South Windsor Rejects Warehouse Plan Again

People in South Windsor are breathing a sigh of relief after they notched another win in the fight to stop a warehouse from being built near their neighborhood.

The plan was shot down by the town’s Planning & Zoning Commission on Tuesday.

“I think the people in the neighborhood worked extremely hard and the results are extremely gratifying,” said Tim Wentzell, of South Windsor.

For months, people have been fighting the proposal for a 360,000 square foot distribution center to go up on Talbot Lane.

Those who live nearby were worried including about tractor-trailer trucks driving to and from the site, as well as idling there.

“Primarily air pollution from the diesels running 24/7, noise pollution,” said Leigh Lovering, of South Windsor.

Commission members also raised concerns about how trucks would maneuver around the site, that there was not enough parking and that snow storage was inadequate.

This was an updated site plan for the project.

A previous one was rejected by the commission in December which prompted a lawsuit to be filed by the property owner, UW Vintage Lane II.

Reports that were part of the application pushed back on fears the warehouse would hurt nearby property values and pointed out benefits including creating hundreds of jobs and paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes.

Still some think the town already has too many warehouses and are expected to call for a one year moratorium to better plan for them.

“I think our worst fears have been realized in terms of traffic and noise and light,” said Kathy Kerrigan, of South Windsor.

We did reach out to the attorney for the developer, but have not yet heard back.

Tuesday’s Planning & Zoning Commission decision can be appealed for 15 days and the lawsuit is still working its way through the courts.