As we reported at the WICA meeting earlier this week, the developer submitted a request for a continuance of the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) hearing scheduled for Wednesday, October 18th. That hearing will be continued to a later date, and there’s no need for community members to log on. WICA’s zoning attorney will confirm the continuance.
The additional time is being requested because the developer is proposing a new concept for our consideration. The concept is for 12 homes, most of which are semi-detached buildings, commonly called twin homes. This is the basic style of building type of RSA-3, which is the zoning for the site. The developer has provided us with a draft plan, which is described to us as a “starting point.” The developer is still evaluating business and financial issues. For our part, we have not reviewed the plan and provided any feedback. Nor has any feedback been provided by the near neighbors.
The developer is asking us to sit down with them in a relatively small group to see if this concept can be fleshed out. We are agreeing to do so. If our talks are productive, we will have a community meeting for a full airing. You continue to be an important part of this effort.
With those qualifications, here is a copy of the draft plan. As you can see, some information has not yet been provided. For example, while the plan shows homes of 4 floors, it does not indicate the building height. There are no elevations, nor is there any sense of the design or the materials. We have other questions too, about setbacks, traffic, and also about sustainability and environmental issues. For more detail on what the Zoning Code requires of development in RSA-3 properties, please see the Zoning Code Quick Guide, a publication issued by the City. We are open to reasonable compromises.
There is much work ahead by all stakeholders, and WICA will continue to work hard to maintain your trust. Thank you for your unity and strength.