MARLBORO – Representatives of an applicant who wants to build 16 homes on property at Texas and Wooleytown roads are expected to return before the Marlboro Planning Board tonight, Aug. 5.
In a recent appearance before the board, representatives of Marlboro Estates sought preliminary and final major subdivision approval for the development.
The applicant’s 9.8-acre property is a corner lot with 556 feet of frontage on Texas Road and 824 feet of frontage on Wooleytown Road. The plan is to subdivide the parcel into 17 lots — 16 lots for homes and one lot for a detention basin.
The R-20/15 residential zone requires a minimum lot area of 20,000 square feet (half-acre), according to a report prepared by Laura Neumann of CME Associates, the board’s engineer.
The applicant is represented by attorney Sal Alfieri. Engineer Syed Husain testified on behalf of the applicant.
Husain discussed the plan to control water runoff from the site with the detention basin. He said the current water runoff discharges to Falson Lane and runs 1,500 feet west to A&A Auto Auction. From there, the water runs to a pond northeast of the auto auction and then runs underneath Route 9.
Husain said water should be running into the ground to replenish ground water and not into streams and ponds, which is where the detention basin comes into play.
He said the detention basin has a total storage capacity of 52,000 cubic feet and during a storm would be filled up in 12 hours; 41 hours later, the basin will be dry.
The Marlboro Estates application proposes the widening of Texas Road and the construction of curbs and sidewalks on Texas Road.
During public comment, Kathleen Guth said she owns property next to the Marlboro Estates site. Guth said there are endangered species on or near her property, among them Eastern box turtles, Cooper’s hawks, screech owls and barn owls.
Alfieri and Husain said they had not heard about endangered species on the property. They said they would contact the state Department of Environmental Protection and ask for a report regarding the possibility of endangered species in the area.
Guth said she was also concerned about the width of Texas Road.
“Getting out of my driveway every morning is nail biting and adding more homes next to my house that are coming out onto Texas Road seems ludicrous to me,” she said.
In other business at the July 15 meeting, the board approved the Pasmel application. A 7.8-acre parcel will be developed with four homes. The property has 851 feet of frontage on the south side of Route 520 opposite Ginesi Drive.