Members of the Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) learned at their July 12 meeting that a proposal to construct a 440-foot-long roadway through a swampy area west of Edmond Road has been withdrawn by the applicant.

IWC Chairman Sharon Salling announced the application's withdrawal near the close of the IWC session. The proposal had been submitted by 5-K Enterprises, Inc, for industrially zoned land that its owns.

The road construction proposal had been scheduled for a July 26 IWC public hearing. But because the application has been withdrawn, no hearing will be held.

Steve Maguire, the town's senior land use enforcement officer, said that the firm withdrew its application on July 11.

5-K had been seeking a wetlands/watercourses protection permit for its proposal to extend a private roadway from Edmond Road through a swamp to the southeastern section of its 23-acre property at 3 Edmond Road. 5-K has already developed the western section of the site, where some industrial warehouses now stand.

The information that had been submitted by the applicant only concerned roadway construction, not the project for which that access road would have been built.

Hilario's

In another matter at the July 12 session, the IWC had been poised to take action on a wetlands/watercourses protection permit sought by Hilario's Service Center of 131 Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville, but was not able to act because it did not achieve a quorum, which is required for action.

Ms Salling and members Craig Ferris and Michael McCabe attended the session. The IWC's full complement is seven members, but because there is a vacancy, the agency currently has six members. A quorum, or majority, of the panel is four members.

Ms Salling noted that the IWC has had thorough deliberations on Hilario's application, but added, "We are not able to have a vote on that [application] this evening."

A vote on Hilario's proposal is expected on July 26.

Hilario's is seeking to expand its heavy wrecker/commercial vehicle repair business on land adjacent to its current site. The property contains wetlands, and thus is subject to environmental review by the IWC.

Forestry Application

Also at the July 12 session, IWC members discussed with a forester an application to selectively cut trees on a 48-acre section of a 77-acre parcel off Wilderness West Road, near the Bethel town line. Sawtimber would be harvested and diseased and damaged trees would be removed.

But because the IWC did not achieve a quorum, it was not able to act on the application. Action is expected on July 26.