PZC delays decision on Aldi project

BRANFORD — The Planning and Zoning Commission heard a developer’s presentation of plans to build an Aldi grocery store and a Chase Bank at 1151 W. Main St., but did not make a decision and continued the public hearing until June 4.

Sound Development Group’s plan is to build a 19,210-squarefoot Aldi store and a separate, 3,470-square-foot Chase Bank building that would affect wetlands on the nearly 10-acre property.

Aldi is a German-owned cousin of Trader Joe’s known for its low prices, high-quality store brands, no-frills style and growing selection of natural and organic foods.

The long-vacant property formerly was a series of auto dealerships, most recently Branford Mitsubishi. It currently is owned by several members of the Maturo family.

The commission, in a Zoom meeting last Thursday, heard a presentation from John Knuff, attorney for developer Sound Development Group, on the building plan and associated grading and earth movement.

They also heard from soil scientist Tim Myjak, professional engineer John Schmitz, traffic engineer Mike Shepley and landscape architect Wayne Violette.

The application proposes a “2 to 1 wetland mitigation” plan in which more than 20,000 square feet of new wetlands would be created, the developer’s consultants said during the IWC approval process and reiterated Thursday.

The presentation was similar to the presentation the same people gave to the Inland Wetlands Commission, which voted May 19 to approve the plan following a series of hearings that began in December.

Schmitz said the development would have 123 parking spaces, more than the required 98.

Myjak reiterated what was presented to the wetlands commission regarding asphalt-impacted fill from past developments that would remain onsite and, in accordance with state law, be encapsulated.

According to state law, “Material on the site does not have to automatically be dug up,” Myjak told the PZC.

Shepley presented a series of plans to mitigate traffic from the development, including a proposed new right-turn lane into the site off eastbound Route 1.

Among those who spoke Thursday were resident Jaycey Wyatt, land use attorney Franklin Pilsey, who represents Rock Ledge Condominium Association, Jeff Down, the listing broker on the property, local resident and environmentalist Bill Horne and Perry Maresca, chairman of the Economic Development Commission.

Wyatt, who said she’s actually the granddaughter of a man who used to run an auto shop on the

property, asked a number of questions, including whether there were any plans to put a road through to connect with the nearby railroad station (Knuff said there weren’t), whether a bank was really necessary on the site and whether the developers looked at any property across the street, closer to Walmart.

Pilsey said that RockLedge supports the project.

Maresca said the Economic Development Commission supports it.

Dow said the two uses are perfect for the property.

Horne, a member of the Branford Land Trust, commented about what he called “an unusual surface feature” on the site, a large depression that he said intercepts about 30 percent of the rainfall on the site before it drains into the nearby creek.

He said there is downstream flooding even for minor storms when they appear at high tide and “it’s going to get worse with climate change.”

Land Trust members have expressed concern about the proposed filling of wetlands despite the developer having amended its application to reduce the amount of filling from the original 11,000 square feet to about 9,600 square feet .

The June 4 PZC meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. A Zoom link is expected to be posted at a later date.

Wetlands approval came after several months of deliberations that began last December, which included concerns from neighbors on nearby Home Place, which backs up to the property and its wetlands, as well as members of the Branford Land Trust.

Meanwhile, neighbors of another nearby property, the Rockledge Condominium Association, submitted a letter to both the Inland Wetlands Commission and the Planning and Zoning Commission in support of the application.

Many of the Home Place neighbors were at least partially satisfied as a result of a meeting in January with Knuff, of the Milford law firm of Hurwitz, Sagarin, Slossberg & Knuff.