6. Notice of Scoping for Business Park North
Addresses of possible location: 83, 97, 105, 111 Taftville-Occum Road; Taftville-Occum Road (Map 19, Block 45, Lot 45); 431, 432, 439, 461 Canterbury Turnpike; 431 Rear Canterbury Turnpike; 180, 207, 253 Lawler Lane; 18 School Avenue; 527 Scotland Road (off) Lawler Lane Rear; Bromley Lane
Municipality where proposed action might be located: Norwich
Project Description: The Business Park North Roadway Project (the “Project”) involves the construction of a new 7,532± linear foot (LF) roadway within a proposed 60-foot-wide right-of-way (ROW) that will connect Taftville-Occum Road (Route 97) to Lawler Lane in the City of Norwich. The roadway, which will include a 10-foot-wide multi-use trail along its entire length, is proposed to service a planned 184-acre industrial park (Business Park North) in an area where significant undeveloped acreage currently exists, attracting manufacturing, assembling, transportation, logistics, work-force development, fire/safety facilities and flex-space opportunities.
The typical roadway section consists of two 11-foot travel lanes, two 4-foot paved shoulders, two 3-foot gravel strips, and a 10-foot wide, permeable paved multi-use trail. Grass swales will also be constructed outboard of the paved roadway and trail surfaces. The new roadway will involve modification of the existing I-395 southbound on-and-off ramps and includes a round-about to allow for safe and efficient access to Route 97 and the new Business Park North Roadway from I-395 as shown on the site plan included with this scoping notice. The new roadway will also include round-abouts at Canterbury Turnpike and Lawler Lane. Construction of the roadway would entail four (4) box culvert crossings of existing wetlands/drainageways as well as a bridge that would span Byron Brook and associated riparian wetlands. The roadway is anticipated to be constructed in phases that will progress depending upon user demand within Business Park North.
Project Map: Click here to view a map of the project area.
Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on: September 7, 2023.
Any person may ask the sponsoring agency to hold a public scoping meeting by sending such a request to the address below. If a public scoping meeting is requested by 25 or more individuals, or by an association that represents 25 or more members, the sponsoring agency shall schedule a public scoping meeting. Such requests must be made by: August 17, 2023.
Written comments and/or requests for a public scoping meeting should be sent to:
Name: Melinda Wilson, Assistant Director, Community Investment Fund 2030
Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development
Address: 450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 5, Hartford CT 06103
E-Mail: Melinda.Wilson@ct.gov
Inquiries and requests to view and or copy documents, pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, must be submitted to the sponsoring state agency:
Name: Melinda Wilson, Assistant Director, Community Investment Fund 2030
Agency: Department of Economic and Community Development
Address: 450 Columbus Blvd, Suite 5, Hartford CT 06103
E-Mail: Melinda.Wilson@ct.gov
What Happens Next: The sponsoring agency will make a determination whether to proceed with preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) or that the project does not require the preparation of an EIE under the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA). A Post-Scoping Notice of its decision will appear in a future edition of the Environmental Monitor.