23 Units —

Conservation Commission Slates Hearing On Condo Complex

By Andrew Gorosko

Conservation Commission members have opted to conduct a public hearing on a Danbury developer’s proposal to construct a 23-unit condominium complex on four rugged acres in Sandy Hook Center, at which seven dwellings would be reserved for moderate-income families.

Conservation Official Rob Sibley said this week the commission plans to conduct a public hearing on February 22 on Dauti Construction, LLC’s, proposal for Edona Commons at 95-99 Church Hill Road.

Developer Guri Dauti proposes the complex for the site on the north side of Church Hill Road, west of the intersection of Church Hill Road and Dayton Street.

The applicant is seeking approval for development in regulated areas from the Conservation Commission, serving as the town’s wetlands agency. The site contains wetlands in its northeast and northwest corners. Approximately 4,000 square feet of regulated areas would potentially be altered.

Mr Sibley was scheduled to visit the site with the developer this week to learn how the proposed construction would affect wetlands.

The Conservation Commission’s review of such projects is limited in scope, focusing on how the proposed development would affect wetlands. The agency seeks to prevent environmental damage to wetlands, or at least to limit such damage.

Two past proposals from Mr Dauti for high-density, multifamily complexes at that site have met with stiff opposition from nearby property owners, who have criticized such development as inappropriate for the area. The two past development proposals from Mr Dauti have been thwarted by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z).

Besides wetlands approvals from the Conservation Commission, Mr Dauti would need various approvals from the P&Z.

In a 2003 attempt to develop the site, Mr Dauti sought to build 16 units. In a second failed attempt early in 2004, he sought to build 12 units. Both proposals involved the creation of “affordable housing” at the site.

In October 2004, Mr Dauti initiated closed-session talks with P&Z members on his prospects for accomplishing a housing project on the property.

In his past efforts to develop the site with multifamily housing, Mr Dauti had first formally approached the P&Z, rather than the Conservation Commission, with his development proposals.

On recently learning of Mr Dauti’s current housing proposal, resident Megan Williams of 82 Church Hill Road, who had marshaled opposition to Mr Dauti’s previous housing proposals, vowed to oppose the current project. Past opponents cited concerns about traffic, congestion, aesthetics, and decreased property values.

Design drawings on file at the town land use office indicate that Mr Dauti proposes constructing 23 dwellings in five buildings on the site. Two buildings would have six units; two buildings would contain four units, and one building would have three units. Overall, the five buildings would contain 57 bedrooms. Individual dwellings would have either two bedrooms or three bedrooms. The construction project would require 18 months to complete.

The dwellings designated for moderate-income families would be interspersed throughout the complex. The moderate-income units would be sold at lower prices than the market-rate units. The high construction density of such a complex would generate market-rate sales proceeds that would, in effect, subsidize the sale of moderate-income units.