Branford, CT - Goose Lane Residents Oppose Synagogue Plan
Branford, CT - A group of residents is trying to defeat a Branford synagogue's plan to relocate to Goose Lane and build a 19,000-square-foot facility.
Most of the opponents live in the Goose Lane area and object to potential noise and traffic that would be generated by the facility, according to a letter on file at the town's planning and zoning office.
Chabad of the Shoreline applied to the Planning and Zoning Board on June 30 requesting a special permit to build the synagogue at 181 Goose Lane. The site is occupied by a house, and a special permit is required because the area is zoned as residential.
The planning and zoning file contains letters from neighbors along Goose Lane that ask land use officials to deny the special permit. They say the proposed project is too large for both the 1.28-acre lot and the surrounding neighborhood. They fear that that the potential for noise and increased traffic will harm the quality of life and their property values. One letter, makes reference to wildlife, such as birds, rabbits and deer, that frequent their properties. It also acknowledges that so-called "white noise" does emanate from nearby Interstate 95. "But you can still hear birds," the letter states, "Not so with a basketball game going on, or with 20 to 200 people" attending center functions. "Not so with a kitchen exhaust ... 50 feet from our bedrooms."
Rabbi Yossi Yaffe said they want to be a good neighbor. He believes that most of the neighbors' concerns are baseless, and that the congregation and its architect can work with them to alleviate anything that might pose a potential problem. "We are open to anything we can do to alleviate noise and visual elements in the neighboring territory. This is a synagogue, not a mall that is open seven days a week with hundreds of cars," Yaffe said.
The file refers to a report from Chabad's traffic engineers, Barkan & Mess of Branford, which states that the project would not cause a disruptive increase in traffic. Yaffe also said they have proposed alternatives up front, such as accommodating overflow parking on site to the rear of their property.
Most of the opponents live in the Goose Lane area and object to potential noise and traffic that would be generated by the facility, according to a letter on file at the town's planning and zoning office.
Chabad of the Shoreline applied to the Planning and Zoning Board on June 30 requesting a special permit to build the synagogue at 181 Goose Lane. The site is occupied by a house, and a special permit is required because the area is zoned as residential.
The planning and zoning file contains letters from neighbors along Goose Lane that ask land use officials to deny the special permit. They say the proposed project is too large for both the 1.28-acre lot and the surrounding neighborhood. They fear that that the potential for noise and increased traffic will harm the quality of life and their property values. One letter, makes reference to wildlife, such as birds, rabbits and deer, that frequent their properties. It also acknowledges that so-called "white noise" does emanate from nearby Interstate 95. "But you can still hear birds," the letter states, "Not so with a basketball game going on, or with 20 to 200 people" attending center functions. "Not so with a kitchen exhaust ... 50 feet from our bedrooms."
Rabbi Yossi Yaffe said they want to be a good neighbor. He believes that most of the neighbors' concerns are baseless, and that the congregation and its architect can work with them to alleviate anything that might pose a potential problem. "We are open to anything we can do to alleviate noise and visual elements in the neighboring territory. This is a synagogue, not a mall that is open seven days a week with hundreds of cars," Yaffe said.
The file refers to a report from Chabad's traffic engineers, Barkan & Mess of Branford, which states that the project would not cause a disruptive increase in traffic. Yaffe also said they have proposed alternatives up front, such as accommodating overflow parking on site to the rear of their property.
posted by VOS IZ NEIAS @ 7/23/2006 02:19:00 PM
2 Comments:
At 12:17 AM,
Anonymous said…
i know this shul its now on main street in Branford its a nice quite shul unfortunately a small attendance no noise at all just a bunch of anti-Semites in Branford. Good Luck Rabbi Yaffe, The brothers from NY
At 1:05 PM,
Anonymous said…
this is not a religious issue at all for me. its another enormous structure in a residential zoned area. i dont care if it is a temple, synagogue, mosque, or church....its too big and unnecessary.
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