Changes made to proposed condo complex’s site plan

Apr 14, 2021

At a continued public hearing for a proposed 20-unit condo development on Red Brook Road, proponents of the project presented changes to the plans that they hoped would appease members of the Zoning Board of Appeals. 

Attorney Lynne Sweet, who spoke on behalf of the proposed 20-unit Settler’s Glen condo complex project, explained that the developers had revised their site plan to address board members’ concerns about drainage and building placement.

An engineer for the project explained that two primary site plan changes were made during the Zoning Board of Appeals’ April 14 meeting. 

First, an underground drainage system — which includes concrete galleys to collect roof runoff that will be treated — was added. Second, the design of some of the condos was changed, so that every other one will have a garage located to the side with a “slightly smaller” overall footprint.

The reduced size of some of the units allowed the developer to move those units away from Red Brook Road, addressing some board members’ concerns. Scott Blagden, who also spoke on behalf of the development, explained that the design team had settled on having two basic condo designs. 

“We worked with the architect to create a plan that has the garages on the sides as opposed to in the center, and every other one has the garages on the ends,” Blagden said. “It’ll make the streetscape look a lot nicer. There’s some variety.”

With the new design, the two types of condos could be staggered along the street. 

“The principle was just to have a variety, be able to stagger them, make the street look more attractive so it’s not the exact same home one after another,” Blagden said. 

Sweet also pointed out that the developers had added shared recreation space.

“With undergrounding the stormwater management system, we are able to add some substantial recreation space,” Sweet said. “We have it — whether it’s to put up a swing set or a sitting area, but we have that now.”  

At a previous meeting, several board members noted that there was no shared communal space on the property for kids to play in, so the change was an attempt to assuage those concerns. 

Board member Jim Eacobacci said he liked the idea of the development having two designs and noted that he also liked that recreation space was added. 

“With the two different size buildings, it looks like the new buildings are quite a bit smaller, and I’m wondering how that impacts the asking [...] price,” he asked.

Although she did not exactly address how the change would impact the market rate for the units, Sweet said the new design utilized what was formerly “wasted space” in the original design. 

“We think that the smaller buildings are actually designed more efficiently,” she said.

Chairman Nazih Elkallassi was concerned that the plans, which allow for exactly 25 feet between units not counting overhangs, might not actually be far enough apart to avoid fire safety regulations that require buildings to have sprinklers installed.

“The rules of the fire marshall are if you get under 25 feet, you have to sprinkler the buildings even if they’re single families,” Elkallassi said. “This is my question — are the overhangs counted?”

No one from the building department, which is responsible for inspections and enforcing sprinkler regulations, was present to field the question. Sweet said they would get in touch with officials.

The Settler’s Glen development would be composed of 10 duplexes to be built in a Cape Cod-style along a single cul-de-sac with sidewalks and off-street parking.

Half the units would have two bedrooms, while the other half would have three. All condos would include a two-car garage, a washer and dryer and two and a half bathrooms.

The development would not be age-restricted.

Five of the condos (four two-bedroom units and one three-bed unit) would be income-restricted to those earning 80 percent or less of the area median income. The income-restricted units would be priced at $271,500 for a two-bedroom and $301,700 for the three-bedroom unit.

Market rate units will likely sell for between $399,000 and $429,000.

The hearing will continue on April 28.