Granby Approves 8-Home Subdivision

GRANBY, CT — An eight-home subdivision on Harmony Hill Road has received unanimous approval from Granby's Planning and Zoning Commission.

The commission voted 7-0 on July 28 to approve an eight-lot re-subdivision at 63 Harmony Hill Road, a 6.45-acre property in the town's R30 residential zone. The application had been the subject of a public hearing that began earlier in July and was continued to the July 28 meeting.

Professional engineer Timothy Coon of J.R. Russo & Associates represented the project. According to town meeting minutes, revised plans had been reviewed by town staff following the earlier hearing, and staff determined that its comments and concerns had been addressed.

Several neighbors still raised concerns before the commission acted.

Geoffrey Bayersdorfer of Stardust Drive questioned whether an environmental study had been completed and raised concerns about additional traffic. He also asked the town to reinstall a stop sign that he said had previously been located where Harmony Hill Road meets Stardust Drive.

Cathy Lundin of Harmony Hill Road also asked for the stop sign to be restored and questioned the proposed configuration of the lots. Michael Keenan of Twilight Road objected to the additional homes and disagreed with the commission's interpretation of town subdivision regulations governing the number of lots allowed on a dead-end road.

Another resident, David Rooney, questioned the ownership and sale of the property and asked about the affordability of the planned homes. Jeanne Galloway of Stardust Drive raised concerns about pedestrian safety, Farmington Valley Health District approval and possible effects on the neighboring aquifer.

Commission Chairman Mark Lockwood said traffic concerns could be brought to the Board of Selectmen and noted that the Planning and Zoning Commission does not control the sale of private property. Coon told commissioners that an environmental study had been performed and no contamination was detected.

The approval came with several conditions.

The developer must pay the town $23,530 in lieu of providing open space, equal to $2,941.25 for each of the eight lots. Final subdivision maps cannot be filed until an approval letter is received from the Farmington Valley Health District.

The commission also required a $1,000 cash bond for each lot to ensure erosion and sediment controls are properly installed and maintained. The project's environmental study must also be submitted to town staff.

Commissioners specifically determined that a subdivision regulation limiting the number of lots on a proposed dead-end road does not apply to the project because the road on which the new lots will have frontage already exists.

The final plans will also note that the eight new lots abut an agricultural use, and the commission approved a reduced visual streetscape buffer based on existing and proposed vegetation.

The approval does not allow the developer to immediately file the final subdivision maps, with the Farmington Valley Health District approval among the remaining requirements.