Old Lyme ― A property at 250 Shore Road, which is the site of a twice-rejected zoning proposal for a self-storage facility, has been cleared of trees and is currently being used to store dirt related to a nearby utility project.

Connecticut Water spokesman Richard Rathsack on Thursday said the owners of the property granted permission for the utility company to stage operations at 250 Shore Road for a water main replacement project taking place across the street.

The project, which began in February, is expected to be finished by the end of May.

Land use coordinator Eric Knapp said the company is storing excavated material on the site as part of the project. He said zoning regulations do not require a permit for that kind of activity.

The town’s zoning regulations for the excavation and filling of earth products specify a permit needs to be obtained when deposits being stored on a site exceed 200 cubic yards of material.

“But 200 cubic yards is like 16 truckloads worth of dirt. And it doesn’t look like they have anything close to that,” Knapp said. “So I do keep an eye on it, but as long as they’re below my threshold for what requires a permit, there’s not a lot I can do about it.”

In terms of tree and vegetation removal, Knapp acknowledged owners have “obviously cleared the entire lot at this point, pretty much.” But he said no permit is required for clear cutting.

Knapp said there is an erosion and sediment control plan in place that has been effective at limiting the amount of soil that can run off the site.

“As long as they’re properly maintaining their erosion control methods, then it sort of ends my inquiry,” he said.

He acknowledged he has not required the owners to submit their erosion control plan to him. He said he likely would not request such a document unless he sees problems with runoff from the site.

The property is owned by Kids Realty LLC and Pond Road LLC, whose officers are listed in the Secretary of the State’s business database as Sal Russo and Christopher Calvanese. They are suing the commission in state Superior Court over its rejection of two separate applications.

Calvanese over the phone Thursday said neither he nor Russo have any comment on the status of the site.

“It’s going to court and that’s where it stands, and there’s nothing to talk about,” he said.

Rathsack, the Connecticut Water spokesman, said the water main repair project will replace pipes that have been around for more than 60 years. He said customers in the construction area were notified and will receive advance notice of any scheduled water service interruptions.

The $1.5 million replacement project will involve 2,100 feet of 8-inch ductile iron pipe in the area of Brookline Avenue, Clifton Street, Columbus Avenue, Flagler Avenue and Venetian Drive.

Moratorium

The commission last May and again in January rejected special permit applications to construct a 31,500-square-foot self-storage facility on the thoroughfare connecting multiple beach communities in town. The proposal called for three buildings, each with 12 units, on 3.7 acres.

Members on both occasions expressed concerns about access for emergency services and a belief that the facility was better suited for an industrial park. They said the possibility of hazardous materials coming from heavy equipment being stored in the facility could harm the environment.

Residents during public hearings also decried the effect of more storage facilities on the character of the beach community. There are two existing self-storage facilities and another approved within 0.3 miles of the 250 Shore Road site.

Those in favor of the project argued it would generate tax revenue without the residential cost implications of more children in the school system and more residents requiring police and fire services.

The commission last month instituted a six-month moratorium on self-storage facility applications that will expire Oct. 1. Members said they will use the time to review existing regulations, raising the possibility of changes that could range from striking self-storage units from the regulations to reconsidering the entire commercial zone.

e.regan@theday.com