New Haven Register (Sunday) (New Haven, CT)
‘Cluster development’ planned for Milford’s Plains Road
MILFORD — A cluster development on Plains Road has been given the go ahead.
The Planning and Zoning Board, at its meeting May 3, approved plans for a cluster development on Plains Road. The site, listed as 535-543 Plains Road, consists of six development lots and one lot set aside for open space.
Currently, there are four houses at the location, and attorney Kevin Curseaden, representing the applicant, said only one will remain because the applicant is living in the house. The plan calls for the demolition of the other three houses, property divisions and the construction of five more houses which will be accessed via a private road.
The separation of properties and creation of the roadway culminate in a cul-desac named Highland Court.
“As a private road, the property owners will be responsible for the paving, maintenance, construction, plowing, garbage pickup,” said Curseaden. “There’s not going to be any city services other than emergency services.”
Curseaden said with the approval, the applicant is allowed to downsize the lots. He added the applicant wants to provide more open space at the end of the culde-sac and to preserve one of the houses on the property.
“When you look at traditional subdivision versus cluster subdivision, you’re not allowed to come with more building lots than you would under a regular subdivision,” he said. “It also allows some flexibility in the creation of the lot sizes, so that you can preserve open space or preserve natural resources. And we have the flexibility to request a private roadway as it is requested here.”
Board member Robert Satti, who was against the motion, asked why the applicant hadn’t submitted the written statement of the intended ownership and legal documentation.
“If we were going to do a full set of documents, it would be extremely expensive for the applicant to do that,” said Curseaden. “At this stage of the development, it could go a variety of ways. It could be an incorporated association, co-op, he could decide to file a condominium declaration.”
The plan is to have a deed-restricted open space at the end of the cul-de-sac, which is a little more than an acre in size.
“This open space is not open to the public,” said Curseaden. “It’s just supposed to be preserved in its natural state or for passive recreation.”