A group of homeowners that’s already unhappy about Tilcon Connecticut’s huge gravel quarrying operation in Plainville is claiming someone secretly amended the town’s long-term development plan last year to help the company get around the will of voters.
While some town officials at a heated Town Council meeting on Monday night acknowledged that changes to the long-term plan were made without public review, others downplayed the matter as only a paperwork error with no ill intent behind it.
“I think the town council realizes there’s a sinister reason. The town attorney tried to sugarcoat it, but we don’t believe that,” homeowner Georgia Weldon said Tuesday morning. “Everything that changed benefitted Tilon. We want there to be more investigation to see who did this and why.”
Weldon and others believe Tilcon got permission to make unpopular changes in its permit for quarrying while the public was kept in the dark. She and others want those changes to be revoked.
But on Tuesday morning, Town Manager Michael Paulhus told The Courant that there won’t be further investigation and that a solution will be on the Town Council agenda for Oct. 20. It falls far short of what the neighbors wanted.
“The council is expected to take action on a resolution asking the Planning and Zoning Commission to reconsider the change made to the map and the notations,” Paulhus said in an email. “No action will be taken with respect to permits.”
Tilcon said Tuesday that it wasn’t aware of any changes made to the town plan, and that it has operated under the terms of a permit issued in the mid-1880s.
At issue is the town’s 101-page long-term development plan. Written in 2019, it is intended to guide town officials, planners and developers to see what Plainville’s people want over the next 10 years. Like most communities, Plainville allows for amendments during the life of the long-term plan, but requires public notice and a hearing.
It appears changes to the 2019 plan were put through in 2024 but with no notice or hearing. Neighbors contend those were supposed to apply to two small business projects, but said someone added language that eases Tilcon’s job of landing approval to intensify work at its quarries.
The town’s I.T. system couldn’t locate who’d made those changes, but they were put through and neighbors said they believe Tilcon took advantage of them.
State Rep. Rebecca Martinez, whose district covers Plainville, said Tuesday that she wants more answers.
“It’s clearly extremely upsetting to know changes were made to the POCD without following the proper process. Our community deserves transparency. I commend the Town Council for listening to the community, investigating and now acting on the changes made to the POCD,” Martinez said Tuesday afternoon
“I will be working closely with both the town and state agencies to ensure this situation is handled appropriately. We must ensure that all measures are being taken to protect our open space, wet lands, air quality, and drinking water. A large percentage of Plainville sits on a level A protected aquifer area,” she said. “Any changes to the POCD must go through the correct process.”
Residents were incensed in the spring when Tilcon was promoting a plan to rezone 83 acres for quarry operations. Homeowners called local officials and created a petition drive. In May, Tilcon withdrew that plan, but emphasized it was doing so “without prejudice” so it is free to file the request again in the future.