Following a review of requested technical information at a February 28 session, Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) members unanimously approved a modified wetlands/watercourses protection permit for The Riverwalk at Sandy Hook Village.

The 74-unit multifamily housing complex proposed by local builder/developer Michael Burton, Sr, would be built on Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook Center.

The permit covers the fourth version of the Riverwalk proposal, which Mr Burton, doing business as Riverwalk Properties, LLC, initially proposed a decade ago. Town land use regulators approved three previous versions of Riverwalk, but none of those projects was ever constructed.

The 11.8-acre site is at 10 through 22 Washington Avenue, on the west side of that street, near the Pootatuck River.

The fourth version of the project increases the number of dwellings approved for the site from 65 to 74. The initial version of the project specified 24 units.

Application paperwork for the project lists the dwellings as condominiums. Mr Burton, however, has said that as the three-phase project is constructed, it could be in the form of both condos and rental apartments.

Because the project was submitted under the terms of the Incentive Housing-10 (IH-10) zoning regulations, 20 percent of the units, or 15 dwellings, would be designated as affordable housing and offered to people who meet certain income limits at significantly lower prices than the other 59 market-rate units.

Engineering

Alan Shepard, the civil engineer representing Mr Burton, told IWC members that technical information added to the Riverwalk plans includes the placement of an anti-tracking apron at the project's southern driveway, as well as the details on the location of siltation-control fencing.

Of the current version of Riverwalk, Mr Shepard said, "This is basically the same project, but we just moved things around a little bit."

A stormwater drainage report has been revised to reflect the changes in the proposed construction project, he added.

The project's stormwater control measures are intended to allow the adjacent Pootatuck River to retain its relatively cool temperature and continue functioning as a trout stream, he said.

Also, the developer will clean up some debris at the site, which largely consists of used plumbing parts including porcelain, Mr Shepard said.

In a report submitted with Mr Burton's application, his wetlands consulting firm, known as JMM Wetlands Consulting Services, LLC, writes, in part, "The modified proposal will not result in significant adverse indirect impacts to wetlands and watercourses."

IWC members placed eight conditions on their wetlands approval.

These include: erosion and sedimentation control devices must be installed before construction starts; the town must inspect the marked limits of physical disturbance at the site before construction starts; any change in site development plans must receive prior approval; and periodic reports must be submitted to the town on the project's construction progress, among other requirements.

According to mapping submitted by the applicant, the first construction phase of Riverwalk would hold 12 townhouses that would contain a total of 32 bedrooms. The second phase would hold 11 townhouses containing 28 bedrooms.

The third phase would have 51 dwellings, including five townhouses and 46 flats. The third phase would have a total of 90 bedrooms. Overall, on completion, the project would hold 150 bedrooms in 74 dwellings.

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) is scheduled to resume its ongoing public hearing on the Riverwalk proposal on March 15.

Also, the developer will need Water & Sewer Authority (WSA) approval to discharge wastewater from 74 dwellings into the central municipal sanitary sewer system. The WSA approval for the third version of the project allows wastewater disposal for 65 dwellings.