#MiddleburyCT #DistributionCenter #Pizzuto
The Pizzuto effect, how text State Representative William Pizzuto of Middlebury inserted into the Connecticut state budget affects Middlebury and other towns, is becoming apparent. Looking just at Middlebury, the text seems to have effectively killed a developer’s proposed project to build a 720,000 square foot distribution center in the town.
Pizzuto has stated that was his goal. In a written statement dated June 8, he said he was elected by the people of Middlebury to serve their best interests. He said, “all voices on this matter were heard.”
The text he inserted into the state budget applied to towns with populations of more than 6,000 or less than 8,000 and warehousing or distribution facilities larger than 100,000 square feet on less than 150 acres with more than five acres of wetlands located less than 2 miles from a public school. In those towns, it said, neither the municipality nor one of its boards or commissions could approve the siting, construction, permitting, operation or use of such a warehousing or distribution facility.
On social media, Pizzuto was hailed as a hero and savior by residents opposed to the distribution center project. Looking at what might be called collateral damage resulting from his state budget text, however, town officials are concerned.
Middlebury First Selectman Edward B. St. John said he learned of Pizzuto’s action when he read about it in the newspaper. The project, which had been approved by the Conservation Commission, had not yet been submitted to the Planning and Zoning (P&Z) Commission.
Of Pizzuto’s action, St. John said, “What does the town do with the hundreds of acres of property, including in the Enterprise Zone that is now covered by state law? We worked several years with our legislators to create this Enterprise Zone that would only help us moving forward. In all the years I’ve been here, this is the most embarrassing situation the town has ever faced. We have an issue now with home rule, and we have an issue with how we do things here in Middlebury. Is the state going to determine everything we do going forward?” He added, “Whether you are for or against something, this is not how it’s done. Let the process work.”
Terry McAuliffe, director of the town’s Economic Development Commission (EDC), said, “My feeling is that Bill Pizzuto was well intended and that he was trying to do something good for the town of Middlebury. but I think that inserting something into state legislation goes against home rule with hometowns doing the zoning and stuff. It may have some unintended consequences for some of Middlebury’s important other development areas and also possibly for some other towns.”
He also noted the EDC has been trying to attract businesses to Middlebury that recognize its upscale vibe and fit into the community that way. “The warehouse proposal really didn’t fit into Middlebury’s upscale vibe, he said, “and in the big picture it likely wouldn’t be of economic benefit to Middlebury.”
Middlebury P&Z Chairman Terry Smith said, “I don’t think Mr. Pizzuto knows the damage he has done to our economic development. Other businesses that are considering Middlebury are going to look at the protests and what happened in Hartford and will look elsewhere.”
He said they had worked hard to make Middlebury business friendly while maintaining the character of the town. “I think now it will get out that Middlebury is not business friendly,” he said.
Smith said in his 29 years serving on P&Z, he had never seen a state law target Middlebury as Pizzuto’s text does. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” he said. “I think it was an abuse of power, and I guess I’m mostly disappointed in that P&Z wasn’t able to do its job. I’m assuming all these people moved to Middlebury because they liked the town and they liked the way it was run. That’s a direct result of P&Z. That is what we do. We never saw a site plan with specifics.”
He said he heard gossip in town talking about 90-foot tall buildings and 1,000 trucks a day coming and going. “It’s ridiculous some of the statements that were made,” he said.
As far as 24/7 businesses are concerned – businesses like gas stations and manufacturing facilities – he said, “If they came in and met our regulations, we would have put protections in there. By the time P&Z got through, you wouldn’t see it, you wouldn’t hear it and the trucks wouldn’t be going through town. Without those protections, we would never have approved it.”
Middlebury assessor Chris Kelsey commented on the impact of Pizzuto’s text on the 555 Christian Road property value. He said, “The Pizzuto text has rendered the property worthless because the owners now can’t maximize the property value. The owners could appeal their current assessment so they can lower their property taxes due to the loss of property value.”
Middlebury Tax Collector Brenda Carter said the most recent tax bill for the 555 Christian Road property is $199,913.94. The 92.9-acre property is appraised at $9.09 million and assessed at $6.2 million.
We wanted to ask Rep. Pizzuto why the text put into the state budget limited the building size to 100,000 when the proposed distribution center was 720,000 square feet, but he said through a spokesperson he was too busy to speak with this newspaper. We asked the assessor what properties in town were more than 100,000 square feet. He said Chemtura at 199 Benson Road is 332,000 square feet, 199 Park Road Extension is 278,000 square feet, and Middlebury Edge is 110,000 square feet.
