The Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) has scheduled a public hearing on a 74-unit multifamily development project proposed for an 11.8-acre site on the west side of Washington Avenue in Sandy Hook Center.

The hearing on the fifth version of The Riverwalk at Sandy Hook Village at 10-22 Washington Avenue is slated for the P&Z meeting that starts at 7:30 pm on Thursday, September 19, at Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose Street.

At that hearing, developer Michael Burton, Sr, will be seeking a modified special zoning permit from the P&Z to make certain design changes to the project, the fourth version of which received a P&Z approval in April 2018. Although four versions of the multifamily project have gained P&Z approval since January 2009, none of them have ever been constructed.

The project, which is covered by the Incentive Housing-10 (IH-10) zoning regulations, would offer 20 percent of its dwellings as deed-restricted affordable housing units, which would either be sold to owners or rented out to tenants at rates significantly lower than the other 80 percent of the units, which would be sold or rented out at market rates.

Over the years, Mr Burton has said that some of the proposed dwellings would be sold as condominiums and the others would serve as rental apartments. Bennett Sullivan Architects Inc of Southbury drew the plans for the proposed housing complex.

In April 2018, when Riverwalk Properties LLC gained the fourth P&Z endorsement for the housing project, the P&Z approved 74 dwellings for the site, which abuts the Pootatuck River. Under the IH-10 rules, 15 of those units would be designated as affordable housing.

On September 6, Town Planning Director George Benson said the fifth version of Riverwalk includes 74 dwellings laid out in a different site configuration than previously approved by the P&Z.

The fifth version of the complex also would increase the number of garage stalls provided at the site near Washington Avenue, he said. Also proposed is an additional building for use as a clubhouse and rental/sales office.

After reviewing some basic plans for the fifth version of Riverwalk at a September 5 session, P&Z members decided that in light of certain proposed changes that would be made to the fourth version of the project, Mr Burton would need to submit the revised plans for a P&Z public hearing.

The town’s Design Advisory Board (DAB) is scheduled to review the architectural and landscaping aspects of the project when it meets at 7 pm on Tuesday, September 17, at Edmond Town Hall at 45 Main Street. The DAB makes recommendations on aesthetics to the P&Z on such development proposals.

In its initial approval in 2009, the P&Z endorsed the construction of 24 dwellings at Riverwalk.