Planning Board Considers Design for New Senior Community

Preliminary designs for a proposed senior housing development incited many questions during a public hearing of the Milford Planning Board Monday evening. 

Issues at the forefront of discussion about plans for the 24-unit development on North River Road and Mont Vernon Street included uncertainty that the community room on campus would offer adequate space for residents to congregate; and concern with a proposal to remove two rows of large White Pine trees on the property, which would be replaced with new foliage.

“Removing those trees would change the look of the road dramatically,” Member Paul Amato said. “Nothing could be put in that would replace those trees in the next 25 years.”

Board of Selectmen representative Katherine Bauer, who recused her position on the board during the hearing, said she is concerned removing the trees would eliminate an important buffer.

“The tree buffer is not just for sight, it’s also for noise,” she said. “Mont Vernon Street is a very noisy, busy road.”

“This would definitely be the most substantial change,” Kenneth Clinton, chief of survey for Meridian Land Services, Inc., the company hired to complete the designs for the development, said of removing the White Pines, which a professional forester concluded are a public safety issue.

“Those trees are dropping limbs today, they aren’t safe,” Clinton said. “Those trees should have been managed and cut years ago, but they have grown into a safety hazard.”

Alternate Member Malia Ohlson asked if any trees could be spared with some pruning and trimming.

But Clinton said pruning the trees would make them look “unruly and unattractive.”

Additionally, Clinton is concerned the trees will only become a greater safety concern if they aren’t removed as recommended by the forester.

Abutter David Mallows, who lives at 35 North River Road, asked if removing the trees would affect drainage on the property. 

Clinton said only trees closest to the new development’s property line would be removed, and would not affect the root systems of trees belonging to Mallows. A large infiltration system to be installed on the property would manage drainage, according to the proposal.

In addition to concerns with the proposed tree removal, members expressed concern the community room proposed for the development is too small.

Clinton said the space is large enough to fit 30 chairs minimum, a number he is comfortable with.

“We talked to people about condo association meetings and found they’re sparsely attended,” he said.

But Chairwoman Janet Langdell said she would expect the community room of a senior living community to serve a greater purpose than just a gathering place for association meetings.

“We speak to passive and active recreation. I would expect this to be a meeting place where residents could have a bridge club and poker nights, or host their granddaughter’s birthday party,” she said.

“I’m not sure the community room is big enough,” Amato said. “That’s one thing I will have trouble giving a lot of leeway with. It’s not like you’re working within a structure, you just need to build bigger.”

Members also expressed concern the layout of the development would be inconvenient for handicapped residents, with detached garages to be constructed at a distance from some units that members felt may be too far. 

Preliminary plans for the development feature one- and two-bedroom, single units, duplexes, and garden-style units. A barn on the property is to be renovated to house four separate units. 

The public hearing Monday was an opportunity for the design team to consider input from the board and members of the public as they move forward with drafting a final proposal. 

Clinton said the state granted preliminary approval for a gated emergency access to the property on North River Road, as well as a main entrance off Mont Vernon Street.

The Zoning Board reviewed the proposal and granted a special exception, specifying there are to be no more than 24 units, and 48 bedrooms on the property.

The Traffic Safety Committee will also review the plan and offer feedback to the Planning Board.

Further discussion of the proposal was tabled until the Planning Board’s Feb. 19 meeting.