River Woods subdivision passes

NORTH CANAAN — More than a year of deliberation on the proposed subdivision at Honey Hill Road has come to a productive conclusion.

North Canaan Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the 20-lot subdivision known as the River Woods subdivision at its regular meeting Monday, Feb. 10.

In accordance with the intervenor — Housatonic Valley Association — four conditions of approval were implemented. Acting chairman Dalton Jacquier read the conditions into the record, which include a deed of conservation protecting a 300-foot buffer extending inland from the edge of the Housatonic River, a revegetation and erosion control plan covering the 20-foot riparian zone along the river’s edge, an endangered plant species survey and an archaeological survey.

George Johannesen of Allied Engineering, representing the applicant and landowner Bruce McEver, thanked the public and the commission for its input throughout the application process.

Johannesen said the conditions of approval will be met before preparing a timeline for construction of the cul-de-sac road.

Former P&Z chairman and current conservation director at HVA Tim Abbott represented the intervenor and remarked on the lengthy process that produced “the best conservation outcome given a 20 unit subdivision.”

“It is important that projects of this scale and scope get all the time they need,” said Abbott. “Ultimately you can have confidence that you made the best choice you could.”

First Selectman Brian Ohler noted the significance of a large development in town.

“This is going to be a fast shot in the arm in a good way economically,” said Ohler, adding that it was the largest project he could think of in town “probably in the last 30 or 40 years.”