Tabor Site Best for Public Works? Public Weighs In

A public hearing was set Feb. 1 to help the Board of Selectmen (BOS) determine if land at town-owned 48-86 Tabor Drive should be used build a new, $10.9 million Public Works facility, giving a formal forum for citizens to weigh in on what has become a controversial proposal for some. 

The Tabor land was taken by eminent domain in 2003 after the town deemed it needed to be considered as potentially hazardous for use as proposed residential development area, based on its proximity to a landfill. The move threw Branford into litigation for the next eight years, ending with the state Supreme Court's overturning a $12.8 million jury decision against the town.

Although the area in question on the Tabor property has since been assessed as land that can be safely used for the purposes of a facility such as Public Works (based on a 10-acre environmental report by engineers Fuss & O'Neill, 2008), some still question whether unseen contamination or worker health issues may arise in the future, possibly leading to more litigation against the town. Others are concerned that building the town's Public Works facility on the Tabor property means nearby residential neighborhoods would be impacted by increased truck traffic and other factors.

On Jan. 18, when announcing the Feb. 1 public hearing would take place, First Selectman Anthony "Unk" DaRos said any comments from the public would be taken into consideration by the BOS, together with its review of a new report received from the Public Works Building Committee, which is recommending the town build on the Tabor site. DaRos said he did not feel the BOS would be making a final decision on Feb. 1 supporting or rejecting the recommendation to build on Tabor land.

A portion of the report, giving reasons for selecting Tabor as the best location, was given to the BOS on Jan. 18 by a representative of Weston & Sampson, a Massachusetts environmental/infrastructure consulting firm hired to conduct site reviews and develop a proposed plan.

Also included in Weston & Sampson's written review was its assessment of a second site closely considered for potential construction of the new Public Works facility, on a private parcel at 20 Northeast Industrial Road. The building committee, which reviewed a total of seven parcels during its 18-month quest for the best property, ultimately decided not to support the Northeast Industrial Road site as the best option; based on the recommendation of the Weston & Sampson assessment. Weston & Sampson's entire 207-page Public Works Feasibility Study Final Report is available to review online at the Town of Branford website, www.branford-ct.gov.