Neighbors fear traffic, light pollution, noise from proposed warehouse beside Wyman-Gordon

Let’s make this clear: the 368,500 square foot warehouse proposed for what is now the front lawn of Wyman-Gordon is not being built for Amazon.

But what was at issue for the neighbors who crowded into the Planning Board meeting Monday — both in person and on Zoom — was what it might bring. Traffic. Bright lights. Noise. And some wondered just what potentially toxic materials might be buried on the site, a souvenir of its military aeronautics history.

“Not every warehouse that is proposed is for ecommerce fulfillment,” said Scott Thornton, who provided the traffic metrics for project builder Churchill & Banks.

The proposed warehouse for the 244 Worcester Street property  would have 70 loading docks and storage for 75 tractor-trailers, all of which would be behind the building to buffer neighbors from noise. Two entrances would replace the existing single access point.

Neighbor Chris Thornton said he would like a photometric analysis on the possible light impact on the neighborhood if the facility is built.

Worcester Street (Route 122) is a state highway, with final decisions on traffic mitigation largely out of the town’s hands. Thornton said the facility would generate 638 one-way trips a day, adding between 3 and 32 additional vehicles during rush hour traffic.

About 85 percent of traffic on the street is moving faster than the posted speed limit, he added.

The warehouse is being built on spec and the end user is still unknown. The group emphasized that the building would not be suitable as a “last-mile facility,” referring to a warehouse where delivery driver would pick up goods.

“Without a crystal ball, we don’t know what will come down the road with this facility,” said Richard Baccari of Churchill & Banks.

Neighbor Rosemarie Boulanger worried that the town would have no control over the facility if it was built on spec.

“If it’s not Amazon that is fine, but the town of Milford has regretted letting a warehouse come into town,” she said.

Lee Hume agreed. “What kind of market is there for this? Who will occupy it and will it be sub-divided? It’s very nebulous what the intent is.”

The public hearing was continued to October 25.

Jim Shannon said he has lived in the neighborhood for 60 years and he wanted to address “the elephant in the room:” the likelihood of buried waste on the property and his fear that disturbing it could lead to the pollution of Flint Pond.

“We could be opening the town up to a lawsuit if this is allowed,” he suggested.

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