Woodcliff Estates discussion draws crowd
By Brandon Todesca/Correspondent
Thursday, January 11, 2007 – Updated: 07:00 AM EST
The Planning Board continued the discussion of future development at Woodcliff Estates Monday, drawing a rowdy crowd which filled Town Hall to capacity.
The second floor of Town Hall was packed with developers, neighbors and town officials. The crowd occasionally grew rowdy, shouting comments during the meeting.
For a number of months, the Planning Board has been examining either the creation of an extended length cul-de-sac, or a cut-through that would ultimately make a connection between North Street and Rte. 109 in the vicinity of Shaw’s Plaza.
“We want to build a cul-de-sac… we’re giving up [housing] lots to put the cul-de-sac plan in,†said Scott Colwell, developer from Colwell Homes. Colwell explained that it had always been his intention to build a cul-de-sac.
Colwell said a cut-through would be an alternative only if the length of the cul-de-sac, which is beyond the town’s 500 ft limit, is not OK’d by the planning board.
John Prego, who lives in the area, asked the board what the spirit of the limit was. Planning Board member George Lester said the limit was intended to ensure two ways out of the area for public safety in case the entrance is blocked.
Included in the evening’s discussion was an alternative route for emergency access through the as-yet undeveloped Erik Road. In previous drafts of the development, emergency access was set to lie on an existing trail between the development and Erik Road.
Fire Chief William Kingsbury said the original path would be too difficult to manage with their bulky fire engines in an emergency. Colwell presented an improved emergency access set at the property lines of two of the housing lots. The alternate emergency entrance would stretch approximately 180 ft, he said.
One concern still held by Kingsbury and the members of the board regarded the actual development of Erik Road, and what emergency access could be available in the meantime. “You can’t approve something that doesn’t go anywhere,†said board member Keith Diggans. Additional research inquiries would be needed, he said, as owners Edward and Bonnie Musto control the Erik Road area.
Town Administrator Mike Sullivan said 4.4 percent of the town’s school children are located in the area. Greg Slowik, whose property is next to the planned development, said the board should take the number of children who are too young for school into consideration as well.
Dickinson was met with few hands when he asked the public if anyone was in support of a cut-through. Maureen Hufnagle, a resident of Brook Street, said she has seen a steady increase in traffic and felt a cut through would cut down on the traffic flow on Brook Street. She said she thinks the board should “value the safety of all of our children.â€
A resident of Green Street, Maria Baylor, agreed. She said Brook Street is the only traffic outlet in the area. “It’s fair for the town to consider to take some of the burden off Green and Brook Street,†said Baylor.
When the issue of getting traffic reports for both the cul-de-sac version of the development and the cut through version, the planning board met stern response from Colwell. The developer said the request was not reasonable, as it would cost a large sum of money. Colwell asked the Planning Board to make a decision on a cul-de-sac or cut through, so they could move forward in whatever direction the Planning Board allows.
Dickinson said that with some minor alterations to the designs and some additional paperwork, he thinks the Planning Board could take a vote on the development at their next meeting.
Due to the large crowd that had showed for the meeting, the Planning Board will be holding their next meeting at the High School Auditorium on Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
