Wolcott commission continues bottle redemption text amendment to May 20

The Wolcott Planning & Zoning Commission on May 6 continued a proposed text amendment that would create a standalone local regulation for bottle-and-can redemption operations, leaving the public hearing open until the commission's next meeting on May 20.

Attorney Thomas Caulkins, representing the applicant, told the commission he could not find an existing bottle-redemption use in Wolcott's regulations and said he modeled the proposal on an ordinance adopted in Southington. Caulkins said a separate regulation for bottle and can redemption made sense, particularly in light of a recent increase in the state refundable deposit amount.

CZEO David Kalinowski and other commissioners flagged operational details that they said should be clarified before adoption. Kalinowski noted the draft referenced outside storage and recommended storage be required inside the building; the applicant, Stephen Funk, said his lease explicitly prohibits outside storage. Commissioner Daniel LaMontagne said he opposed outdoor storage, citing concerns about keeping sites self-contained and clean along the Route 69 corridor.

Onell Dishmey described the general redemption process to clarify how returned containers are handled and stored during operations.

Chairman Angelo Mastrofrancesco noted the commission had received correspondence from the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments and left the public hearing open, scheduling further consideration for the May 20 meeting at 6:30 p.m. The motion to table the item was made by Daniel LaMontagne, seconded by David Ingala, and passed unanimously.