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Bulk Propane Issue Returns to North Branford

After more than 18 months of state review, a wetlands application for a proposed 60,000 gallon propane storage/retail facility at 40 Ciro Road is coming back to town.

The hot-button issue raised neighboring residents' concerns about safety and quality of life issues, following what some saw as a bad decision by the Planning and Zoning Commission to allow a regulatory change to allow applications, such as one submitted by Guilford-based J.J. Sullivan Fuel Co., for a bulk propane facility at the Ciro Road site. The issue drew crowds of sign-carrying protestors to town meetings in 2014.

Now, it will be brought back into focus during an adjudication hearing set by the state to take place at North Branford Auditorium Thursday, September 8 at 6:30 p.m. The hearing is a final step in the lengthy inlands wetlands application review process that was handed off to the Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) in January 2015 by the attorney representing J.J. Sullivan Fuel Co.

The hearing was triggered after more than 25 individuals responded with input to the DEEP's April, 2016 comments on the application sent to the town, said Town Planner Carey Duques.

"If more than 25 are received, that forces the DEEP to provide a public hearing, which is what this adjudication will be," Duques told Zip06/The Sound.

The Sept. 8 meeting will be run by DEEP officials; town leaders are not involved in organizing or otherwise running the meetings, said Duques. The Town Council received formal notification of the meeting.

In addition to Sept. 8 meeting, the DEEP plans to make a site walk on Tuesday, August 9 at 1 p.m. The site walk is considered a public meeting, however, "...site visits are not held on the record and are not an appropriate time for public comment or testimony," noted DEEP Hearing Officer Brendan Schain in the notice of prehearing conference, site visit and hearing. The full notice from the DEEP is posted with this story.

Duques said members of the public who want to speak on the matter will be heard during the Sept. 8 meeting.