Residents at an April 13 Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) public hearing on Rochambeau Woods, a 29-unit condominium complex proposed for a 29-acre site off Mt Pleasant Road near Taunton Lake, raised issues about the complex's residents having foot access to the lakeside area, which now has limited development and limited access to its shoreline.Public CommentResponse

Also, IWC members learned that if developer David French, doing business as applicant Hunter Ridge, LLC, gains the required approvals for the project, the land and the right to develop it might be sold to Toll Brothers, Inc, a major home building firm. Toll Brothers has built several residential subdivisions and condo complexes locally.

The IWC is reviewing the environmental aspects of the project. If approved, the applicant would receive a wetlands/watercourses protection permit for the development at 41, 43, 45, and 47 Mt Pleasant Road (US Route 6/State Route 25).

The developer also requires approvals from the Borough Zoning Commission (BZC) for site development, and from the Water and Sewer Authority (WSA) for a connection to central municipal sanitary sewer system for wastewater disposal.

Civil engineer Larry Edwards, representing Hunter Ridge, told IWC members that the project is the latest of several residential development proposals for the site submitted for public review during the past decade. Last fall, Hunter Ridge won a decade-long court fight with a private intervenor over whether the property could be residentially developed in light of its proximity to the environmentally sensitive Taunton Lake.

In the current proposal, which is known as "cluster housing," the 29 condos would be clustered on about nine acres of the site nearer to Mt Pleasant Road, with the section of the site sloping down toward Taunton Lake remaining undeveloped and protected as open space under terms of a conservation easement.

Such open space would be open to the residents of the complex, but not to the general public. Applicable borough zoning regulations require that at least 50 percent of the site be preserved as undeveloped open space.

The most recent previous development proposal for the site involved the construction of 14 single-family houses arrayed across a broad section of the property, with some of the houses much nearer to Taunton Lake than is currently proposed.

The Rochambeau Woods site has about 450 feet of frontage on Taunton Lake, a more than 100-acre, spring-fed lake that is ringed by privately owned properties.

Mr Edwards said that plans for the project may include a picnic grove near the lake for condo complex residents' use. A walking trail would link the condos to that area. A homeowners' association would maintain the 29-acre site, he said.

The complex would include 29 individual buildings each of which would hold one condo unit, he said. Each dwelling would be two stores tall, hold three or four bedrooms, and have a two-car garage, he said. Some of the dwellings would have walk-out basements, he said.

Mr Edwards said the complex would be a conventional condo complex, and not be age-restricted housing or affordable housing.

The proposed 29 condos would entail the complete residential development of the site, with no future growth planned, he said.

Dr Robert Grossman of 49 Mt Pleasant Road told IWC members that he sold the 29-acre site to Mr French 13 years ago. Dr Grossman said that Mr French had told him in the past that he wanted to build a house for himself and some other houses on the site.

Dr Grossman said that when he learned that Mr French planned to seek "cluster housing" for the site he became "upset."

The development site is actually a much wetter place than is indicated by the maps submitted by the developer, Dr Grossman said. "There are more wetlands than shown," he said.

When there are heavy rains, stormwater runoff enters his adjacent property from the site, Dr Grossman said. The site is frequently wet, he said.

Also, Dr Grossman told IWC members that there are limited sight lines for motorists exiting their driveways onto Mt Pleasant Road in that area.

Benjamin Pilchard of 53 Mt Pleasant Road said he is concerned about the prospect of a stormwater retention pond proposed for the development site causing flooding at 53 Mt Pleasant Road.

Also, the residents of 29 new dwellings at the condo complex would have access to Taunton Lake, resulting in problems, he said. "There's a huge negative effect on the lake," he said.

Mr Pilchard asked what the future might hold for land near the lake if some other developer buys the site from Hunter Ridge, LLC.

Youths might hold parties near the lake, Mr Pilchard said.

Mr Pilchard asked why there needs to be a trail leading from the condos to the lake.

Mr Pilchard added that limited sightlines at Mt Pleasant Road make it difficult for him to exit his driveway.

Marilyn Alexander of 8 Taunton Lake Drive said she is concerned about the potential disturbance of wetlands at the development site in light of the proposed construction project. Application documents state that the project would be completed within five years of its final approval.

Lawrence Leavitt of 53 Taunton Lake Road said that he is concerned about the prospect of the residents of 29 new dwellings having access to Taunton Lake.

In response to the public comments, Mr Edwards said that the wetlands at the site have been thoroughly mapped by the applicant.

Also, the applicant wants the residents of the proposed condos to have access to Taunton Lake, Mr Edwards said. Access to the lake is what makes the location a special place, he said.

Mr Edwards said there would be no aggressive development done near the lake.

It would not be fair for regulatory officials to prevent condo complex residents from having lake access, he said.

Mr Edwards acknowledged that there are difficult motorist sight lines for people exiting driveways onto Mt Pleasant Road in that area. He noted that the driveway proposed for the condo complex would intersect with Mt Pleasant Road at the top of a rise in the road for good visibility. The proposed driveway's sight lines would meet state the Department of Transportation's standards, he said.

Mr Edwards said he would address various issues raised by the public when the IWC public hearing resumes on April 27.