Workers this week constructed a concrete sidewalk along the eastern side of the driveway leading to the upper level of Edona Commons, a 26-unit condominium complex at a 4.5-acre site at 95 andamp; 99 Church Hill Road in Sandy Hook Center.Steep Grade

Whether a concrete sidewalk should be installed there was discussed at length during a Planning and Zoning Commission (Pandamp;Z) public hearing early this month.

In that discussion, Pandamp;Z members said that because the project's construction plans call for a concrete sidewalk, it should be built by the project's developer, Dauti Construction LLC, of Danbury. Civil engineer Steven Trinkaus, representing Dauti, had said that the developer was willing to build an asphalt sidewalk, but added that he would inform Dauti of the Pandamp;Z's position on the matter.

At a May 17 public hearing, Mr Trinkaus told Pandamp;Z members that a concrete sidewalk would be built. The structure, which is intended for pedestrian safety, is four feet wide and about 280 feet long.

On May 3, Mr Trinkaus had sought the Pandamp;Z's final approval on various field changes that were made to Edona Commons' plans after those plans' June 2011 approval by the Pandamp;Z.

In a letter that preceded the May 3 Pandamp;Z session, Mr Trinkaus had informed the Pandamp;Z that Dauti would prefer to allow a lawn along the eastern side of the driveway to continue abutting the driveway and not build any sidewalk there.

After Edona Commons was built, the town extended a streetscape-grade concrete sidewalk westward from Sandy Hook Center along the north side of Church Hill Road to meet the condo complex's driveway.

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In another matter at the May 17 session, Pandamp;Z members learned that fire officials have found that a short section of the emergency access driveway at Edona Commons that has a very steep grade does not pose an access problem for fire trucks.

Pandamp;Z member Jim Swift said he wants documentation provided by the town engineer and fire officials stating that the paving material used by the developer for the emergency accessway is suitable for that use, although the Pandamp;Z had specified that another paving material be used.

In another matter, Mr Trinkaus said that spruce trees will be planted as landscaping elements at the site.

Pandamp;Z members agreed to resume the public hearing on the Edona Commons design changes on June 7. The developer needs to a get a final approval for Edona Commons from the Pandamp;Z so that it can obtain a final certificate of occupancy for the project.

In 2009, Dauti gained court approval to build Edona Commons after winning lawsuits against the Pandamp;Z and Water andamp; Sewer Authority (WSA). Dauti had filed the lawsuits under the terms of the state's Affordable Housing Appeals Act (AHAA). The project has 16 market-rate condos and 8 condos designated as affordable housing, which are sold at much lower prices to people who meet income eligibility requirements.

Dauti had pursued multifamily construction at the site for many years, but those proposals were rejected by the Pandamp;Z. Dauti eventually won the construction approval through the AHAA court cases.

The major points of conflict between the Pandamp;Z and Dauti involved the suitability of the steep site for a housing complex as well as the project's construction density; The Pandamp;Z preferred a lower construction density than Dauti won through the court appeals.