East Granby officials discuss School Street realignment, Gateway Boulevard phase and Nicholson apartments

Commissioners discussed several active development projects affecting East Granby's village center and nearby corridors.

Justin Lantine briefed the commission that two village-center projects (School Street and Bramble) are progressing and that single-family permits and apartment interiors are moving forward. He said the Nicholson Road apartment approval had lapsed with Wetlands but the developer filed for an administrative extension and construction is expected to resume once that extension is processed.

On School Street realignment, planners reported a design change that would reduce speeds to 25 mph on portions of the realigned road. That change would remove the road from state classification and could invalidate a grant that helped fund the project; alternatives such as changing the curve radius or elevating portions to keep speeds at 30 mph would increase costs and might exceed the grant scope. Staff said they would provide more detail after a follow-up meeting the next morning.

Members also noted Planning and Zoning approved the first phase of Gateway Boulevard, which includes a drive-thru; discussion indicated the developer may be building spec commercial space while awaiting tenants. Members observed that Enterprise has been storing vehicles in a Gateway parking lot since December and asked staff to investigate timing and tax implications for personal property stored on-site.

A member said the warehouses project in the area remains under a court stay and construction cannot proceed until legal matters are resolved.