Residents Unsettled By Blasting On Pine Tree Hill Rd

By Andrew Gorosko

Some Pine Tree Hill Road residents say that blasting, done there recently for new home construction at the Winton Farm residential subdivision, has been disruptive.

Those comments came at a February 17 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing on a developer’s proposal to create 22 house lots as the second phase of Winton Farm.

 M&E Land Group is seeking P&Z approval for the second phase of the development project on 55 acres off Pine Tree Hill Road, a hilly street which links Meadow Brook Road to Guinea Road in Monroe.

Resident Aurora Kovacs of 35 Pine Tree Hill Road said that road-related blasting was very controlled and did not pose problems, but blasting that was done for house construction in the first phase of the subdivision was very disruptive.

Ms Kovacs said the extensive masonry in and around her home was damaged by the vibration caused by blasting. The Kovacs residence has plaster walls.

“I think blasting should be eliminated period. It’s like open warfare,” she said. “I don’t want all that turmoil. If they can’t build it without blasting, then don’t build it,” she said. Blasting for the construction of three houses occurred during a recent 21/2  week period. Ms Kovacs said she expects there will be much more blasting at Winton Farm due to the area’s terrain. “I want that blasting stopped if it’s not controlled,” she said.

“It’s been very upsetting. My home, I cherish… and to have some yokels just come up and blast it off…,” she said.

 “Do we have to be petrified?… I’m scared stiff,” she said.

Resident Joan Popovic of 45 Pine Tree Hill Road suggested that new houses in the area be built on slabs instead of having basements constructed. Blasters typically use explosives to create a cavity in rock ledge where a house’s basement is placed.

The P&Z also received a letter from Greta Daniak of 33 Pine Tree Hill Road concerning blasting in the neighborhood.

Engineer Larry Edwards, who is one of the partners in M&E Land Group, told P&Z members the development firm will try to meet with the blaster to correct the situation. The blaster is employed by the builder who bought the house lots from M&E, Mr Edwards explained. Mr Edwards said past blasting, which M&E performed, as part of the roadwork for the initial phase of the subdivision did not pose problems to nearby residents.

“Blasting is an ultra-hazardous activity for which there is absolute liability,” said Robert Hall, an attorney who represents M&E. Blasting can be controlled, he added.

Thomas Maguire, another partner in M&E, apologized for the fact that the blasting for the house construction posed problems for the residents. Mr Maguire said he will investigate the problem. “This is unnecessary. There’s no reason for this. This shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry. I’m going to look into it, as Larry is, and this will never happen again,” Mr Maguire said.

Phase Two

Mr Edwards outlined the proposed second construction phase of Winton Farm.

In the second phase, 55 acres would be subdivided into 22 lots. Construction plans call for building two new streets in the site’s interior – Winton Farm Road and Jacobs Lane. The 2,000-foot-long Winton Farm Road would have 15 lots. Jacobs Lane would have six lots. One house lot would be created on Pine Tree Hill Road.

First-phase construction at the site has involved home building on lots with frontage on Pine Tree Hill Road.

All houses proposed for the second phase of the development would have four bedrooms, Mr Edwards said. Anyone who wants a five-bedroom house would need approval from the town health department concerning septic waste disposal issues. The subdivision will contain a trail network, he said.

Mr Edwards said more blasting will be needed to develop the property. Besides creating places to put house foundations, such blasting is used for road building and the installation of drainage structures.

In May 1999, the P&Z approved the first phase of Winton Farm, involving 16 house lots along Pine Tree Hill Road.  In an earlier version, the project was known as Sentinel Ridge.

The hilly 95-acre parcel, which encompasses both construction phases, is basically wooded land that contains a wetland corridor running in a north-south direction. The land contains hardwoods such as oak, beech, and hickory. Stone walls run alongside Pine Tree Hill Road.