By withdrawing its Inlands Wetlands application last week, then resubmitting it on Nov. 10, Costco has effectively re-set the clock on the start of a public hearing.

As previously reported (www.zip06.com/news/20151109/costco-public-hearing-delayed ), Costco decided it would be best to halt the application process in order to wait for Branford's Inlands Wetlands Agency (IWA) to hire outside experts and complete professional peer reviews of Costco's engineering and soil studies submitted with the application.

On Nov. 12, following a bidding process, IWA commissioners voted to hire Milone & MacBroom of Cheshire to conduct the peer reviews. The same consultant group was hired by Branford's Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) to produce peer reviews of studies submitted with Costco's master conceptual plan for a 44 -acre, two-phase development off Exit 56, approved by the PZC in June (see www.zip06.com/news/20150710/costco-is-a-go-in-branford).

Also on Nov. 12, the IWA acknowledged receipt of the re-submitted Costco application and set a public hearing date. The hearing opens Jan. 14, 2016, at 7:30 p.m. The location will likely be Branford Fire Headquarters, 45 North Main St., but the site still needs to be confirmed and an update will be provided when available, said Branford Inland Wetlands Officer Diana Ross.