Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) Chair Mary Curran said her panel approved a pending application tied to a mixed commercial/residential development proposed in Hawleyville at a regular meeting December 9.

Ms Curran told The Newtown Bee the decision came after several sessions that included public input, particularly from some residents residing in direct proximity to the proposed project.

Armed with an IWC approval, consideration of the balance of the project moves to the local Planning & Zoning commission for consideration. A church facility proposal specifically for the property’s owner, Grace Family Church, was previously approved by both the IWC and the Planning & Zoning Commission.

The application by Covered Bridge Newtown, LLC, before wetlands officials December 9 includes the proposed construction of a diner, along with developing 180 residential housing units in six buildings — both with necessary site improvements.

That development would occur on church property at 13 Hawleyville Road and a portion of 9 Covered Bridge Road.

Ms Curran said the final decision came after developers agreed to new or expanded conditions, some of which were already on the table, albeit with less conservative requirements.

For example, Ms Curran said the developers already agreed to install pervious pavement on some of the driveways. But the commission requested, and the developer agreed to, also installing pervious pavement on all sidewalks throughout the development.

Developers also agreed to the following conditions prior to the approval:

*A commission request to expand the removal of invasive plants for three years instead of for the two-year period already offered.

*No use of fertilizer within 75 feet of any inland wetlands on the property.

*A strict limit on tree clearing, with no further clearing beyond sediment erosion controls delineated on approved development maps submitted for the project.

*Creation of a “Best Management” protocol for spill response, management, security, and location of dumpsters.

Land Use Enforcing Officer Steve Maguire said the applicant must produce a best management practice document for maintaining dumpsters, and to have that plan in place for mitigation of any spills from dumpsters on the property.

While a number of these conditions were already up for consideration, Mr Maguire said there were no surprises or significant last-minute changes that came up at the December 9 meeting.

“Since the hearings closed, nothing else really new was included except these added conditions for approval,” Mr Maguire said.

The construction of a 24,900-square-foot church is part of the mixed-use development proposal for a 42-acre property lying south of the Exit 9 interchange of Interstate 84 and west of Hawleyville Road (State Route 25).

The new facility will be almost twice the size of Grace’s existing church at 174 Mt Pleasant Road. In 2007, the congregation formerly known as Grace Christian Fellowship received town approvals to build a new facility on Covered Bridge Road, but never constructed the building.

Grace Christian Fellowship was established locally in 1984 and acquired the 42-acre Hawleyville site in 2004 for $3.1 million. The church will retain the 17 acres for its new facility, and reserved a 21-acre site and separate four-acre site for the development of the proposed rental apartment complex and diner.

The diner would have frontage at 13 Hawleyville Road. Anthony Lucera of Brookfield is doing business as Covered Bridge Newtown, LLC, and is the primary developer of the proposed the apartments and diner.