GLOCESTER – The owner of a building company headquartered in Chepachet says he will have to relocate if the town will not allow him to continue to crush and process stone on his property from his various building sites.
Jim Colucci of Coluch Organization first applied to the Planning Board for a variance to allow earth processing at 640 Putnam Pike, noting he has been crushing stone there a few times per year for awhile, and only recently learned that the use was not allowed. He was told the activity would first have to be added to the town’s table of use regulations.
The Planning Board did not ultimately recommend that the Town Council approve the requested change, which would allow stone crushing and screening on properties located in a B-2 highway/commercial zone.
The business offers site excavation and home construction, including large-scale projects, such as Diamond Head Estates in neighboring North Scituate. Coluch Organization reportedly began operations sometime around 1990 and moved to Glocester around five years ago, occupying a property on Route 44 owned by Bonnie and William Cooper of Virginia, according to town property records.
“I’m only asking for a little piece of four acres to screen and crush a little bit of rock,” Colucci told councilors at a meeting earlier this month, stating he only does the activity sporadicly. “We don’t crush that often.”
Councilors indicated some hesitation with the idea.
“You came here and you started doing things and you didn’t check the zoning,” said Councilor Walter Steere. “It’s pretty clear in the zoning that you can’t do what you’re doing right now in that zone. Why did that happen?”
Colucci responded that a previous building inspector indicated it wasn’t an issue, and that the late councilor Jay Forgue visited the property prior to his death in 2022 and also said it was ok.
“If it don’t get approved, I’m just going to have to leave because it’s my part of business,” he said. “Part of my business is to be able to remanufacture the material and send it back out to the site as a finished product.”
Colucci said that his operations will not damage the Chepachet lot as it was previously stripped.
“It was used as a motor cross,” he said, noting his business does not offer demolition. “I don’t touch any hazardous materials. It’s just basically loom and dirt that I bring back.”
“What we do – you can’t even see from the road. I don’t know where it would disturb any neighbors,” Colucci added.
Town Council President William Worthy said the town has received complaints from neighbors regarding dust and noise from the business.
Town Solicitor David Igliozzi noted that if the change was approved as written, everyone in a B2 zone would be able to crush stone. Igliozzi suggested that councilors could create different mechanism to allow the activity by license only.
“Then it would be renewed on an annual basis,” Igliozzi said. “If somebody’s not compliant, they wouldn’t get the license again.”
The solicitor noted that if the council wants to approve the zone change, the license should be created simultaneously. He said the process means creation of a licensing document and an ordinance change, which also requires a public hearing.
Councilors continued the public hearing for the zone change request to Thursday, Jan. 8, with plans to first consider creation of a licensing process for earth processing in a B-2 zone.
Steere expressed concern that allowing the activity could be a “slippery slope,” allowing other businesses to apply for the license.
“I’m willing to listen,” said Steere. “I don’t feel very comfortable with it.”
Earth processing license? The town of Glocester is such a joke!