Board throws cold water on Bristol housing plan

Planners’ vote may reduce potential homes from 36 to 0

By Kristen Ray
Posted 9/20/18

Last Thursday night’s Planning Board meeting lasted well into the evening as two major development proposals, Old Orchard Farm and Longfield (see separate story), were subject to a passionate …

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Board throws cold water on Bristol housing plan

Planners’ vote may reduce potential homes from 36 to 0

Posted

Last Thursday night’s Planning Board meeting lasted well into the evening as two major development proposals, Old Orchard Farm and Longfield (see separate story), were subject to a passionate debate between concerned residents, hopeful applicants and skeptical board members.

John Lannan first made his case for Old Orchard Farm — an estimated 33-lot affording housing construction project on 16 acres of land just off of Hope Street — citing his previous track record and reputation in the community as reasons for the board to grant his three requested waivers and approve the plan.

Despite his credibility, numerous residents and planning board members were critical of various aspects of the proposal, from concerns over drainage and changes in traffic patterns, to devaluing of neighboring properties and sheer density of the development.

“I can’t find anything on this project to support,” said planning board member Charles Millard.

Ultimately, the board took a unanimous vote that could kill all chance of development under this proposal. The board voted to support the town solicitor’s interpretation of what constitutes a dead-end street — thus preventing any meaningful extension of the existing dead-end street, Old Orchard Farm Road.

Though Mr. Lannan and project engineer Ron Blanchard vehemently disagreed, the board officially limited them to working with a 600-foot road — which, without a waiver, would barely get them across the wetlands between the existing cul-de-sac and proposed start of the development, essentially bringing the total number of potential buildable lots to zero.

“I feel sandbagged here,” Mr. Lannan protested.

The planning board agreed to grant Mr. Lannan and his team an extension until the Nov. 8 meeting in order to conduct more testing and gather more information from the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management. Then, they reasoned, both parties would have a better understanding of the project’s true size and limitations. The meeting will once again be open for a public hearing.

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