PZC decision will end McQuade's appeal of Coogan Farm approval
Mystic — The Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission approved a plan modification Tuesday designed to end McQuade’s Marketplace's appeal of the commission’s approval of the adjacent Coogan Farm Nature and Heritage Center.
After the commission approved plans by the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center for the Coogan Farm project in March, McQuade’s appealed the decision to New London Superior Court.
The plan called for six parking spots at the end of town-owned Clara Drive next to the market, where Coogan Farm visitors could access a trail head and enter the property.
McQuade’s owner Michael McQuade said that he was worried that on days when the farm hosts special events, such as weekend weddings, its 42-space main parking lot will be filled, and hikers and other visitors to the farm will seek out the six spots at the end of town-owned Clara Drive. He was concerned about the overflow spilling into his lot at times when his store is busy and his lot is full.
The nature center agreed to remove the trail head from its plan and retain the fence along Clara Drive. In addition, the commission will agree to give prior notice to McQuade’s of any future plans to open a trail head or modify parking or fencing along Clara Drive. In exchange McQuade’s agreed to withdraw its court appeal.
The commission still has to approve a special event plan for Coogan Farm. The nature center is revising its proposal after commission members recently expressed concern about the size and number of special events and their impact on traffic along Route 27. In its original approval of the farm’s plan, the commission stipulated that the nature center needed to come back for approval of the special event plan.
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