A Planned Unit Development has been proposed in the Town of Stafford just off Rt. 5 and Fargo road.
The twenty unit, 2 bedroom duplex homes, with a one car garage, will be located just south of Rt. 5 near the corner of Fargo road behind the RV Park on Rt. 5.
The proposed units will be 1200 sq.ft. rental units on 8.2 acres that will be available for lease by people who are 50 years and older. The patio home type units will be slab construction with radiant heat flooring with utilities located in the garage.
They contain 1 1/2 baths with utilities, gas, water septic, cable and each unit will have a washer and dryer.
The proposed homes will be constructed in 4-6 phases with 3-4 units being constructed in each phase.
There will be a walking path constructed around the proposed development.
The developer of the project, Tony Cole, who owns the mobile home park in front of the proposed project site, appeared before the Stafford Town Board August 14, 2017 to explain his plans after appearing before the Planning Board in July.
Currently, the property is zoned residential/agricultural and a zoning change request will have to be submitted in writing to the Town Board for a Planned Unit Development. Cole says he will be responsible for all snowplowing, mowing and upkeep the the property and the units.
Town Supervisor Robert Clement had some concern about drainage, standing water and how the septic system would be set up for all of the units.
Cole says he is waiting for a Perc test to be completed, but was leaning towards a Bio Swirl set up with vegetation around the outside.
Cole is looking to combine 2-3 units into one septic system.
Councilman Donald Mullen was concerned about the neighbors in the area and what they thought about the proposed units. There are about 3-4 homes in the location of the proposed site off Fargo road and Rt. 5.
“One concern of mine is the neighbors because we are changing the landscape and making it busier, but we have to wait until the public hearing,” says Mullen.
Cole says he is planning a 15ft. buffer zone.
Planning Board member Anita Taylor, who lives across from the proposed entrance on Fargo road, questioned the location of the proposed driveway on Fargo road and the amount of traffic that goes through the area.
“The one concern I have is where the driveway is going on Fargo, people have run into our yard on that turn, it’s a blind turn,” says Taylor.
“I never realized how busy the road was until I moved on it, you would not believe the traffic, The visibility is not good for the high speed people go in the area of the road.”
Zoning Officer Gene Sinclair says the issues would all come up when Cole submits a site plan to the Planning Board for review and after he applies for the zoning change.