Costco has submitted modified inland wetlands permit applications and plans that the company says meets specifications of intervenor Branford Land Trust (BLT).

The changes, submitted by architectural/engineering firm BL Companies on behalf of its client, Costco Wholesale Corp. were received by the Branford Inlands Wetlands Office on Feb. 24 and will be incorporated into a continued public hearing on Thursday, March 10.

Another intervenor in the matter, Branford Citizens for Responsible Development (BCRD), has questioned the approach to adding modifications to the submitted site plan. During a presentation to the Inlands Wetlands Agency (IWA) on Feb. 11, BCRD attorney Keith Ainsworth pointed out that too many modifications to an original application already under review, with a public hearing underway, may actually require the submission of an entirely new application and plan. 

The modifications are the result of "successful efforts" made by Costco to address application comments and questions raised in a Feb. 1 letter submitted by BLT and its consulting firm, LandTech Consultants Inc. The letter and subsequent meetings led to "productive discussion" in a "two-way process" resulting in the modifications, said BL Companies Senior Project Manager Michelle Carlson, in a letter submitted with the modifications on Feb. 24.

Representatives of BLT and LandTech had notified the IWA on Feb. 11 that a provisional agreement had been reached with Costco, and that BLT expected Costco to make modifications meeting specifications the trust felt were needed to better protect downstream wetlands areas (see http://www.zip06.com/news/20160213/costco-hearing-despite-opposition-some-progress-%20 for more details). Costco representatives left the Feb. 11 meeting promising to submit plans with those changes in advance of the continued hearing on March 10.

Costco's modified plans address issues including tackling additional subsurface investigations and infiltrations (changes will mean less post-construction storm water volume leaving the site than pre-development storm water volume), improvements to storm water management systems (to now meet or exceed the requested revisions), enhancement of previously submitted operations and maintenance guides and the addition of a Conservation Areas Management Plan and an Invasive Species Control Plan, and erosion and sediment control plan improvements, according to BL Companies.

"We are happy to report that, in our view, the outcome of our discussions with LandTech have produced better plans that address fully the comments and questions raised by LandTech in its Feb. 1, 2016 letter, as well as all pertinent regulations and guidance documents," Carlson stated.

Costco plans to develop on a portion of 44  acres on three contiguous parcels and so has submitted three applications, one concerning each parcel, to the IWA. On Feb. 24, BL Companies submitted changes across the three applications, with modifications noted on each of the three site plans. One application is for development at 569 East Main Street, another for 573 East Main Street, and one for 20 East Industrial Road (off I-95 Exit 56).

Costco's two-phase retail/commercial development includes a 160,000 square-foot wholesale store facing East Main Street, with a proposed 16-pump gas station, parking, and access roads (Phase One) and seven additional buildings for yet-to-be determined businesses, restaurants, or retailers (Phase Two).

Originally, the IWA opened the public hearing in January with just one application under review, 569 East Main Street. On Feb. 11, the IWA voted to continue the 569 East Main Street public hearing and open two additional public hearings for 573 East Main Street and 20 East Industrial Road.

The IWA Costco applications' public hearings will continue Thursday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Branford Fire Headquarters, 45 North Main Street.