Derby’s Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to meet Oct. 13th on a proposed 39-lot Telescope Mountain subdivision. The Valley Independent Sentinel reports that commissioners plan to vote at the special meeting.

Commissioners raised their concerns at a Sep. 15th meeting and set the special session to give city staff time to prepare, according to the Sentinel. The commission must act by Oct. 22nd unless the applicant agrees to more time.

The applicant, Summit Hill LLC, is seeking 39 building lots and two open-space parcels. The number of homes the lots would eventually hold has not been established.

Commissioners must decide whether the land, roads and utilities can support development on this scale. For neighbors, the practical effects could begin before any home is built, with excavation, truck traffic and construction on a dead-end road.

How Much Earth, and Which Road

The commission’s most recent discussion centered on how much earth would have to be moved and how construction vehicles would reach the site. According to Derby’s engineering review, a Summit Hill representative estimated that roughly 400,000 cubic yards of material could be removed.

Derby’s consulting engineer, SLR International Corp., has identified unresolved items in its reviews, including geotechnical information, sewer approval and an updated assurance from the South-Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority that it can serve the property. The engineer’s findings advise the commission; they are not a decision.

Mountain Street is a second point of contention. City reviewers have questioned whether the road’s right-of-way and its dead-end layout can support the plan as submitted.

The Developer’s Case

Summit Hill has argued that the subdivision is allowed in Derby’s R-5 zone as long as it meets the city’s regulations. Thomas told the Sentinel that the developer had tried to limit the project’s effect on the neighborhood, and that the city’s refusal to allow access from Coon Hollow Road forced the current layout.

The Vote

Because the public hearing has closed, the Oct. 13th session is for deliberation, not testimony. Commissioners can approve the subdivision, approve it with conditions, or deny it. The reasons they place on the record would frame any appeal.

Thomas has said the developer could appeal if the application is denied. The commission’s deadline to decide is Oct. 22nd.