Mansfield Downtown Partnership Addresses Community About Storrs Center Plans

On Thursday evening the Mansfield Downtown Partnership held a public hearing on the Storrs Center Alliance, LLC, and Education Realty Trust Inc. zoning permit application for Phases 1A and 1B of the Storrs Center project. The meeting, originally slated for Tuesday night, had been rescheduled due to the recent series of winter storms.

In less than one hour, the Mansfield Downtown Partnership presented a summarized version of the application that the Mansfield Planning and Zoning Commission had agreed to modify on Jan. 19, including extensive conceptual plans, colorful mock-ups and a detailed timeline.

Macon Toledano, vice president of planning and development of Leyland Alliance, the project's master developer, used Thursday's meeting to address specific concerns from residents regarding the zoning permit and development of the first phases of the project.

“This is a big event at the end of a long, long series,” Toledano said.

While a number of residents have raised their concerns throughout the project’s process to date, few residents took to the podium to share their thoughts Thursday night. Those that did, were mainly concerned about the planned source of water for the development.

Resident David Morse said that he was worried that the University of Connecticut was making its “water problem” a “Mansfield problem,” and added that he wanted the developers to make certain that the town came first.

Resident Winky Gordon said that she too was “extremely concerned” about the use of water in the project. "Depletion of water will be not only a problem for Mansfield, but for the entire region,” she said.

The developers responded by saying that they will be following strict guidelines to preserve the environment and have solidified agreements with UConn to extend clean and wastewater services to the project.

Additional information concerning stormwater drainage and related issues is available at the Mansfield Planning Office, the Downtown Partnership Office at 1244 Storrs Rd. and on the town's Web site.

The Mansfield Downtown Partnership will accept written testimony from residents until 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8.

Cynthia van Zelm, executive director of the Mansfield Downtown Partnership encouraged residents to send their questions and comments to PO Box 513, Storrs, CT 06268 or via e-mail to mdp@mansfieldct.org

After reviewing residents’ submissions, Mansfield Director of Planning will be left to determine whether the zoning permit application meets the approval criteria for the Storrs Center Special Design District, which has established guidelines for the Market Square, Residential areas, Town Square and Village Street.