Hearings over for concrete business plan

WILTON – The Planning Board has closed the public portion of a hearing on a proposal by Granite State Concrete to expand its existing operation onto an adjoining 120 acres about two years after the plan was first presented.

The board heard final arguments last week and will begin its deliberations Nov. 17. A nonpublic session was held Tuesday to meet with attorneys.

Ari Pollack, attorney for Granite State, addressed issues raised in September by neighbors of the operation. These included impact on property values, impact on wetlands, the appearance of the site when the removal of materials is completed, vibrations from blasting, and safety issues connected with the blasting, such as fly rock.

Pollack said the final use of the site was not known, but the excavation would turn undeveloped terrain into usable land. He admitted vibrations occur beyond the borders of the site.

The company would consent to a 150-foot buffer along borders with disapproving neighbors, he said.

Pollack said he thought last month’s presentation was one-sided, but noted that company representatives had listened politely. He asked that the board deliberate at a reasonable pace.

Neighbor Ann Jasper noted that the project had regional impacts, and asked about neighborhood as opposed to “sphere of influence,” a term used in September by appraiser Richard Rockwood.

Lynne Draper, chairwoman of the Conservation Commission, said her board felt a number of issues were not adequately addressed, including pollution of the water supply, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. The Conservation Commission does not support the expansion.