BERLIN – A 90-acre residential development planned for Seahawk Road continues to move forward.
The Worcester County Commissioners voted to concur with the Town of Berlin’s plan to annex the property, which currently has agricultural zoning, and to rezone it residential. Ed Tudor, the county’s director of development review and permitting, said the county’s concerns regarding the project, mostly related to street and sidewalk improvements, had been addressed.
“I believe the developer has addressed everything we’ve brought to their attention,” Tudor said.
As part of the project, Seahawk Road will be widened and sidewalks and streetlights will be added. The property will also include park space for the public.
Commissioner Ted Elder questioned the traffic study associated with the project. He said he expected actual vehicle counts would be higher than the study estimated.
“I just want to make sure we’re understanding we have traffic tie-ups there now,” he said.
Mark Cropper, Rinnier’s attorney, said the traffic study had been predicated on the idea that a 900-unit community would be built. Instead, Rinnier revised the number of apartment units he planned to develop to 788.
“Estimates are less than what they’re shown as,” Cropper said.
Cropper added that the property had been identified as a commercial area when the county’s comprehensive land use map had been updated.
“Residential is usually considered less intense than commercial,” he said.
Commissioner Chip Bertino said the county had received a letter from the Berlin Fire Company concerning the proposed development.
“The question in my mind is if the needs of the fire company have been addressed,” he said.
Cropper said a developer would not typically meet with an organization like the local fire company at this stage in the process, as the actual annexation had not yet occurred.
“We felt that was probably premature because as of today the Town of Berlin hasn’t agreed to annex us in,” he said.
The apartment community Rinnier has proposed for Seahawk Road will consist of three- and four-story garden style apartments with professional landscaping and modern floorplans, according to a summary provided to county officials. The first phase of the project will include construction of about 144 apartment homes. Although the entire project will consist of nearly 800 units, it could take 15 years to complete.