Four More Rollingwood Lots Are Approved

By Andrew Gorosko

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has approved a resubdivision of land to create four house lots in one of the last sections of the sprawling Rollingwood residential development, which stretches from Sandy Hook to Botsford.

P&Z members July 11 approved Rollingwood, Section 10, involving the creation of four house lots on 34 acres off Marlin Road. P&Z members placed various stipulations on the construction project, including that land developer Blakeman Construction post a $33,400 performance bond to ensure that planned resubdivision construction gets completed.

Before the P&Z addressed the Rollingwood application, P&Z Chairman Daniel Fogliano excused himself from considering or voting on the matter. “I am ineligible to vote on this,” he said. Mr Fogliano has said the firm for which he works does business with the developer, and therefore he should not serve as a P&Z member in considering applications from the developer.

William O’Neil, who is the P&Z vice chairman, served as the chairman for the P&Z’s review of the Rollingwood proposal.

P&Z members also considered, but did not act, on Blakeman Construction’s proposal for Rollingwood, Section 9, involving 17 lots on 93 acres off Marlin Road and Hoseye Coach Road. Technically, Section 10 of Rollingwood would be created from undeveloped land that remains after Section 9 is approved.

Mr O’Neil pointed out that last spring nearby property owners had expressed concerns about allowing through traffic to flow between the heavily traveled Route 34 and Rollingwood.

At an April public hearing on the Section 9 proposal, Hoseye Coach Road residents opposed allowing that road to be used a routine traffic link to Route 34.

In one development alternative for Rollingwood, Section 9, a hammerhead-style turnaround area would be constructed at the northern end of Hoseye Coach Road. That design would prevent normal through traffic from moving between Route 34 and Rollingwood, but would allow emergency vehicle access to Rollingwood from Route 34.

Mr O’Neil pointed out the developer faces some technical questions concerning road frontage in connection with the Section 9 development proposal.

Mr O’Neil recommended that the developer seek a zoning variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) to rectify the situation. With such a variance in hand, the developer could then return to the P&Z and seek resubdivision approval for the 16 house lots in Section 9.

The Rollingwood project has been underway for more than a decade in the broad area east of Toddy Hill Road and west of New Lebbon Road. When completed, the development would have approximately 100 house lots, representing one of the largest single-family house developments in town.