Continued concerns from the public led the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) to extend the public hearing for the proposed 52 unit, multi-family housing development at 21, 27, and 29 Plains Road in Essex. The development, which would replace the old Iron Chef restaurant and other buildings with high-end apartments, also includes an affordable or workforce housing component.

The development proposed by Signature Contracting Group LLC would include 52 units in three separate buildings, with 16 units set aside for moderate-income housing, on three separate lots. Each building would have its own storm water drainage and septic system as well as a reserve area. The total area of all three parcels combined is 3.7 acres.

The affordable housing units included in what’s planned to be called Essex Station Luxury Apartments would not be low income units, but instead moderate income units as defined by Connecticut State Statute 8-30g, which requires not less than 30 percent of the dwelling units be, for at least 40 years, sold or rented at or below prices deemed affordable for families whose income is less than or equal to 80 percent of the median income to pay 30 percent or less of their annual income.

In Essex, the median household income is currently $90,242, so 16 units will be available only to households earning up to $72,194 with a resulting maximum monthly rent of $1,804.

Under 8-30g applications, the PZC is only able to review health and safety issues such as street and emergency vehicle access and septic and stormwater control. Other items normally under PZC purview, like building height and setbacks, are no longer up for review.

Some concerns about the project raised at the March 21 PZC meeting included the absence of elevators in the buildings and the impact of increased traffic during Essex Steam Train featured events such as Thomas the Tank Engine visits, the holiday steam train excursion, as well as the dinner trains and other steam train activities throughout the year. The aspect of the whistle noise sound disturbance was brought up, as was the concern about coal dust and vibration from the train.

Represented by attorney John Bennet, North Bound Nine LLC, which is located across the street, on the opposite side of Plains Road and houses Bennet’s law firm as well as a construction company, filed an intervention regarding argued risk of environmental degradation, with respect to the septic and drainage design.

With some unresolved concerns about the particulars of this application, the PZC made a motion to extend the public hearing and no decision on the application was made at the March 21 meeting. However, the clock is ticking and the application must be voted and closed by Friday, April 29 per state statute, so if a decision is not made at the April 18 meeting, a special meeting will have to be scheduled for a vote on the matter.

The public hearing will continue on Monday, April 18 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall. Renderings of this development are on file at the Town Hall in the Zoning Department.