Groton Open Space Association

IWA Asks For Fort Hill ERT; “Woods” Project Sharply Criticized

GROTON — The Inland Wetlands Agency voted unanimously Aug. 23, 2006, to request that an Environmental Review Team evaluate the 105-acre tract on Fort Hill where Hawthorne Development Partners LLC has proposed to build a 241-unit Active Senior Housing community called “Mystic Woods.”

The IWA decision came one day after the Town Council had voted tentatively to ask for an ERT for the area. The council vote, in a committee of the whole meeting, would have had to be affirmed in a regular council meeting Sept. 5 in order to become effective.

It now appears that further council action will not be required.

The Hawthorne Development plan came under heavy fire from a town engineer, consultants hired by GOSA, and citizens, one of whom called the project “Mistake Woods.” Atty. Harry Heller representing Hawthorne said he would respond with plan revisions to meet objections raised.

These revisions are to be made available to the public at least two weeks in advance of the continued public hearing on the development Sept. 27. Once the public hearing has finished, the IWA has 35 days to make a decision on Hawthorne’s application.

Colin Kelley, P.E., of the Groton Public Works Department, wrote in a brief note that was submitted to the panel that the project’s planners based their storm water calculations on a two-year storm, while town standards require a 100-year storm as basis. In addition, he wrote, the volume calculations for five of the seven storm water detention structures appear to be wrong. He said, too, that “it is not clear what the flow velocities are at the outlets.” He recommended a more extensive engineering review and inclusion of more information from the design engineer.

GOSA’s engineering consultant, Steven D. Trinkaus, P.E., of Trinkaus Engineering LLC, of Southbury, submitted a highly detailed critique of the project. He raised approximately 50 questions and/or objections to the plans submitted in connection with the project; 10 to the application itself; and 12 each to the findings of REMA Ecological Services LLC, of Manchester, hired by the developer, and to the storm water management report by the developer’s Diversified Technology Consultants of Stamford.

GOSA’s environmental consultant, Penelope C. Sharp, of Northford, said there are “considerable risks to the physical characteristics of the wetland systems on the site, particularly Wetlands #7, #8 and #11. The risks center primarily upon the likely alterations to wetland hydrology and ecology due to the location of storm water basins in close proximity to the wetlands. The risks, in my professional opinion, are too great and the plan as presented should therefore be denied.”

Susan Sutherland, a resident of the Mumford Cove neighborhood, who called the project Mistake Woods, said, “What is clear is that the environmental effects of salt, pesticides, herbicides, fertilizer, and motor oil from 241 units every year for the foreseeable future will be substantial.” The Mumford Cove itself lies south of the mouth of Fort Hill Brook, which flows through the Mystic Woods tract.

She said, “Let’s hope the people of Groton use this ill-conceived Mystic Woods project as a springboard to proactively plan now for future generations before our wildlife heritage is forever lost.”

The hearing was held in a packed meeting room at the Town Hall Annex. At least 13 notices of intervention in the proceedings have been filed by residents.