This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
01/10/2018 11:01 PMWhile a proposed development for almost 500 units of senior housing in six buildings on Sperry Lane was withdrawn from Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) consideration in 2017 due to concerns expressed by the PZC and Foxon area residents, the developer hopes to address the opposition with a new proposal that has a reduced number of apartments and buildings.
The biggest change made in the new application presented to the PZC on Jan. 3 was that one of the original six buildings with about 83 units was eliminated, so the new application is for five units of approximately 415 units. One of the major concerns brought up about the previous application was blasting; the area that would have required the most blasting was the area of the sixth building.
Attorney Bernard Pellegrino, who represents the applicant, The Bluffs, LLC (Mark DiLungo of East Haven is the principal owner), said that with the removal of that building there will either be no blasting or minimal blasting during the project; if there is blasting, Pellegrino said it can be done safely.
The current proposal asks PZC to change a portion of properties for the proposed development from R-5 to R-3 zoning, so all of the properties for the proposed development can then be changed to a Planned Elderly Facilities District (PEFD). According to town zoning regulations, a PEFD can only be done in R-1, R-2, or R-3 zones.
Pellegrino said that if the general development plan for the PEFD is approved, the applicant has one year to come back to the PZC with a more detailed plan before the project can move forward. If the applicant doesn’t come back, the general plan becomes null and void and the PZC can eliminate the PEFD and revert the portion of land changed to R-3 back to R-5.
The PZC also heard testimony from the applicant’s consultants about the development’s visual impact (the peak of just one building would be visible to neighbors) and traffic impact (the project would not necessitate a light at Route 80) .
Pellegrino estimated the project would take three to five years to build, and that it would be a good economic generator for the town. He said the assessor estimated the project would bring in $1.2 million in annual revenue for the town with six buildings, and Pellegrino estimated the revenue for five buildings would be just under $1 million.
Even though changes were made, residents and PZC members still expressed concerns. Some residents feel the project is too dense for the location, and PZC member Charles Lang questioned if the revenue generated from the proposed development would be a wash if more emergency services were needed as a result of the development.
The biggest concern brought forth was the traffic. Residents mentioned fatal accidents that happened nearby the proposed development and potential hazards of having many cars turning in and out of the proposed development to and from Foxon Road.
PZC member Bill DeMayo recommended that the public hearing, for the zoning change to PEFD, be left open, because Town Engineer Kevin White was absent from the meeting and didn’t get a chance to have any input.
DeMayo also acknowledged that it’s a large project, and recognized the importance of the project to both the residents nearby and the developer. He said the PZC is taking this application very seriously, and is hopeful they’ll be able to make the right decision.
With the public hearing still open and no decisions on the project made, Pellegrino said the team is going to look at questions brought up at the January meeting, mostly related to the traffic concerns, and get the answers so the PZC can close the hearing at the next meeting.
“We’re hopeful,” Pellegrino told the Courier. “We heard what they said last time, and we addressed them.”
The next PZC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. in the East Haven Senior Citizens Center, 91 Taylor Avenue.