By Joseph Sapia
MIDDLETOWN – The Planning Board’s hearing on the Village project, a combination of almost 340,000 square feet of commercial space and 350 town-houses at Route 35 and Kings Highway East, has again been delayed – this time until February.
The Planning Board began hearing the “Shoppes at Middletown” commercial aspect June 1 and continued on June 15, but decided at the June 15 meeting to consolidate its testimony with that of the “Oaks at Middletown” residential section. The joint hearing was to begin Sept. 7, but the township Planning and Community Development Department had yet to deem the Oaks application complete.
The Planning Board was ready to hear the dual testimony Wednesday, Dec. 7, but canceled testimony. The Oaks application is now considered complete, but the applicant, Toll Brothers, had not yet submitted updated plans.
Toll Brothers said it was still working on the plans involving trees it plans to save on the development site.
The Planning Board scheduled a new hearing for Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal complex at Route 35 and Kings Highway, across the highway from the proposed project. Only engineering testimony is expected at that time.
MIDDLETOWN – The Planning Board’s hearing on the Village project, a combination of almost 340,000 square feet of commercial space and 350 town-houses at Route 35 and Kings Highway East, has again been delayed – this time until February.
The Planning Board began hearing the “Shoppes at Middletown” commercial aspect June 1 and continued on June 15, but decided at the June 15 meeting to consolidate its testimony with that of the “Oaks at Middletown” residential section. The joint hearing was to begin Sept. 7, but the township Planning and Community Development Department had yet to deem the Oaks application complete.
The Planning Board was ready to hear the dual testimony Wednesday, Dec. 7, but canceled testimony. The Oaks application is now considered complete, but the applicant, Toll Brothers, had not yet submitted updated plans.
Toll Brothers said it was still working on the plans involving trees it plans to save on the development site.
The Planning Board scheduled a new hearing for Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the municipal complex at Route 35 and Kings Highway, across the highway from the proposed project. Only engineering testimony is expected at that time.
Township Director of Planning Sanyogita Chavan said her office must receive Toll Brothers’ updated plans at least one month before the Feb. 15 hearing, so there is time for a review of them.
The Planning Board also set aside March 15, April 19 and May 17 as possible dates to continue the hearing for the Route 35 Village – a process the board said could even extend into 2018.
The Route 35 Village project is slated for 118 acres between Route 35 North, Kings Highway East, Carriage Drive and Kanes Lane. The tract is identifiable by the Calico the Clown advertising sign at the Spirits Unlimited liquor store.
The Shoppes at Middletown, proposed by John Orrico/Village 35 of Purchase, New York, calls for 338,455 square feet of retail, restaurant and movie theater space with 1,786 parking spaces on 52 acres of the property along Route 35. On the rear 66 acres, Toll Brothers of Horsham, Pennsylvania, would build 350 townhouses – 280 units at open-market price and 70 units of affordable housing.
The 118 acres is owned by Mountain Hill LLC, which is the local Azzolina- Scaduto family.
Contacted after the Planning Board meeting, John A. Giunco, a lawyer for Toll Brothers, said the developer “has set out to make a conforming application for a project that has been modified and reviewed over the years.”
The Planning Board also set aside March 15, April 19 and May 17 as possible dates to continue the hearing for the Route 35 Village – a process the board said could even extend into 2018.
The Route 35 Village project is slated for 118 acres between Route 35 North, Kings Highway East, Carriage Drive and Kanes Lane. The tract is identifiable by the Calico the Clown advertising sign at the Spirits Unlimited liquor store.
The Shoppes at Middletown, proposed by John Orrico/Village 35 of Purchase, New York, calls for 338,455 square feet of retail, restaurant and movie theater space with 1,786 parking spaces on 52 acres of the property along Route 35. On the rear 66 acres, Toll Brothers of Horsham, Pennsylvania, would build 350 townhouses – 280 units at open-market price and 70 units of affordable housing.
The 118 acres is owned by Mountain Hill LLC, which is the local Azzolina- Scaduto family.
Contacted after the Planning Board meeting, John A. Giunco, a lawyer for Toll Brothers, said the developer “has set out to make a conforming application for a project that has been modified and reviewed over the years.”
The 118 acres – currently a combination of businesses, a few residences and open space, including woods – has been the subject of various building applications over the last two decades, but none of those projects came to fruition. Finally, in 2015, the Planning Board adopted a General Development Plan (GDP) for the area.
“The Toll Brothers application meets all the standards,” Giunco said.
The Shoppes at Middletown also complies with the GDP and Planned Development (PD) zoning.
No one could be reached for comment from the Shoppes at Middletown, but Orrico has maintained a position not to comment publicly outside of the Planning Board meetings while his application remains before the board.
Monica Manning, president of the Minding Middletown community group, agrees with the Planning Board on consolidating the testimony of the two applications.
“Our mantra is: it is one site, one road, two developers,” Manning said. “It should all be one (hearing).”
“The Toll Brothers application meets all the standards,” Giunco said.
The Shoppes at Middletown also complies with the GDP and Planned Development (PD) zoning.
No one could be reached for comment from the Shoppes at Middletown, but Orrico has maintained a position not to comment publicly outside of the Planning Board meetings while his application remains before the board.
Monica Manning, president of the Minding Middletown community group, agrees with the Planning Board on consolidating the testimony of the two applications.
“Our mantra is: it is one site, one road, two developers,” Manning said. “It should all be one (hearing).”
