Since the State budget was signed in June, an interesting phrase has been mentioned in several news articles: “food distribution warehouse.” Somehow, the media has critical information that was not given to Middlebury residents, who have been told repeatedly there is no known end user for the proposed distribution facility on Christian Road.
In all practical terms, focusing on whether a distribution facility distributes “food” and not Amazon boxes conveniently ignores the larger conversation residents are entitled to have. When considering if a distribution facility of any kind is appropriate for Middlebury, WHAT is being distributed is one of MANY factors that should be discussed. But, since the media is convinced it knows something the rest of us don't, let's look at a nearby food distribution warehouse in Cheshire to see what a "food distribution warehouse" could mean for Middlebury.
1. Compare these two Google Maps images of the area surrounding Bozzuto's in Cheshire (completely surrounded by a heavy industrial use), and the Timex property (a light industrial use surrounded by residential homes and an elementary school). According to Cheshire’s zoning regulations, wholesale business warehousing is by special permit use, and the proposed building height, design and building materials are required to be appropriate in relation to the neighboring area in which it is located. A Bozzuto’s in the Cheshire I-1 zone makes complete sense. A Bozzuto’s in the Middlebury LI-200 zone (where wholesale warehousing is not allowed), makes no sense, and it makes even less sense when considering the Timex property is an island of LI-200 immediately surrounded by a sea of residentially zoned properties.
2. According to a Google Maps review (image below), drivers headed for the Bozzuto's facility in Cheshire are told they cannot arrive on property more than two hours before their scheduled time. They are told to wait at the Southington truck stop outside this two-hour window. Imagining a similar scenario, where would trucks “wait” to access a Middlebury facility?
3. Trucks are trucks. Whether trucks are bringing in and picking up food or not doesn’t make them less of a truck. From an article published in 1794 Magazine in the fall of 2020, Bozzuto's revealed that over 500 trucks a day unload product and another 400 trucks ship out to stores. If a new Middlebury distribution facility is much larger than Bozzutos’ Cheshire location, this number could reasonably be expected to increase. So finally some truth: a food distribution warehouse is a heavy truck traffic generator.
4. Route 188 is a state road. Anyone can drive on it, including trucks. Guess what? Route 64 is a state road too! A town has no control over whether or not a truck can drive on a state road, and Waze doesn’t care what vehicle you drive. So the idea that no trucks ever would use exit 17 to drive on 64 through town to 188 to get to a distribution facility off Southford Road is blatantly false.
In summary, if anyone tells you that the trucks coming to and from any type of distribution facility in Middlebury could possibly be “unseen” and “unheard,” and you believe them, we have a bridge to sell you.
