Multi-Family Development Plan Presented at Planning & Zoning Meeting

The planning commission has been asked to review a proposal to build nearly 100 multi-family housing units, despite the project still being in its preliminary stages.

Monday night commission members recommended a reduction of the development’s population density and the addition of more walking access to better connect the development to the larger community.

The project’s presenter, engineer Mark Peterson of Gardner & Peterson Associates, LLC, told the commission that the project will be built on nearly 30 acres along Route 195 that extends almost all the way to Rhodes Road with a border on Anthony Road. The new property will contain 99 two- and three-bedroom units.

Peterson said that the project is still in the preliminary stages and was brought before the commission members to get their feedback early in the process. A formal application for permitting approval has not been submitted.

“It seems like a lot of stuff crunched into very tight quarters,” Commission Chairman Michael J. Cardin said. “It doesn’t appear at this first go around to include the possibility of some of those principles that this commission has been talking about.”

Cardin went on to explain that the commission wants to see community gardens and recreation spaces that promote a sense of community in residential developments.

Commission members also noted that the population density seemed too high to fit in with corresponding areas. The commission aims to develop projects that match the established character and density of the town, they said.

There were also concerns that the large multi-family development would take up land that could potentially be developed as mixed-use property. Arthur and Judith Gottier own the property being developed, which is split by a zoning line into commercial and residential portions. The residential side is being used for the development.

Director of Planning & Community Development Linda Farmer spoke about the possibility of moving the line to create a larger commercial zone.

“The line is arbitrary. I think we ought to look at some flexibility,” she said.

Only two or three years ago, commission members discussed creating a technology zone in that area, according to Farmer. But fellow commission member Jack Scavone said that the multi-family development and its infrastructure for utilities might make the commercial land more attractive for developers.

“We wanted to have the residential component in the village area to bring the commercial, but if you bring the utilities and the road, that makes this immediately developable for somebody who wants to put a building in,” he said.

The commission also recommended that Peterson expand the community garden portion of the plan and reevaluate the design to make it a more “walkable” community. Cardin suggested that the area’s walking paths connect to either Birch Grove Primary School or to Cross Farms Park to connect the development to the community.

“We want these people to be able to walk their kids to school,” he said.

Farmer also recommended that Peterson look into a traffic study, particularly at the intersection of Route 195, Baxter Road and Anthony Road, to see how the development would impact traffic flow.

As of the preliminary hearing, Peterson said he was looking into both sewer and septic options for the development.

While the commission had its share of feedback for the conceptual plan, Scavone pointed out that the development is on the right path for success.

“It needs to be tweaked, but it is the right place for it,” he said.