Date: Fri 01-Aug-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

selectmen-Riverview-access

Full Text:

Selectmen Press For Second Access Road For Housing Development

BY STEVE BIGHAM

The Board of Selectmen has asked the developers of the proposed Riverview

housing complex to add a second access road to their plans in the interest of

safety.

The 49-unit affordable housing complex is proposed to be built off the section

of Washbrook Road off South Main Street behind the Sand Hill Plaza. Selectmen

say the second access way would assure that emergency vehicles could reach the

units. The original plans called for an accessway via Washbrook Road, but one

of the developers, Bryan Robik of Riverview, LLC, says he'll just have to

extend the road all the way to nearby Cold Spring Road in order to create a

second accessway.

As United Fire Company of Botsford Chief Steve Belair points out, the complex

would become totally isolated if the one access road ever became blocked by a

tree or car.

"Our main concern was that there was only one road into the units. If there

was an incident on the road, we would not be able to get our emergency

vehicles down there," he said.

First Selectman Bob Cascella agreed. "We felt from a public safety standpoint,

we wanted them to push out the road all the way to Cold Spring Road," he said.

The proposed complex lies on an 18.8 acre parcel owned by Marilyn Matthews of

Port Chester, N.Y. The Conservation Commission unanimously approved the

project in June. The proposal will soon go before the Planning & Zoning

Commission.

Because the project called for the road to be upgraded to accommodate traffic

to and from the Riverview development, a road-work agreement had to be

approved by the selectmen.

A nursing home was originally proposed for the area, but it was never built.