MYSTIC -- Town officials held a meeting at Stonington High School Monday night to hear concerns about a development plan for land in the area of downtown Mystic.
Developers want to transform the 11.5 acre site to include a public boardwalk, townhouses, a 70-foot apartment building, a 45-room hotel, a boat basin, a new restaurant and over 300 new parking spaces.
The plan was proposed to the Stonington Planning and Zoning Commision at a public hearing. A number of residents have concerns about the development.
“It’s way too big, too much traffic, too much bulk, too much height, too many cars,” Ben Tamsky said.
“I’m not against change, I'm more in favor of something reasonable for the area, not something that’s going to possible desecrate the whole reason people come to Mystic,” Linda Rutan said.
At this moment, the marine commercial site consists of several warehouses and wetlands. To move forward, developers would need approval of a zoning change.
The proposal does list possible pros and cons for the town of Mystic.
PROS:
- Increase in property value
- Jobs
- Spending at local businesses
Cons:
- Traffic congestion,
- Decreased property value
- Negative impact to coastal waters
The site is only about 1,000 feet from the iconic Mystic Drawbridge which draws in a large number of tourists each year.
The first public hearing on the controversial plan was cancelled last month due to an extremely large turnout.
DEEP has reviewed the proposal and recommends the Planning Commision does not rezone the property.