The Naugatuck Valley Council of Government (NVCOG) is in charge of regional planning. When towns in our region receive applications to change zoning regulations, NVCOG notification is required so that the "big picture" is always monitored.
Watertown just received an application to create a Planned Development District off Bunker Hill Rd and New Wood Rd (behind the car dealerships and across from Stop & Shop)) for 767,500 SF of distribution centers and a multi-family housing project. This property is on the Middlebury/Watertown town line. According to the traffic study, 30% of the proposed increase in traffic use is projected to come up Rt 63 from the south (meaning exit 17). NVCOG's report casually mentions a "possibility" of inter-municipal impact to Middlebury, and recommends minimizing traffic impact where possible.
Here's the problem. NVCOG was already notified about Middlebury's potential distribution facility/warehouse/flex space or whatever we're calling it these days. That traffic report also says that 30% of the traffic increase is going to come from the east (meaning Exit 17 through town and down 188 to the property). So, between the two potential projects, that's possibly a 60% increase over current peak conditions, and that's not even counting the state DOT-planned reconfiguration of Exit 17. It is very likely the state project does not account for the potential increase in tractor trailer traffic at exit 17.
Our First Selectman sits on the NVCOG Executive Board and should be very, very concerned about the double impact these two projects will have on Middlebury at Exit 17.
