U-Haul Proposal Comes Before Guilford PZC
What does or does not belong on the Post Road? The Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) held the first public hearing on March 15 on a proposal from U-Haul to construct a new, three-story facility on its Boston Post Road site, raising questions about design, traffic, and the character of Route 1 in town.
The proposed facility would be located at 301 Boston Post Road on the corner of Route 1 and Tanner Marsh Road on what was formerly the Mannix Motors site. The U-Haul proposal includes renovating the existing structure on the site and building a second structure for storage.
The proposal, currently seeking a special permit from PZC, has already been approved by the Inland Wetlands Commission and has been viewed favorably by the Design Review Committee, according to Town Planner George Kral.
If approved, the site would include more than 500 storage spaces within the two buildings, U-Haul trucks for rent including seven trucks parked close to the front of the property, a new perimeter of trees, and a new sidewalk along the post road.
Kral said the U-Haul applicant worked well with the Design Review Committee, taking into account the need for a row of trees as well as making sure the buildings fit with the surrounding area, using earth tone colors and stonework on the exterior.
As the application was presented, some members of PZC raised concerns over exterior lighting, the size of the building, and the potential number of trucks on the lot.
PZC Member Rich Meier said by allowing U-Haul trucks to be parked near the front of the lot, the commission was essentially allowing advertising on Route 1.
“One of our jobs is to maintain the character of town, however you want to define it, and it is hard to put your finger on that sometimes,” he said. “…but I am pretty sure the character of town is not the U-Haul side of the truck.”
Meier also expressed concerns about the appearance of U-Haul facilities in general, referring to an anonymous flyer that was sent out to several Guilford residents in the time leading up to the first public hearing.
U-Haul Connecticut Company President Pete Sciortino said the photos in the flyer are from the location in Orange. He said Orange location is close to 30 years old and the new Guilford location would be very different, emphasizing the company’s work with the town’s Design Review Committee.
“Right now in the whole state of Connecticut we have 280 to 400 trucks,” he said. “I think max on this property maybe 25 trucks at the most at peak season and 10 of those would be small vans. It is really tough to imagine any more than 20 to 25 trucks.”
Sciortino said no repair work or refueling would be done on the site. He also said while the storage spaces are open to customers at all times, the facility itself would not be open 24-7 and most of the lighting on the buildings would run on timers.
A handful of residents attended the meeting, most of whom are in opposition to the proposed project. David Milano, a resident who also owns a self-storage facility in Madison, said he was concerned about the effects of the project on his property and the town and submitted to PZC a letter drafted by his attorney outlying reasons for denying the application.
“The proposed three-story, 40-foot tall, 50,000 square-foot building by U-Haul, with 24-hour lighting and signage seems over scale in comparison with the surrounding neighborhood,” he said.
Resident Laura Kramer said she is opposed to the project. When asked by Meier if she thought the U-Haul facility would negatively affect her property value, she said yes.
“This type of development does not belong in Guilford,” she said. “I live in Sunrise and I feel our neighborhood will be affected by this.”
A second public hearing on the U-Haul application will be held on Wednesday, April 19.