BETHEL — A special use permit for King’s Collision Services, LLC, to build an auto garage/body repair and paint shop on Royce Road was pitched before the Bethel Planning Board on February 5.

The proposed 60’x100’ garage will stand on a 2.4-acre parcel and will be relocating from its current location on 17B. It will house a state-of-the-art paint booth and it projects that 65 percent of its business will be specialty related. It does not contemplate a great deal of mechanical repair.

Designer Hayden Carnell from the architectural/engineering firm Keystone Associates, also known as Hawk Engineering, presented a map showing the floor plan of the proposed structure. He explained that it will seek to blend in with the environment and will draw 90 percent of its customers from the Route 17B entrance road. There is a customer parking area in the rear with a gravel driveway leading to it.

Criticism sparks up

Despite the plan to landscape the property and harmonize with the rural, residential nature of Royce Road, many neighboring residents voiced opposition to its plans.
Barbara Lerner argued that the use of paint and solvent will produce fumes and expressed concern about frack lines beneath the earth’s surface absorbing toxic chemicals and spreading to the water supply. She also noted that it was also unclear how the septic leach field will operate.

Salvadore Rivera, who lives near the site, projected that if wrecked cars are towed in for repair, they will have smashed parts and will potentially leak fluids, such as coolant and oil, that might affect wells. He added that the green environment will be tainted “by an eyesore.”

George Domgjoni stated that the accident rate would increase due to the curvy, hilly nature of the road and that large vehicles will have difficulty navigating the turns, especially with oncoming traffic.

It was made known that the shop doesn’t have an oil/water separator and no traffic study has been completed.

Lois Berkowitz of Royce Road said “We have a piece of heaven,” and that the pristine nature of the road will be ruined by trucks and traffic and cause the partially dirt surface to become rutted. “It’s the last stronghold [in the area,]” she added.

Victoria LaRusso, a neighboring resident whose children ride their bicycles along the road is concerned about their safety.
The Planning Board asked the firm to submit details about the sign they plan to erect on the property as well as the entrance width, as there was discussion about the ability of large trucks to maneuver the turn into the shop at the main entrance.

Further discussion was scheduled for the next Planning Board meeting in March.