Two town land use agencies last week continued their ongoing detailed review of a major mixed-use complex proposed for Hawleyville, which would include 180 rental apartments in six multistory buildings, a diner, and a church.

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members reviewed the zoning aspects of the construction proposals at two public hearings on October 15. Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) members reviewed the water-related environmental protection aspects of the projects at two public hearings on October 14.

The mixed-use complex is proposed for a 42-acre site lying west of Hawleyville Road (State Route 25) and south of the Exit 9 interchange of Interstate 84.

Developer Anthony Lucera of Brookfield, doing business as Covered Bridge Newtown, LLC, proposes the apartment complex on Covered Bridge Road and also the diner at 13 Hawleyville Road.

Grace Family Church Inc, proposes the church on Covered Bridge Road to replace its church about one mile away at 174 Mt Pleasant Road (US Route 6).

At the October 15 P&Z session, attorney Peter Scalzo, who represents both the church and Covered Bridge, told P&Z members that Grace Family Church, as requested, has agreed to increasing the time period between the end of its first Sunday service and the start of its second Sunday service from 30 minutes to 45 minutes in order to decrease traffic pressure on the nearby road network.

Civil engineer Dainius Virbickas, representing Covered Bridge, told P&Z members that certain changes in the proposed site plans have been made in response to P&Z concerns.

Under the revised proposal, a bicycle rack would be placed at the apartment complex to provide suitable bicycle parking. Also, a line of large boulders would be placed on the terrain to demarcate a boundary line between lawns and environmentally sensitive wetlands.

Concrete sidewalks would be built at the apartment site to provide durable walking surfaces for pedestrians, Mr Virbickas said. Also, an emergency accessway extending from Hillcrest Drive to the apartment complex would be 20 feet wide instead of the previously proposed 16 feet wide, he said.

P&Z members and Mr Virbickas discussed the best locations at the site for the placement of multiple mailboxes to be used by apartment tenants, in terms of tenants’ ease of access to such facilities.

During the public comment section of the P&Z hearing, Corinne Cox of 31 Pond Brook Road told P&Z members, “This is a very, very big project.” Ms Cox is a Democratic candidate for a seat on the P&Z in the November 3 elections.

“Pond Brook is not replaceable,” she said.

Pond Brook traverses the development site. Pond Brook carries water from Taunton Lake to the Lake Lillinonah section of the Housatonic River. It runs parallel to Pond Brook Road before entering Lake Lillinonah.

Ms Cox urged that the apartment complex be scaled down to hold only two 30-unit buildings, not six 30-unit buildings as is currently proposed. Such a reduced project would cut that traffic generated by the complex, she said.

“I really am concerned about this very large project and [the presence of] Pond Brook,” Ms Cox said.

“We’re all concerned,” responded P&Z Chairman Robert Mulholland.

P&Z members agreed to resume the two public hearings on the apartments/diner proposal and on the church proposal on November 5. Those sessions will mark the P&Z’s sixth set of hearings on the proposed mixed-use complex.

At the October 14 IWC hearing on the apartments/diner application, public discussion included property maintenance, erosion control, the boulder-line boundary, sidewalks, stormwater drainage control, and driveway width, among other topics, according to IWC records.

In response to questions from IWC member Craig Ferris about the environmental impact of  developing the site, Jodie Chase, a wetlands specialist representing the developer, said that the project is designed with environmental protection in mind, according to IWC records.

In response to questions by IWC Chairman Mary Curran, Mr Virbickas said that a planned review of the project by the Northwest Conservation District will address the project’s thermal effects on Pond Brook. That environmental review is expected soon.

During the public comment section of the apartments/diner hearing, resident Gary Tannenbaum of Pond Brook Road asked that the IWC reject the project, according to IWC records. He questioned the validity of a soil report on the project.

Ms Cox raised the issue of vernal pools at the development site.

Elmer Cox of Pond Brook Road expressed concerns about the size of the project, water pollution, water flow, aquatic life, and the project’s impact on Pond Brook.

At the IWC public hearing on the church proposal, Rob Blanchette, representing the church, discussed the differences between the currently proposed church building and a church project for which Grace Family Church received town approval in 2007. That church was never constructed.

Mr Blanchette also discussed the stormwater control structures proposed for the current church project.

IWC members agreed to resume the two public hearings on the apartment/diner project and on the church project on October 28.