The Ledge Rock Removal Plan
At the meeting with Ed Haberek on June 17, I wanted to put him through the same “connect-the-dots” experience I had been through that week. There was no table to spread out the three documents I wanted to show him, so we had to deal with the situation across his desk. I opened the “Conceptual Evaluation,” a document prepared by the Planning Department for the Planning and Zoning Commission, turned to page 12 and rotated the page so he could see it.
At the meeting with Ed Haberek on June 17, I wanted to put him through the same “connect-the-dots” experience I had been through that week. There was no table to spread out the three documents I wanted to show him, so we had to deal with the situation across his desk. I opened the “Conceptual Evaluation,” a document prepared by the Planning Department for the Planning and Zoning Commission, turned to page 12 and rotated the page so he could see it.
“Can you read this paragraph out loud, Ed? It’s upside down to me.”
“Sure.”
A significant amount of ledge exists on the subject property. A ledge removal plan submitted by the applicant show the largest area of ledge removal in the area approximately 200’ from Mary Hall Road, with ledge expected to be removed in other areas as well.
“Well, that sounds pretty benign, doesn’t it?” I said. “But I decided to ask the Planning Department for a copy of the ledge removal plan anyhow. Here’s what they gave me.”
I unfolded an 11” x 17” contour map. It shows three areas slated for removal. The first area is 3.16 acres. The second area is .14 acres. The third area is .34 acres.
“Ed, my hands began to shake when I saw this map. But that’s not all. I went back to the the “Impact Statement” submitted by Cherenzia.
Their statement says there is approximately a 40-foot difference between the road grade on Mary Hall Road and the high point within the 3.16 acres scheduled to be removed. Forty feet! Take the roof off a two-story house, stack another house on top -- that’s 40 feet. Now, I'm an amateur here but if they take 40 feet off a 3-acre surface, I figure that is about 5 million cubic feet of rock!”
Their statement says there is approximately a 40-foot difference between the road grade on Mary Hall Road and the high point within the 3.16 acres scheduled to be removed. Forty feet! Take the roof off a two-story house, stack another house on top -- that’s 40 feet. Now, I'm an amateur here but if they take 40 feet off a 3-acre surface, I figure that is about 5 million cubic feet of rock!”
I flipped back to page 12 of the “Conceptual Plan.”
“Now, do you think the description given here, about some ledge rock existing on the site and a ledge removal plan is on file? ... Do you think that is an adequate description of blasting and crushing of more than 3.5 acres of rock? Do you think the Commissioners need to know about this?”
Ed nodded yes. He took a pen and make a note on his desk pad.
“And I have another question. At the public hearing, Cherenzia’s staff took an hour to present all kinds of photos, maps and charts. Why was the ledge removal plan never presented at the public hearing? Between rock removal and regrading, the site is going to look like an airport runway.”
“This is mountain top removal ... and we don’t even live in coal country!”
3 comments:
I believe this project if not suitable for the area concerned.
There is available housing at all prices in Westerly, Pawcatuck and Stonington Borough -- housing just waiting for customers.
Who would buy into this new notion -- AND look at what it could do to the rural, small community entity that is Pawcatuck?
Go away Cherenzia...take "Crescent Club" elsewhere...
I have lived here most of my life when I was little I used to ride my horse from where the dump is down to River Rd and not see a single car on Greenhaven Rd now with all the traffic you can barely walk 2 feet without seeing a car & yet still it is a pretty place to live but add 68 condos and it would be terrible you wouldn't be able to walk anymore. We have enough traffic down here. Its time we thought of the local people that live here not the out of town developers looking to make a quick buck. The development up on Grandview tree farm still has many lots available and is progressing much slower than they had hoped for. We don't need more space taken away.
I love to run and bike this area and have lived her for over 7 years. With the amount of housing just sitting unsold, including condo units on River Rd in Pawcatuck, it seems like something that really should not be up for discussion. Safe to build and safe for existing residents? Not hardly. The footprint left by such a large blasting project has the potential to completely ruin the water table in this area, surrounded by preserves, marshes and ocean/river waters. The last zoning question in this area brought up some startling statistics regarding an overloaded sewage system and no real viable back up plan for that issue. Now we expect to add this type of volume to an already over saturated area? So they can sit unsold for multiple years?? In this economy. Great Idea for developers but not the people in this area.
Post a Comment