Letter: BJ’s would delay already-slow fire dept. response

By Bobbie Kinn

To the Editor:

(Editor’s note: The following is an open letter to Norwalk Zoning Commission Chairwoman Emily Wilson)

Dear Ms. Wilson,

As the Planning Commission and other elected and appointed officials continue to examine the pros and cons of granting a variance on Main Avenue for building a BJ’s or, for that matter, any other business that would generate a high volume of traffic, I would like to add one more concern.

Those of us who live or own businesses to the east of Main Avenue in the neighborhoods adjacent to West Rocks, East Rocks and Newtown Avenues have no fire station in our end of Norwalk. In case of fire or other emergencies, we are dependent on the fire station in Broad River. The emergency vehicles coming from Broad River are already slowed by the existing traffic on Main Avenue. I do not live far from Main Avenue, and yet, when we had the need to call the fire department, it was more than ten minutes before the first truck arrived. Surely, adding more traffic to an already congested road would further impede the response time and further isolate this part of Norwalk from the emergency services for which we pay taxes.

Sincerely yours,

Bobbie Kinn