Newtown Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) started off its September 14 meeting at Newtown Municipal Center by deliberating on an apartment complex development proposed for Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville.

IWC members present were chair Sharon Salling, vice chair Craig Ferris, Mike McCabe, Suzanne Guidera, Scott Jackson, and Kendall Horch, as well as the town’s Senior Land Use Enforcement Officer Steve Maguire and Land Use Enforcement Officer Kiana Maisonet.

The proposal being discussed was IW Application #22-14 by Farrell Building Company. It is for a property located at 90 Mt Pleasant Road, to construct 11 Garden Apartment buildings, one clubhouse, and associated site improvements including driveways, parking, and stormwater management.

During the IWC’s previous meeting, on August 24, the commission heard updates to the application from Newtown Attorney Robert Hall, who represented the applicant. The commission later heard from approved intervenor Patrick Napolitano about his opposition to the application.

At the previous meeting Newtown resident Mark D’Amico also voiced his concerns about the application, but the commission denied his intervenor status. IWC then closed the public hearing portion on August 24.

On September 14, Salling noted that while she was not present at the last meeting, she did listen to its recording to be up-to-date on the application.

Salling explained, “What we are going to do this evening is to see if the commission has any further questions or if the applicant has any additional information that they would like to present before we decide to deliberate further or take a vote.”

There was no additional information to be presented from the applicant.

McCabe said, “In general, my take on it is that the application meets what we are looking for in terms of following the wetland regulations that we have here, and I would be in favor of approving it based upon what has been presented to us.”

He added, “I do want to note, that said, I did think there were some good points brought up by members of the public who spoke. I don’t want to dismiss those. I think there were a lot of valid points.”

Specifically, McCabe cited the comments about future stormwater management of the site. He would like to have a maintenance plan included and followed going forward if they approve the application.

Maguire said they could require an annual report on the maintenance routine during the five-year permit.

Salling said it would be a “great idea” to require that.

It was noted that the public can always contact the town about this project, or any other, and report a violation when they see it occurring.

The commission motioned to approve Application IW #22-14 with standard conditions A, B, C, D, E, F, L, and P.

According to the meeting minutes, the following additional conditions included were: “An annual report on Stormwater Maintenance and Functionality shall be submitted to the Land Use Agency on every December 1st for the duration of the permit,” and “An Invasive Species Management and Removal plan shall be submitted to the Land Use Agency for approval. Maintenance and monitoring by the applicant shall be in place for the duration of the permit.”

All were in favor while Jackson and Horch abstained.

The next IWC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, September 28, at 7:30 pm in the Newtown Municipal Center, Council Chambers, 3 Primrose Street.

It will continue the public hearings for IW Application #22-20 by Ardian Llomi, for property located at 56 Pole Bridge Road, to expand the existing pond for irrigation purposes; and IW Application #22-21 by 24 Pecks Lane LLC, for property located at 24 Pecks Lane, to construct a 6,000 square foot commercial building and associated site improvements.

For more information, visit newtown-ct.gov/inland-wetlands-commission.

Reporter Alissa Silber can be reached at alissa@thebee.com.