Connecticut Development Halted Amid Concerns of Ancient Burial Site
A proposed housing subdivision in Naugatuck faces delays as residents and officials investigate claims of historic graves beneath the construction area.
A planned development of modern farmhouse-style homes in Naugatuck, Connecticut, has encountered significant obstacles due to concerns that ancient gravesites may be located beneath the construction site.
Onofrio’s Total Construction, a Branford-based company, is currently awaiting approval from the Naugatuck planning committee for its proposed 11-lot subdivision. The project hit a roadblock after two tombstones were discovered, which residents believe are markers for graves dating back to the 1800s. An investigation into the potential burial site is underway to resolve the matter.
The Naugatuck planning committee convened on October 5 to address the issue, acknowledging that the presence of gravesites could impact the new subdivision. According to WTNH, company co-owners Dave and Joshua Onofrio stated that the tombstones were relocated to the site and that the bodies are interred in a local cemetery.
However, these claims have not satisfied residents, who advocate for the property to remain undisturbed. Dave Onofrio told the committee, "We are trying to do things as far as the burial site, but we have done our due diligence, and we are very respectful of that."
The construction company has indicated that they confirmed with the superintendent of Hillside Cemetery that the bodies are buried there, though cemetery officials have yet to produce official burial records. "I understand the concern and respect if there was, but we have it in writing that they are buried at Hillside," Joshua Onofrio stated to the committee.
The planning committee, comprising Chair Robert Pease, Vice-Chair Robert Clark, Secretary Richard O’Donnell, and four other members, has expressed that without concrete proof, the property should not be disturbed. One resident emphasized, "If there are remains there, it is very serious. It needs to be sectioned off. It needs to go through the process."
State statutes mandate a 50-foot perimeter around any discovered remains. The committee has advised that the gravesites should remain untouched pending further clarification. Total Construction has stated that the gravestones are situated in a wetland area, which cannot be developed, and are not directly on the worksite.
