The Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) has modified its schedule for two public hearings to be held to review a mixed-use development proposal for Hawleyville, which would include a condominium complex, a church, and a diner at a site near Exit 9 of Interstate 84.

IWC members initially had planned to start their regulatory review process at their August 26 meeting. But that review has been delayed for scheduling reasons, according to Rob Sibley, town deputy director of planning and land use.

Current scheduling calls for the IWC to start a public hearing on the proposed 180-unit condo complex/diner at 7:30 pm on Wednesday September 9, at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

As currently planned, the IWC may start a public hearing on the church component of the project on September 23.

Both dates are subject to change.

The applicants for the condo complex/diner project and the church project are seeking wetlands/watercourses protection permits from the IWC.

The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) is scheduled to start public hearings on the condo complex/diner project and also the church project on the night of August 20.

Due to the size and complexity of the mixed-use project, it is expected that it will require several meetings of both agencies to review the development proposals.

The mixed-use project is proposed for approximately 42 acres that lie generally west of Hawleyville Road (Route 25) and generally south of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 84, near the Exit 9 off-ramp.

The land, near Covered Bridge Road and Hillcrest Drive, is owned by Grace Family Church, formerly known as Grace Christian Fellowship. In early 2004, the church purchased the 42 acres for $3.1 million.

In its P&Z construction application, the church is seeking a special zoning permit to build a place of religious worship at 9 Covered Bridge Road.

Grace Family Church currently occupies a 13,860-gross-square-foot church at 174 Mt Pleasant Road (Route 6), which lies about one mile from the development site. The group wants to build a new 24,900-square-foot church to meet the needs of its expanding congregation. The church started in Newtown in 1984.

The church would retain ownership of the about 17.1 acres where a new church would be built.

The church would sell about 21 acres to Southport Real Estate Holdings, LLC, or to Covered Bridge, LLC, for the construction of six large condominium apartment buildings where 180 dwellings would be built. The condo complex would enclose about 265,430 square feet of space overall.

The church had gained town development approvals to build a new church on the site in 2007, but never pursued its construction.

The church would sell about 3.7 acres with frontage at 13 Hawleyville Road to those firms for the construction of an approximately 4,160-square-foot 162-seat diner, near Exit 9.

The condo complex/diner aspects of the three-pronged development proposal are being submitted under the terms of the town’s Incentive Housing-10 (IH-10) zoning regulations, which were created by the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) in January. At least 36 apartments in the complex would be designated for low- and moderate-income people. The complex would have a clubhouse and swimming pool.

The applicant is seeking a special zoning permit from the P&Z.

According to the application documents, the church would be constructed at 9 Covered Bridge Road. The condo complex would be built on land lying generally west of Covered Bridge Road, with vehicle access provided via Hillcrest Drive.

According to the documents, the condo complex would be comprised of six, three-story buildings, each of which would contain 30 apartments. Below the three residential levels within each building, there would one level of vehicle parking in a large garage containing 28 vehicle spaces. Surface parking also would be provided near each building.

A voluminous traffic/access report is included in the application documents for the condo complex/ diner.