Permit for sports complex on CT/Mass border delayed again as developers clarify plan for turf fields

Eric Bedner, Susan Danseyar,

ENFIELD — Questions about a proposed sports complex that would be built near the Massachusetts line continue to linger as developers try to appease residents and protect the environment of adjacent wetlands.

Andrew Borgia of Fast Track Realty is planning to develop the former MassMutual property at 85 and 100 Bright Meadow Boulevard for a sports complex. All Sports Village, as the project is called, would have outdoor fields, a basketball building, along with a hotel, restaurant, additional retail space, and a family entertainment center. The complex would be built on the now empty 65-acre MassMutual office park along with an adjacent 3.78-acre farmland parcel at 113 Brainard Road.

Members of the Inland Wetlands Commission voted unanimously on Tuesday to keep the public hearing regarding the project open until their next meeting on April 16.

The agency continued its public hearing on the project for a third time to Tuesday in order to review additional information on the proposed wetland mitigation before deciding whether to grant All Sports Village a permit. Agency members took a site walk with the development team, which was open to the public, on March 12 to see the property where a wetland would be filled in, a sloped portion where a wetland would be built, and an area where flora would be repaired after beavers — now gone from the property after they were relocated by the town — caused damage when they built their dams.

Developers have made several changes to minimize the impact on adjacent wetlands, including reducing the size of the proposed basketball facility and the drainage system for the soccer field.

At issue for several residents has been the use of synthetic athletic fields and rubber crumb infill. The plan for fields has been changed, however, and will no longer be using rubber crumb infill, environmental scientist George Logan of Rema Environmental Services said during the agency's March 19 meeting. Instead, the fields will have an artificial surface that looks like grass but doesn't require fill.

During public hearings before the agency on March 5 and March 19, several residents said artificial athletic field can contain polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," saying they are poisonous to human health and the environment. In particular, speakers questioned rubber crumb infill used on artificial turf fields and suggested the developer consider using natural turf fields instead.

Allen Hubbard of Athletic Fields of America, a New Jersey-based general contractor specializing in synthetic turf and athletic field construction, assured the public on Tuesday that PFAS chemicals would not be used at all on the athletic fields.

Since November, all of his company's manufacturing has been PFAS-free, he said, adding that the synthetic turf and shock pad underneath it would both be made from polyethylene.

Hubbard also said that while most artificial turf manufacturers provide a warranty of eight years, his company provides a warranty for 12 years.

"It's the Cadillac of turf," he said. "It's that simple." 

The synthetic turf that will be used for All Sports Village fields is 100 percent recyclable, Hubbard said. Athletic Fields of America has a partnership with ExxonMobil and Cyclyx International, a plastic waste supply chain firm that is able to completely break down artificial turf field materials into hydrocarbons that ExxonMobil will process back into plastics.

In previous meetings, Hubbard disagreed with residents who said synthetic athletic fields pollute water sources.

He provided several examples of fields that have not had an affect on water quality, including at Taber Academy in Marion, Massachusetts. Three synthetic athletic fields are on the campus and located next to the town well and a tidal zone on the ocean, Hubbard said. "Before the fields were put in, the water runoff was tested and tested again several years after they went in," he said. "There was no change in water quality coming off the area."

Residents who had been vocal about the sports complex's potential impact to the environment said on Tuesday that many of their concerns have been addressed, praising the developers for their attention.

Previously, residents had quoted warnings about the health hazards of artificial turf fields and rubber crumb infill they said was included in a Yale University study, documents by the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and a recent letter written by the Environment and Human Health Inc., a 10-member organization composed of physicians and public health professionals dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms. 

The project team said there has never been a study sanctioned by Yale University on the harmful effects of artificial turf fields. In fact, Yale University has seven artificial turf fields on its campus that are right next to a river, Hubbard said previously.

Stamford detour alert: Lakeside Drive bridge closes for 8-month replacement project

Brianna Gurciullo

STAMFORD — The Lakeside Drive bridge over the North Stamford Reservoir has closed for construction. 

Drivers must follow a detour route along North Stamford Road, High Ridge Road and Interlaken Road while the bridge is being replaced — a project that is scheduled for “substantial” completion on Nov. 30, said City Engineer Lou Casolo.

The original bridge was built in 1936 and rebuilt in 1993, according to a page dedicated to the project on the city’s website. The state Department of Transportation has rated the condition of the 40-foot-long bridge with a 25-foot-wide deck as “poor.”

“The existing bridge will be replaced with a structure spanning approximately 60 feet of steel beams with a concrete deck on top, with new concrete abutments and wing walls,” according to the project’s webpage. “The proposed design has a 28-foot width bridge with (a) guardrail that will have reflectors to guide the drivers around the curves of the bridge.”

Dayton Construction Company Inc., is the project’s contractor. The construction will cost an estimated $3.9 million.

The federal government is funding 80 percent of the project, and the state is funding the rest, according to the webpage.

Shelton plan for 'upscale' housing, marina on River Road approved: 'Make it happen'

Brian Gioiele

SHELTON — Creation of an “upscale” marina and housing project off River Road may finally be on the horizon. 

At last Wednesday's meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans for 35 condos, 110 apartments, a restaurant, a medical office building and boat storage along the Housatonic River. All of this has been in the works in some form for roughly 17 years.

These latest plans were filed early last year.

“We’ve been working on this for years,” said commissioner Elaine Matto. “Make it happen.” 

“I hope this is the end,” commissioner Ruth Parkins added. 

This project is the latest to earn approval along what is a growing River Road corridor. The commission has already approved a multi-building, 152-unit development at 453 River Road and a medical office building construction next to 762 River Road, home to the restaurant parker. Eatery & Bar.

Ricar, LLC and Mianus Holdings, LLC, developers of the project, plan to construct three six-story residential buildings, one with 35 condos. The other two will contain 110 apartments, split evenly between the two buildings. There will be 15 affordable units. 

The development will also feature a three-story, 24,000-square-foot building, in which will be an 8,000-square-foot restaurant and 16,000-square-foot medical office space. 

There will also be a three-story 26,000-square-foot building to house the rowing club and a 128-berth marina and storage for 100 small boats. 

The 11.98-acre site encompasses four parcels, 704, 712, 722 and 726 River Road, one of which contains the old, dilapidated Autoswage building. 

“The continued operation of a marina and rowing facilities, improved access for public pedestrian activity, other outdoor amenities and nicely designed landscaping promises to make this an attractive development for future residents,” the commission stated in its resolution of approval. 

“It’s quite an improvement,” said commissioner Charles Kelly. 

The developers had previously received Planned Development District approval for land listed at 704, 712 and 722 River Road, had expanded the plan by incorporating the adjacent lot at 726 River Road, the former Autoswage site, and have proposed expanding the plans further to include condominiums and medical office space.   

The new expanded plan allows for relocation and an increase in the size of the previously approved restaurant and event facility and adds 7,800 square feet of office space.  

The initial revision reduced the 102 previously approved apartments to 90, and added 35 condominium units, in addition to boat slips, a boat launch/travel-lift and a multi-purpose boat house. This was then adjusted to 110 apartments during the most recent public hearing process as the developer moved to include affordable units which were not part of the original plans.

The 15 affordable units represent 10 percent of the unit count — a net zero for the city as it attempts to increase its affordable housing stock. 

“It’s not what we wanted to do,” Parkins said about the final affordable unit count, “but we had to battle for that.” 

The proposed project — which is across from Murphy’s Lane and the Crescent Village housing development — calls for the restaurant and event facility to be relocated to 726 River Road and increased in size along with the new medical office space incorporated into the proposed building.