The Sound’s report of the April 16 Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) hearing about the proposed planned development district (PDD) at Exit 56 [April 23, “Community Members Air Costco Pros and Cons”] misleadingly identified me as being “of the Branford Land Trust,” ignoring my opening statement that I was speaking only for myself and not for any organization or group that I am part of. I expect more accurate reporting from The Sound.

While the Inland Wetlands Commission will address water quality protection if the PDD is approved, as stated in the news report, the PZC has the responsibility to find that this application is consistent with the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), which sets a Key Strategy of protecting water quality by using modern water quality restoration techniques, and to deny the application if it fails this test.

The PDD application shows a callous disregard for water quality and other natural resources affected by water quality. It requests a 27 percent increase in impervious surface, to 76 percent of the site’s surface, leading inevitably to a large increase in deicing salts and other contaminants washing off parking lots. It describes a stormwater treatment system that the Connecticut Stormwater Quality Manual considers incapable of achieving the required level of water quality, and shows large areas of impervious surface within the wetland upland review area.

The POCD calls for Branford to “review opportunities to enhance…land use agencies coordination” to protect our water resources. The large amounts of impervious surface and disturbance within the upland review area are inconsistent with Branford’s Inland Wetlands regulations, making it unlikely that the development, if approved by the PZC, could be built as shown in the application. The PZC should not approve a special development zone plan that conflicts so much with wetlands regulations.

Bill Horne

Branford