Zoning Commission Approves Controversial Subdivision

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved a controversial subdivision for Buddington Road that neighbors have been unwilling to put the welcome mat out for several years.  

The commission voted 5-1 in favor of a six-lot cluster home subdivision slated for 122 Buddington Rd. Commissioner Joan Flannery cast the sole dissenting vote, citing various concerns relating to drainage, the steepness of the site and its close proximity to .  

The commission actually granted approval of the subdivision back in 2008, voting in favor of a zone change for the 3.35 acre parcel from residential/light industrial to a Planned Development District. However, neighbors residing in the nearby Buddington Park condos appealed that zone change, citing concerns about potential blasting, a possible decline in property values, drainage and erosion issues and several other factors.  

The commission’s original approval of the project in 2008 was reversed, based upon judicial findings of inadequate notice of publication and improper communication between the application and the zoning staff, which is why the application came back before the commission.  

Tuesday’s approval gives the property owners Robert and Carol Farrell the go-ahead to build six single-family homes with attached garages that will be similar to condos, but detached from one another.  

The development, dubbed Meadow View, will be a nice addition to the area, according to Attorney Dominick Thomas, who represents the Farrells.  

“This is by far the best use of the property,” Thomas said.  

Thomas said Meadow View is a much less dense development than other housing developments in the area, which include Buddington Park, a 12-unit condo complex; Heritage Point, a 17-home single-family subdivision and Country Walk, another condo complex.  

Meadow View is slated to boast about 2 housing units per acre, compared with Buddington Park’s 2.5 units per acre and Heritage Point’s 2.4 units per acre.  

The Farrells said they were surprised neighbors have continually voiced opposition to the project when they all reside “in more dense communities than ours.”  

Project Engineer Jim Rotondo tried to quell neighbors’ concerns about drainage, and assured there would be no increase in water flow to neighboring properties. He also said substantial landscaping would be installed to act as a buffer.  

Attorney Timothy Lee, representing the Buddington Park condo owners, argued that a Planned Development District in this area was not in compliance with Shelton’s Plan of Conservation and Development, or the commission‘s own zoning regulations.  

“In the Plan of Conservation and Development, it (suggests) elimination of PDD’s in residential districts, and this (property) is an R-1 residential district,” Lee said. “How is this consistent with the Plan of Conservation and Development?”  

Thomas, however, argued just the opposite, saying the area is surrounded by multi-family, residential and both high and low density housing complexes, as well as commercial property with WalMart nearby. And the Farrell’s project, Thomas added, is “the lowest density” out of all of them.  

Local Developer A.J. Grasso found it ironic that neighbors were being quite critical of the Farrell’s project, when he said “there are five units per acre right next door, so how can they criticize something that’s less dense?”  

As far as neighbor’s concerns about blasting, Thomas said the project may require some trench blasting, as well as blasting for utilities and foundations, but we will “not be blasting a cliff” to make way for the new houses.