New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
Milford P&Z again tables vote on Caswell Cove condo expansion
MILFORD — A vote on the proposed expansion of Caswell Cove Condominiums was once again tabled by the city’s Planning and Zoning Board.
This decision, made at the board’s meeting earlier this week, was the second consecutive time that the board tabled a vote on developer John Guedes’ plans to expand the condominium complex by 44 units.
Three motions for the project were made, including a motion with a special condition to examine the property by a licensed environmental engineer for an impact study. All three motions ended up in a tie, meaning all failed.
Board Member Robert Satti said he would be opposing the project, citing various environmental concerns.
“I think that could have been a condition of the motion, but it has not been made, so I’ll be opposing the motion,” he said.
The developers are seeking to expand the complex, bringing the total number of condos to 248, with an additional 107 parking spaces.
Attorney Stephen Bellis, representing Guedes’ Primrose Companies, LLC, said the local board approved 300 units for Caswell Cove in 1987. Bellis said Primrose is requesting 44 units, for a total of 248.
The build-out of the 44 two-bedroom units included 1,800 square feet of living area in each, and eight of the units were going to be considered accessible units.
At the moment there is only one way in and out of the condominiums, and the board asked if there would be another road added to account for the 44 proposed units.
Milford City Planner David Sulkis said in the future the developer could decide to put in another application for more units.
“If they can do it in a zoning compliant manner, they can make that application,” said Sulkis.
Jeffery Gordon, environmental planner and landscape architect working on the project, said the developer is going to have to add an emergency access road. However, board Chair Etan Hirsch and others questioned if it could be used in a non-emergency situation.
Bellis said the board had already approved the development the way it is designed, and he said they are adding something they think is beneficial to the community by adding the emergency access road.
“The traffic department approved the layout as it was submitted, and likewise the fire marshal has to review this as well, and it was approved,” he said. “I wanted to tell you that my client is willing to beef up and clean up the emergency access and repair it where it needs to be repaired. That’s something he is willing to do.”
Sulkis said the issue with the emergency access is not a planning and zoning issue.
“All of our public safety agencies have looked at this, and they have approved it,” he said. “Having 44 more units there is not a detriment to the security or safety of the people who live there.”
During the public comment section of the meeting, 10 community members
spoke out against the proposed plan, and three-spoke in favor of it.
“Under our planning and zoning regulations, the project is zoning compliant,” said Sulkis. “I’m sympathetic, and I’m sure all of you are sympathetic to what we have heard. This board, on different occasions, has approved significantly higher numbers of units on this
site.”