Nov. 23. By Dave Vieser. The preferred alternative for improvements to the Torrence Chapel/West Catawba Avenue intersection, which includes the elimination of most left turn movements, was blasted by a quintet of town residents who addressed the Town Board during the public comment session at the start of the Nov. 21 meeting.

“I’m here to oppose the elimination of left turns at Torrence Chapel Road,” said Mary Ellen Carr, who resides on Crown Lake Drive. “I’ve lived here for 18 years and have serious trust issues with the DOT. My hope is that the bonus allocation funds for this project will be pulled back because the toll road is canceled, and I think everyone on the Town Board should hope that too, because we all know the toll lanes will be a gigantic mess. Let’s be smart, let’s look at all the solutions, not just eliminating left turns. Let’s be sure we are thinking about the citizens first and foremost.”

Carr’s comments were echoed by four other town residents who spoke to the board, including Anette Powell who lives on Baltic Drive. “Well…it’s bizarre what they are trying to do with the no left turns.”

At the conclusion of the public comments, Commissioner Dave Gilroy said: “I think Annette is probably right and I’d be shocked if there’s support up here to do anything to prevent left turns on Torrence Chapel. I think everything I heard tonight makes a lot of sense.”

An update on the plan for the commissioners is scheduled for December 19 and a positive response from the town on the plan submitted by DOT and consultant WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff may be a difficult sell.

In other action, the board:

• Approved the rezoning of a 3.05 acre parcel at the northeast corner of Bailey Road and Highway 21, which will permit the construction of a single story restaurant and two office buildings.
• Granted a conservation easement over 12.6 acres of open space to be dedicated by JP Orleans as part of the Beverly subdivision.  The conservation easement would be granted to Water and Land Solutions (WLS) in order to provide critical stream restoration and wildlife enhancement work along tributaries within the South Prong West Branch Rocky River Watershed.
• Tabled action on the Jetton Road Safety Study at the request of Commissioner Jim Duke in order to gain additional comments and input from area residents and businesses.