and bulk storage, among others.