The controversial Amazon warehouse proposal in Killingly, Connecticut, is heading back into review after an earlier version was turned down over wetlands concerns, the Norwich Bulletin reported.
What's happening?
Developer Ryan Companies US, Inc. has resubmitted plans for an Amazon warehouse on a 556-acre property near I-395, according to the Norwich Bulletin.
At its Aug. 3 meeting, the Killingly Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission unanimously accepted the new filing and scheduled a public hearing for Sept. 14. That review came after the commission rejected the previous application on July 6 in a 3-2 vote without prejudice, which allowed the developer to return with a revised proposal.
"As you recall, the motion to deny last month was without prejudice on the grounds that the applicant examine additional alternatives," Robinson+Cole attorney Evan Seeman, representing Ryan Companies, told the commission, as reported by the Bulletin.
Seeman continued, "As part of the application materials that have been submitted, there's additional information and commentary on the alternatives. In addition to that, the applicant is considering some potential design modifications and looks forward to the opportunity to address the commission next month with a full presentation."
Why is this concerning?
The proposal is moving ahead despite a local moratorium on new warehouse and distribution center applications.
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The Killingly Planning and Zoning Commission approved that moratorium on June 15, and it runs from July 20, 2026, through June 30, 2027. However, this application was filed on July 16, before the restrictions took effect.
Opposition in Killingly reflects growing worries in many places about warehouse growth. Residents and local officials are pushing back when projects add truck traffic and threaten wetlands.
Wetlands help absorb floodwater, filter pollution, and support wildlife. When those systems are fragmented or crossed for industrial development, those actions can lead to habitat loss and declines in a community's quality of life.
What's being done?
According to the Bulletin, the wetlands commission will consider whether the revised design adequately addresses environmental concerns at the Sept. 14 public hearing,
The first proposal called for a roughly 1.38 million-square-foot facility. The new version is slightly smaller: 1.29 million square feet. Reviewers had also pointed to smaller distribution facilities in Killingly that have been successful, including the UNFI and Frito Lay sites.
Along with reducing the building footprint, the applicant added more wetland mitigation and expanded its discussion of alternatives. The updated application increases wetland mitigation to about 44,369 square feet from roughly 16,921 square feet in the earlier plan.
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