SOUTHWICK ­– Carvana may be gone, but Save Southwick, the grassroots group that galvanized opposition to the online used car retailer’s proposed facility, is sticking around.

After playing a large role in Carvana’s decision to abandon plans for a 200,000-square-foot vehicle processing warehouse on 137 acres of farmland, Save Southwick is shifting gears. In a few weeks Save Southwick plans to provide more details about changes it will seek to help shape future growth in the town while retaining its small New England character.

“Save Southwick is evolving – and there is potential to develop into a few different efforts under the umbrella of protecting Southwick’s small-town nature, its historic and visual heritage, and its economic viability,” said Maryssa Cook-Obregón, co-leader of the volunteer group.  

To achieve this, she said Save Southwick is considering systematic changes to how the town is run. There also have been preliminary discussions about branching out to become a “multi-pronged,” full-fledged advocacy group.

Co-leader Diane Gale said the group is working on several follow-up measures and creating subcommittees to maintain its positive momentum.

“With a large amount of public support behind us, we feel we’ve been successful in establishing a truthful and united force,” she said. “We’re considering creating subcommittees to include new participants and tackling some major issues that led to recent events with Carvana.”

She added that Save Southwick is also keeping its “ears to the ground” to stay on top of Carvana’s whereabouts: “We want to make sure they don’t slip back in under the radar.” Although Carvana representatives said at the July 20 public hearing that the company is moving on, it withdrew its application without prejudice, meaning it could still reapply.

Both lifelong residents of Southwick stressed that Save Southwick is not anti-business.

“Southwick could certainly benefit from additional commercial and/or industrial businesses – but of the right size and character,” said Gale.

Cook-Obregón added that some Connecticut towns have managed to avoid “poor development decisions” while still retaining significant portions of land for conservation.

“They’ve developed a town’s character and aesthetics in a way that’s conducive to commerce as well as a source of pride for residents. We’ve learned that the rights of one company or a few landowners cannot supersede the rights of townspeople, nor should they jeopardize or disincentive other businesses, including small businesses, from coming in.”

The Select Board was involved with the Carvana project early in the process, but Gale said it shouldn’t be their role to solicit businesses.

“There’s an inherent conflict in doing that,” she said. “They would be seeking any new revenue stream – without qualification – and could potentially exert undue influence over all other approving boards. This should be the role of the Economic Development Commission.”

Save Southwick was formed in mid-June when 16 residents, some unknown to each other, met in Prifti Park. Gale and Cook-Obregón emerged from the hour-and-a-half meeting as leaders of the group’s core team. They said the passion of this small group’s opposition to the Carvana project was evident from the start.

“The range of skills these people brought together, so randomly, was absolutely miraculous and key to our speed and success,” explained Gale. “It grew in a very organic and grassroots way,” added Cook-Obregón.

The “shock of something as grotesquely huge and non-contributing” as the Carvana project created widespread awareness on multiple levels, said Gale. “People expressed anger and a sense of betrayal that this was even considered by the Select Board as a suitable option.”

Gale and Cook-Obregón said many residents viewed the project as “a poor fit” to the rural, agricultural, historical and recreational character of the town. They said that alone should have made the company “undesirable” very early in the process.

Gale said residents felt “disenfranchised” by the process town officials used — leading many to take more interest in town government. As a result, there has been increased turnout at board and commission meetings.

“This is wonderful,” said Cook-Obregón, who co-chairs the Agricultural Commission. “It must stay like that, however, to create trust and transparency.”  

Gale added that numerous residents have expressed interest in replacing existing elected and appointed officials, participating on committees, actively soliciting new nominees to run for office, or running themselves.

“They want to prevent a select few politicians from negatively transforming Southwick against the desire of its residents,” added Gale.

Just as important, she said, is that current elected officials “have heard what their constituents want from their representatives.” There were also calls for greater transparency from town officials as well as improved communication with the public.

According to Gale and Cook-Obregón, Save Southwick’s push for more openness led the Planning Board to commit to publishing more substantial public hearing notifications and several boards and commissions now are requesting additional involvement through “cross-communications” at earlier stages.

“Both are steps in the right direction,” said Gale.  

One needed change that came to light during the Carvana discussions is that the town’s Master Plan hasn’t been updated since 1967. The Planning Board has indicated that it will create a committee to work on an update – and Save Southwick plans to be involved.

Cook-Obregón said a comprehensive analysis of the tax base, and possible changes to the industrial tax code, also must be part of the Master Plan. She said this would provide a steady flow of revenue to fund infrastructure in a sustained and consistent manner instead of “turning Southwick into an industrial wasteland” to bring in some “nominal” net tax revenue.

“Overall, we need leadership aligned with what the people of the town want. A Master Plan would be a start in setting the tone for a future Southwick that could be charming, quaint, and viable,” she added.

The group conveyed its opposition to the project through social media sites, rallies, personal communication with supporters, constant attendance at public meetings – questioning officials, making statements and debating boards – and even issued an exhaustive 24-page report challenging Carvana’s compliance to specific town bylaws.

Save Southwick also conducted much of its work while also keeping an effective community presence and regularly communicating to the public.

“Some of our top goals were to correct misinformation, educate the public on the actual nature of the project, educate people on the bylaws and legal processes and put town boards on record as to their actions and decisions,” explained Gale.

Cook-Obregón said Save Southwick wants to prevent companies like Carvana that are “disproportionally out of scale in size and character” from locating here.     “The town is at a precarious tipping point, and Carvana definitely would have set us on the other side. No one can deny that, whether they were for or against the proposal.”