Prior Costco Site Up For New Development

Back in 2003 the owners of a 13-acre site between North Main Street and I‑95 in Branford gave Costco an option for potential development. However, two years later, Branford’s regulatory boards denied a variance that Costco needed in order to build there.

Now the owners are trying again, hoping to attract developers if the peak-and-valley topography of their land can be leveled out. But first the proposal has to be approved by the Inland Wetlands Commission. And the commissioners said that may not be easy.

The property at 250 N. Main St. is owned by the Shapiro family, who operate the Cedar Island Marina in Clinton. The Branford parcel lies along Route 1, adjacent to the W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home on one side, and United Tire Inc. and Greystone Manor condominiums on the other side.

“There’s renewed interest and renewed hope for this site,” said engineer John Mancini of B L Companies in Meriden.

During an Inland Wetland meeting last week, Mancini said there are no specific project plans for development, but the owners hope to prep the site to attract a client. He said there have been inquiries from a variety of sources, including using the land for retail, medical offices, a gym, or a warehouse.

The IW commission will do a site walk on April 24, and a public hearing will be held May 8.

Mancini told the commission that although the site ​“clearly didn’t work” for Costco, it could be appropriate for another venture.

BL Companies is currently working on a proposal to build a Costco near Exit 56, but no formal application has been made. Click here to read that story.

A Challenging Topography

During the meeting, Mancini said the town of Branford once expressed interest in the North Main Street site as a possible location for the town’s fire headquarters and public works building. But that never came to fruition.

Mancini said the topography, the wetlands, a stream and the rocky outcropping along Route 1 make it challenging. ​“No one can visualize what can be done with this piece of property,” he said. 

Mancini displayed a conceptual drawing that gave an example of what could be built there. ​“It meets all the planning and zoning regulations without any variances,” he said.

The conceptual plan pictured a big-box type store, but Mancini said that is only one option. ​“Let’s set it up for development,” he said.

One obstacle facing the engineers is convincing the IW commission that they can enhance or create enough wetlands to make up for the ones that will be disturbed during the project. Mancini said they will have a chart at the hearing to show the wetland impact and the proposed mitigation or enhancement. He said there is a possible impact to 12,000 square feet of wetlands.

The IW commissioners reminded the engineers that wetlands that are disturbed must be replaced or mitigated at a 2 – 1 ratio.

Dr. Richard Orson, a member of the IW commission, said the square footage of impacted wetlands is larger than other projects the commission has approved. “You’re coming in with something that’s never been done here,” Orson said. Pictured are four members of the board. Orson is at the far left.

In addition to topography and wetland constraints, the current town zoning regulations prohibit developing a project that would have more than 60 percent impervious surface, meaning a surface that can’t absorb water such as buildings and pavement. 

Mancini said the land was extensively mined for gravel and soil before the Shapiro family purchased the site in 1997. The area is currently covered with invasive plants, which would have to be eradicated and replaced with appropriate plantings.

Project manager John Schmitz of BL Companies said it will be necessary to widen the roadway and add turning lanes.

“The topography is varied…there’s several peaks and valleys,” Schmitz said. He said the plans include blasting some of the high points and filling in the low area to make a more level area. He said they plan to maintain the existing drainage flows and add detention ponds for storm water runoff.

Other Development

In other development news, the Planning and Zoning Commission last month approved, with conditions, plans to build 30 upscale single-family homes on a 25-acre site at 47 Gould Lane. The property is owned by Joe Capasso and his son Carmine Capasso, who are also the developers. The project will be an open-space residential subdivision, which would preserve existing wetlands. The Inland Wetland Commission approved previously approved the plans. Click here to read more about the property.

Earlier this month, the P&Z approved a request to build a 450-foot access road leading from Route 1 to the site for the U.S. Army Reserve Training Center. The access road will be built and maintained by the Bittersweet Partners LLC. That project was previously approved by the IW commissioners. Click here to read the most recent story about the Army’s plans.

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