Some cities and towns that once rolled out the red carpet for new giant distribution centers – and the accompanying growth in tax revenue and jobs – are becoming increasingly hesitant.
As towns like Windsor and South Windsor have experienced a warehouse boom, residents are raising increasing alarm over congestion, pollution and noise concerns, prompting some local governments to contemplate stricter land-use controls.
South Windsor’s Planning and Zoning Commission, on Wednesday, unanimously approved a year-long moratorium on acceptance of new applications for warehouses, distribution centers and freight terminals.
A day prior, industrial developer and investor Scannell Properties submitted a wetlands application for a 241,800-square-foot warehouse on 18.8 acres. The development site comes from an assemblage of properties including 67 and 68 Kennedy Road and 352 Sullivan Ave.
With warehouse distribution centers becoming a bigger part of Connecticut’s economy, South Windsor next week may adopt a one-year moratorium against any new ones.
South Windsor’s Planning and Zoning Commission is poised to adopt a year-long moratorium on new warehouse and distribution centers in response to resident concerns following a development boom of just over a decade.
Several commission members voiced support at a Tuesday night meeting for a moratorium proposed by resident Kathy Kerrigan. Members delayed action, however, after an attorney representing an unspecified landowner raised concerns the measure had not been publicly available long enough for its adoption to be legal.