The controversial UPS distribution center project being planned for 1 Red Lion Road last week went in front of the Zoning Board of Adjustment as neighbors continue to oppose the project.
The Greater Bustleton Civic League hired an attorney and traffic engineer to dispute plans put forth by UPS and property owner Commercial Development Corp. Attorney David Orphanides argued that the project is improperly zoned as an I2 zoning code, which accommodates light industrial uses, stating the application process and plans for the project were “defective.”
The April 27 meeting gained little traction as most of it centered on Orphanides questioning Cheli Dahal, a 13-year employee of the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections. Orphanides noted that two different versions of the application were filed, with the one labeled as the revised version being dated before the other version. Orphanides stated that if there were enough differences between the two versions, that may have warranted restarting the process.
The majority of the meeting’s runtime centered around this line of question with no definitive conclusion being reached as the conversation was frequently rerouted to technicalities with the computer program being used.
Leonard Reuter, attorney on behalf of L&I, argued that the line of questioning was irrelevant and that it was just technicalities on how the program used to review the documents works. Carl Primavera, real estate lawyer and member of the project’s design team, argued that the property would properly be used under I2 zoning code, highlighting that the history of the property has long been used for industrial use such as the Budd Plant manufacturing railcars.
The 1-million-square-foot project has long been a cause of alarm for the surrounding community, who have expressed concerns over the project’s impact on traffic and noise at Bustleton and Somerton community meetings.
A second hearing will be held May 18 at 1 p.m.
The traffic engineer hired by the GBCL said the project would add an additional 4,649 vehicles to daily traffic on roads nearby the project site. The engineer also estimates the overall value of properties along Red Lion Road near the project will be reduced by $36,700 per property.
GBCL held a virtual briefing before the ZBA meeting and hosted its regular monthly meeting after. At the meeting GBCL president Jack O’Hara called the project a “crime” and said they would continue to do what they can to oppose it.
The next GBCL meeting will be held May 26. ••
