Permit approval may bring affordable housing to town

CORNWALL — A senior housing complex proposed by the Cornwall Housing Corporation (CHC) received unanimous approval from Planning and Zoning for a special permit at a meeting March 8.The decision followed two public hearing sessions and several informational meetings held over the past two years or so. CHC, a nonprofit, has been working its way through the involved process of approval for subsidies from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop the senior housing under “affordable” guidelines. The Kent Road (Route 7) site in the center of Cornwall Bridge has been termed ideal, after years of searching, by CHC. Among other advantages, it offers easy access to vital services.The plan calls for 10 one-bedroom apartments in a two-story building to be built against a steep hillside carved out decades ago by gravel mining. The slope will allow both floors to have ground-level access, and will create a secluded backyard and garden plateau.Discussions about the building have raised strong emotions. There is considerable support for the prospect of senior housing alternatives. There is also concern for impacts on the town and especially on neighboring properties, and there is wariness of the unprecedented development plan.At the Planning and Zoning meeting March 8, nearly two hours of presentations, including a landscaping plan, were presented in response to questions raised at the Feb. 8 public hearing. At the meeting (and at the prior hearing), residents delved into issues that are not under the purview of P&Z, such as drainage and runoff discharge, legalities of the public water supply for the facility and exactly what trees will eventually be planted. The questions and concerns didn’t seem unreasonable. But it was finally noted by CHC’s attorney (Peter Ebersol) and architect (Paul Selnau), and the Planning and Zoning Commission consultant (Tom McGowan), that all that is legally required at this point is a conceptual plan. All the commission has to rule on is how the project fits into the town and its zoning regulations, as well as potential impacts it might have. Now that the permits have been approved, final designs and engineering studies will follow. The project will continue to come under close scrutiny by the town’s land use administrator and building official, by HUD and by other permitting agencies such as the Torrington Area Health District.As P&Z neared a decision, and public concerns were still being raised, CHC board member Will Calhoun felt compelled to comment, and offer reassurances about intentions that considerable thought will go into the details.“We want to design a building that is comfortable and creates a sanctuary,” Calhoun said.Speaking specifically to a concern that landscaping could be short-changed as the project neared completion, he said, “Eleven years ago, the town raised money for a library. Whether it was the best design or not, it became part of the town’s landscape. It included a fundraising effort where people could donate memorial trees. I don’t know that this community won’t be anything less than enthusiastic if we find ourselves in a similar situation. “I think there needs to be a little bit of confidence in this board that we just want to do the right thing, that we want to create a beautiful building.”Before calling for a motion for approval, P&Z Chairman Pat Hare polled members, asking if anyone was inclined to vote against it. No one was.Some concerns were resolved in the course of discussion with the architect and engineer, or were made conditions of the special permit.During the hearing, Judy Herkimer read a letter from Joanne Wojtusiak, who was out of town. Wojtusiak, who has been very vocal about her opposition to placing the housing at that location, said in her letter that she had spoken with members of the Gomez family, longtime Cornwall Bridge residents. According to their recollection, the site was mined twice, in the 1930s and again after World War II, eventually to a depth where a steam shovel was completely below grade. Large boulders were used for fill, Wojtusiak went on, which, she claimed, explain the “skimpy” trees that have grown back there.Her concern was that septic systems have to be installed in undisturbed native soils. She called for a significant performance bond.Planning and Zoning Commission members later questioned site engineer Brian Neff, who said five test holes dug close to 10 feet deep on the lower plateau revealed only well-draining sand and gravel.“The upper two or three feet appeared to be disturbed soils. Below that, it appeared natural,” Neff said. The Torrington Area Health District has reviewed a septic system proposed for the site, calling only for an area at the southern part of the property to be replaced with sand.During the hearing, a letter was delivered from the Housatonic River Commission, which was also meeting at that time. Commission members had reviewed the project, which lies in the outer river corridor. Their report said that there were no concerns as long as site development complies with “best practices” as prescribed by state guidelines.In his remarks at the end of the hearing, Attorney Ebersol was applauded when he asked Planning and Zoning to consider what else could be built on the site.“It’s a commercial zone. Cornwall has no limit on the size of buildings. It could be a strip mall. You could have three 50,000-square-foot buildings there with no screening.”Planning consultant Tom McGowan spelled out conditions and findings needed for approval. Findings are issues that need further exploration, or final documentation. As recommended by McGowan, and approved by Planning and Zoning, the findings would be:1) A determination of the number of parking spaces that will be needed. (CHC did extensive research, but zoning regulations offer no standards. )2) Potential issues with installing an underground propane tank in the aquifer protection zone, as proposed; these should be further explored. Fuel oil tanks are no longer allowed to be buried. Neff said a liquid propane leak is not a hazard to the aquifer because leaking liquid propane would turn to gas.3) An official approval from the Housatonic River Commission is needed. McGowan said regulations provide no standards for the outer corridor, “so they should be easy to meet.”Conditions of the permit are a $5,000 cash bond for emergency erosion control measures, a standard “as built” drawing submitted when construction is complete and the land use administrator is to approve minor adjustments to location of utilities, as may be required by utility companies.Fuel tanks — three are proposed, for a generator and fire suppression system — need to be installed in impervious containers large enough to contain leakage. All permits needed for the project must be submitted prior to construction and detailed landscape plans be submitted prior to the zone permit issuance.