Rutland Herald

Wallingford joins CLF group to study traffic impacts

November 14, 2000

By SANDI SWITZER Herald Correspondent

WALLINGFORD - The town has added its name to a growing list of communities entering into an agreement with Conservation Law Foundation to study truck traffic impacts on local roads.

Wallingford has signed an agreement with CLF's Vermont office to develop strategies and draft new ordinances to address unreasonable and uncompensated truck traffic on area roads.

Three other towns - Tinmouth, Middletown Springs and West Rutland - are also named in the agreement as members of the consortium.

The impetus behind the agreement is OMYA Inc.'s proposal to open a calcium carbonate mine in Danby, and truck its product north to a processing plant in Florence. Company officials have considered a number of haul routes, and indicated at public forums that alternate methods of transportation will also be explored.

The CLF agreement calls for the creation of a Municipal Transportation Compact to represent the interest of the towns in protecting roads from excessive or damaging use by OMYA trucks and in maintaining the "scenic and rural character of the local road network."

CLF also will draft public position papers for the compact, provide legal research and services, review town plans and ordinances, and assist towns at Act 250 hearings.

The Wallingford Select Board voted, 4-1, last week to join the compact with the understanding that private funds have been earmarked to cover CLF's expenses, and the town could withdraw from the agreement at any time.

"I think this will provide us with the assistance we need in getting really good road ordinances," Selectman Ed Crelin said.

The Select Board previously had voted to examine town traffic ordinances in response to a citizens' petition calling for Wallingford to oppose OMYA's use of local roads as a haul route.

Even though the compact agreement refers to OMYA trucks, Selectman Hans Huessy made it clear at the meeting that any road ordinances adopted by the town would not target any single entity, but would address "incremental impact."

He said he would have preferred the references to OMYA be omitted, and that it is the town's intent to allow "reasonable use of the roads."

Crelin said CLF would basically do the footwork to establish a model traffic ordinance, and it would be up to each town to adopt, discard or amend it.

Selectwoman Christie Harris, the lone official to vote against joining the compact, said she had done so out of concern over "CLF's narrow-mindedness with regard to one particular industry."