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Expect the Same

The Feb. 4 Clinton Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) public hearing created much confusion. The recycling dump group [Old Post Road Realty] claims it now intends to build a huge indoor recreational facility instead, which I believe would create huge traffic issues, but the area is currently protected from that by zoning regulations. The dump group knew this when it bought the property.

Nearby property owners relied on those zoning regulations when deciding to purchase homes. We learned there are many other potential uses permitted for the property, and there are many other properties in Clinton where regulations would allow a huge recreation facility. The dump group can buy one of those properties, not alongside an established residential community, if it truly wants to build a huge recreational facility. And remember, this not only affects the neighborhood around the dump property but also every neighborhood around every I-2 zone in Clinton.

It’s particularly disappointing that neither PZC nor the dump group provided a color-coded map showing the location of all the I-2 zones in Clinton that this zoning regulation change would affect. It’s so obvious such a map would have been helpful. Why it wasn’t provided?

PZC has no obligation to accommodate the dump group, which has been disingenuous from day one. Remember how the story of the proposed dump and its ownership kept changing? Shouldn’t we expect the same again? Nearby residential owners and the entire town shouldn’t have to go through that all over again.

It was bizarre that the dump group’s attorney was allowed to speak specifically about the dump property, but no one else was. Of course, this makes no sense. If the applicant speaks of a specific property, everyone should be able to respond.

Bottom line: There’s no reason to change the current regulations.

Vincent Cimino

Clinton