York Town News
Planning Board questions second phase of Highland Farm subdivision
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - The second phase of what officials have deemed a major subdivision at Highland Farm was the focus of the bulk of last week's Planning Board meeting, as members of the public urged the board to proceed with caution.During the board's meeting on Thursday, June 8, Steve Haight represented Moon River Development on the application for Highland Farm Phase 2.
Located at 1 North Meadow Lane and 250 Cider Hill Road, the agenda item was listed as a "major subdivision to continue from the first phase" that was approved last year. Haight gave the board an overview of the plan for a 21-lot conventional subdivision.
"It's connected to the previous subdivision," he said, adding the second phase would be built on approximately 130 acres behind the cluster subdivision and restored estate house situated just off Cider Hill Road.
Haight said the proposal is for about 20 percent of the land being developed for houses with individual septic systems and wells, with a minimum three acres for each lot and over 10 acres per lot in the watershed protection area. The new subdivision would be accessed through the road being built through the Meadows at Highland Farm as part of Phase 1.
David Tibbetts, chairman of the Conservation Commission, was the first to speak during the public hearing.
"One of our most precious resources in the town of York is water, and our watershed that extends into this proposed development," he said, adding, "… What we're looking at here is, potentially, our own water supply that is proposed for a subdivision development."
Tibbetts said the Conservation Commission is not in favor of the plan as presented, based on the threat to the watershed from roads, runoff and septic systems.
Local resident and Mount Agamenticus to the Sea Coalition supporter Helen Winebaum also spoke against the plan, and referenced a letter from York Land Trust Executive Director Doreen MacGillis.
"I find it appalling that the applicant has not considered the concerns that were expressed eloquently before - on Phase 1 - about respecting this land," Winebaum said of a wildlife corridor that was preserved in the first phase but would be fragmented by the development of the second. "It's not a question of not building on it, but of respecting it as part of a vast area of conservation."
MacGillis wrote in her letter "the creation of such a large-scale development project … threatens the area's wildlife, scenic values and recreational opportunities" and urged the Planning Board to consider those values in reviewing the plan and not to grant any waivers, such as allowing a well to be used for each house rather than extending town water from the first phase of the development.
The Planning Board members, too, grappled with the request for wells in the second phase, citing the intent expressed in the earlier application for water to extend to the second part of the development.
Haight pointed out that to do so would allow two-acre lots and more houses in the subdivision - a move that he said would be necessitated by the requirement of a fire pump station in the area at an estimated cost of $500,000.
"If we we're going for public water you'd have a much more dense layout here," he told the board.
Planning Board member Glenn Farrell pointed out that the town's zoning dictates the line must be extended, and cost is not a factor in the ordinances.
Glen MacWilliams questioned why Moon River did not consider a cluster design to protect the open space on the site, as was done with the first phase.
Haight said the difficulties associated with the first phase's approval process played into that decision.
"It's actually the owner's piece of property to do something with - what he'd like to do," he said. "The timeframe that it took to go through all that and try to address everyone's issues, I think was a little difficult for the applicant to try to swallow to have another piece of property come in front and try to do the same thing."
The board will continue its review of the proposed project at a future date.
In other business, the board heard an update from the Elks Club on a plan to remedy issues with accidental tree-cutting on their Route 1 property and approved a minor change to the a York Hospital plan. The board's next meeting is scheduled for June 22.
Associate Editor Jennifer L. Saunders can be reached at jsaunders@yorkindependent.net.
