Printer Friendly Version - Costco Public Hearing Jan. 14

This sign notifying of the public hearing is posted on East Main Street. On the Costco application, East Main Street is noted as the closest boundary to the proposed 158,000 square-foot wholesale club to be constructed during Phase One of the two-part development project.Pam Johnson/The Sound

Costco's site plan for development will be the subject of an Inlands Wetlands public hearing set to open Thurs. Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Branford Fire Headquarters, 45 North Main St.

The hearing follows months of delays, including Costco's November decision to reset the clock on the town's review by withdrawing three property applications submitted in September and immediately resubmitting. Site plan renderings show Costco's phase one development on the property including a 158,000 square-foot discount club building and gas station, requiring a combined 637 parking spaces. East Main Street is shown as the building's closest street boundary.

Costco Wholesale Corp.'s application includes a 66-page Wetlands Report regarding the two-phase development and its impact on wetlands and watercourses at the 44- acre site off Exit 56.

Site plan renderings show Costco's phase one development on the property including a 158,000 square-foot discount club building and gas station, requiring a combined 637 parking spaces. East Main Street is shown as the building's closest street boundary.

In November, Branford Inlands Wetlands Commission ordered a peer review of Costco's scientific reports submitted with the application. The Costco and peer-review reports are likely to be a big part of the public hearing. One party expected to be following the hearing closely is non-profit Branford Land Trust, which has been granted intevenor status. The Trust is concerned the Costco development could add as much as 20 acres of new coverage with buildings and pavement in a watershed area already impacted by existing coverage from I-95, TA truck stop, Stop & Shop plaza and neighboring businesses between I-95 and Route 1. The Trust has stated that uncontrolled runoff from the Costco development could be carried into the Van Wie Pond, wetland areas along Jarvis Creek and the Branford River to Long Island Sound. The Trust wants to see the final Costco project include low-impact development features and implementation of a well-designed management plan.

The scientific report compiled for Costco by Environmental Planning Service LLC (West Hartford) includes what it terms "plans for mitigation of unavoidable impacts to wetland resources at the site" that the company says meets the town's requirements.