Date: Fri 21-Aug-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Cornfield-Ridge-conservation

Full Text:

Subdivision On Castle Hill Gets Wetlands Permit

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Conservation Commission has approved a wetlands construction permit for

the proposed Cornfield Ridge residential subdivision off Castle Hill Road, but

is recommending that the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) cut the 19-lot

request by one lot to allow a scenic knoll to be preserved as open space.

The proposed Cornfield Ridge signals a portion of Castle Hill Farm being sold

off for home building.

Conservation Commission members don't have the authority to approve lot

layouts in a subdivision, but feel strongly that the scenic 2.1-acre knoll

area should be preserved as open space, said C. Stephen Driver, the town's

conservation official. The P&Z will hold a public hearing on Cornfield Ridge

at an upcoming session.

The land at issue lies west of the intersection of Castle Hill Road and Old

Castle Drive. The land is behind two houses that lie across Old Castle Drive

from the Newtown Forest Association's open space parcel which serves as the

scenic overlook toward the Main Street flagpole and surrounding churches.

In a letter to the P&Z, Mr Driver writes on behalf of the Conservation

Commission "This 2.1-acre parcel on the eastern portion of the site is one of

the most important vistas in town and (it) is recommended this portion of the

site be designated as open space. Protecting this knoll, is considered by the

Conservation Commission, one of the most important (scenic) spots within the

Borough of Newtown."

The applicant wants to donate other land in the proposed subdivision as open

space.

If a house were built on the 2.1-acre parcel, its residents would have a

scenic view of the town center. Also, the view of that knoll from elsewhere

would be obscured, Mr Driver said this week.

The developers of Cornfield Ridge proposed several versions of the project to

the Conservation Commission before the panel approved the wetlands

construction aspects of it.

The developers, doing business as The Estates at Pumpkin Hill, LLC, want to

create a 19-lot subdivision on an approximately 32-acre parcel along Old

Castle Hill Road.

Although the applicant is seeking a 19-lot subdivision, there would be only 18

building lots. The large 19th lot would be the remaining section of Castle

Hill Farm. The developers propose building two dead-end streets off Castle

Hill Road to create lot frontages for new houses.

As part of its wetlands construction approval of Cornfield Ridge, Conservation

Commission members are requiring the developer to: install erosion and

sediment controls before construction starts and maintain those controls until

all disturbed soils have been stabilized; have a pre-construction conference

with the conservation official one week before construction starts; keep a

copy of the approved plans on the site; obtain other required municipal

permits; build new stone walls on three lots in the subdivision before any

building permit is obtained; and if the P&Z modifies the subdivision design,

the developer must obtain reapprovals from the Conservation Commission.

Through the wetlands construction permit, the applicant has received approval

to discharge stormwater from the proposed Cornfield Drive into a wetland at

the rear of two proposed building lots. The developer also has received

approval to build a stormwater detention/sedimentation basin in an upland area

at the rear of a lot to allow the discharge of stormwater into a wetland.