Classic Cars Could Get Home on River Road

Vintage car buffs may soon have a safe and secure place to house their classic wheels.

That’s because a proposal by DWD Partners Limited recently came a step closer to gaining approval for their car storage facility by the Planning and Zoning Commission.

The commission, at its April 12 meeting, came to a consensus vote on DWD’s proposal to build a 105-unit car storage facility at 496 River Rd. The commission closed the public hearing on the proposal, and is slated to cast a vote at its May 10 meeting. DWD is seeking a zone change for the property from commercial to a Planned Development District, or PDD, as well as site plan approval.

The proposal calls for construction of five separate buildings on a 1.95-acre parcel, located next door to Latex Foam International. The total building area is slated to comprise 31,635 square feet. The property was formerly used as a parking lot for school buses.

According to Attorney Dominick Thomas, who represents DWD, the proposal has been modified since its original airing before the commission last month to address concerns by both the city engineer and fire marshal.

City Engineer Robert Kulacz, in a letter to the commission, said he could not endorse the project, due to insufficient access for emergency vehicles, and urged that circulation around the buildings be improved.

Fire Marshal Jim Tortora, in another letter to the commission, said the emergency access driveway needed to be widened, and suggested the individual storage units be equipped with a heat-detecting fire alarm system.

Local Engineer Alan Shepard said city officials have requested that a 45-foot strip between two of the buildings be created to enable emergency vehicles to amply maneuver around the property if needed. He also said it would not be an issue to widen the fire lane.

“We have made modifications to those concerns,” Shepard told the commission. Thomas said other modifications to the proposal have also been made, including eliminating back-lighting on the buildings, as well as access from the back of the property, to minimize any disturbance to the nearest residential neighbors. Residents of nearby Anna Drive were also consulted about the project, and Thomas said their concerns have been addressed.

Thomas also explained that the nature of the facility is “not a high-traffic generator,” and access to and from the property would be minimal. There would be no car repairs done on the premises, and one of the buildings would house a small office, staffed by one employee. Car owners who rent space in the facility would have 24/7 access to the place, but it would not be open to the general public.

Thomas explained how a car storage facility is an excellent use of the property, as opposed to a strip mall, or fast food restaurant, which he said would generate far much more traffic and activity to the area.

“This tends to blend in well with the area, rather than a high-traffic fast food restaurant,  strip mall or retail center,” Thomas said. “The intent is to have a high-end storage facility for that ’57 ’Vette or ’56 T-Bird;  my clients believe there is a market for this, especially in Fairfield County.”

One nearby property owner told the commission he supported the project, saying “they’ll be a fine neighbor.”        

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