Norwich ― Neighbors of the proposed Business Park North in Occum have organized and want a seat at the table to negotiate requested changes to the development they say would threaten the rural character of the area.

The group has formed Preserving Norwich Neighborhoods LLC, with legal representation by a Farmington-based law firm and submitted a two-page letter last week to city officials outlining their concerns. The letter offers nine suggested changes to the development plan.

Several Occum residents spoke during public comment at the March 20 City Council meeting.

Group co-organizer Frederick Browning of 671 Scotland Road said the association was formed during two meetings at the Norwich Worship Center on Lawler Lane. Browning said about 40 Occum residents who would be affected by the planned business park attended the meetings.

The group objects to the proposed traffic plan, the potential size of future industrial buildings and their proximity to neighboring properties.

Members also are concerned that large solar array projects, shown on the preliminary plan for areas not suitable for development, might use powerful herbicides to control weeds. Much of the Occum area does not have city water, and homes have well water. The neighbors expressed concerns about potential contamination of Byron Brook.

“The point I want to make is that we are offering them suggestions back,” Browning said in a telephone interview. “It’s not like we’re telling them not to develop a single blade of grass there. I would hope it would be more negotiable than combative.”

Browning said residents are “petrified” about the traffic impacts, especially of large trucks on their narrow, rural roads. Residents are skeptical that a proposed roundabout designed to direct business park traffic into the property and off the local roads would be effective. Instead, the group proposed replacing the roundabout with “several stoplights that would slow down traffic across and on the turnpike,” the letter stated, with pylons in the middle of the road to prevent trucks from turning onto the local road.

Kevin Brown, president of the Norwich Community Development Corp., which is leading the business park development plan, welcomed the neighbors input. Brown said the parties are about 60% in agreement. Some of the key points in the letter, including a 150-foot setback of any proposed building to residential property lines and enhanced buffer screening, already are being implemented.

“We can certainly negotiate on the setback distance,” Brown said. “There’s enough flexibility in the plan that that should not become a pass-fail measure. I think we can get there.”

But Brown said some requests would not be feasible, such as prohibiting development altogether on four parcels and shrinking another proposed building site. Brown said that would negate the value of the business park, reducing estimated tax revenue by $2.5 million to $3 million.

Browning countered that city leaders need to take into account a possible drop in residential property values of neighboring properties because of the business park.

Brown said the proposed roundabout remains the best and safest way to keep business park traffic off Canterbury Turnpike.

“I think what folks are failing to see is that traffic circle is designed to be a traffic calming and mitigation concept,” Brown said. “The concern about it being on the blind side of a visibility line, and people won’t see it coming is not the case. It will be designed in such a way that it will not be a traffic hazard, but instead will be traffic calming and traffic mitigating.”

The association’s requests came as the project is beginning to move forward, despite the City Council, acting as the zoning board, rejected the Business Master Plan District layout plan for the area. The land already is zoned for commercial or planned development.

NCDC, which purchased the 384-acre property in December for $3.55 million, on March 14 received approval for a $11.4 million state grant to build 2,700 feet of access road into the property. Last week, the NCDC Board of Directors approved a resolution to secure a state-approved $500,000 Urban Act grant for the business park development plan.

Browning said if or when NCDC proposes a new business park master plan, the plan should be submitted ahead of time and be well publicized, giving residents a chance to review the plan and discuss its impacts.

Browning said he still is surprised when he talks to residents on the periphery of the project that they are unaware that “their world is about to change.”

c.bessette@theday.com