A few posts ago, I told all of you that I would download the site map of the “proposed lifestyle center. Well, here it is. The map shows the view as it would look as if one was standing on Rt. 10 across the street from the Interchange Zone. There are no markings on the map so one has to “guess” what is what. From what I can gather, the large amount of buildings in the lower center seems to be the “proposed lifestyle” center. One can see the head-in parking so it seems only logical that is what one is looking at. To the upper right hand side, one sees what appears to be two large buildings. I know the proposal calls for a hotel and or convention center so maybe that is what this is. Then to the upper left one can see four large buildings–I am thinking that this may be the proposed “condos-apartments.”

The large amount of buildings at the top of the map over the Southington line is that adult condominium complex.

I also received a report from a local resident regarding a trip by the Inland Wetlands Commission to the Interchange Zone. Read this residents report below which has been edited for content:

Interesting IWC site walk at the IC Zone - aqueduct site this beautiful morning. Commissioners and observers seemed quite impressed with the old canal aqeuduct stonework and both the old “big fill” and new “big fill”( the spoils for the immense bipass channel.) There was a great deal of sparse new grass cover and erosion control fabric. Swimming hole appears currently in use with a new-looking rope swing. It is huge! I wanted to dive right in. My associate, George Logan, noticed otter sign nearby. It is amazing to me that a river as big as the Ten Mile presumably still has swimmable water in the heavily developed central CT corridor.(Bacteria count should be checked first though).

East of the disturbed area and northwest of the river, moist, good quality woods extends up to the unnamed but sizable tributary from Southington (~seven foot wide channel), which is badly eroded, presumably by runoff from the new condo develoment and other impervious surfaces. Invasive autumn olive is dominant in the extensive sandy, disturbed areas, but I was pleased to see it was intermixed with saplings of assorted other native tree and shrub species, including black oak and black cherry saplings. I noted one remaining sandy hill with mature native hardwoods (black oak dominated). We saw some very old - but no recent - junk cars and the ATV’s track is mostly limited to one, discrete area.

However, we never were taken to the most valuable floodplain forested wetlands, just to the portion of the Ten Mile river where the crossing is proposed, near the swimming hole. We were also shown very little on the southeast side of the river. We were shwon a small wetland to be filled that includes an old household garbage dump. (Maybe the commission did not want to risk a rare wood turtle being spotted duirng the site walk) I heard no mention by the trip leader, John Milone of Milone & McBroom, of wood turtles. However, I did mention the two observed duirng the late May turtle search to a reporter.

Regardless of whether one supports or opposes a retail development at that location, that the review process improves design and reduces impacts to environmental and heritage values. For example, the proposed stormwater management system does not adequately treat the soluble component of runoff from impervious surfaces, among other issues.

For the map of the proposed Lifestyle Center Click Here (PDF)