By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
Representatives from Erickson Retirement Communities will go before the Planning Board for the first time June 26 to present a proposal for a 1,500-unit community to be built on the east course of the Royce Brook Golf Club, on Hamilton Avenue.
The proposed community is designed for senior citizens, age 75 and older, who require frequent medical attention.
Erickson representatives have not formally submitted any land use or other applications at this time, so the upcoming presentation will serve as an information-gathering session for the Planning Board.
Residents will have the opportunity to speak about the plan as well.
”This presentation is an initial step in the township’s formal planning and approval process,” said Kelly Lynch, spokeswoman for Erickson. “Our approach is to always bring information on a project to stakeholders in the community as early as possible and we will continue to work with residents not only while in the development stage, but throughout build-out and beyond.”
Residents in the Claremont neighborhood were initially informed about the proposal during a meeting with representatives from Erickson April 30. Many expressed strong concerns about the proposal, citing additional traffic, the building of a new sewer system and aesthetic issues as some of the greatest problems with creating this large community near an already-established residential neighborhood.
The proposed community would include in addition to the residential units several restaurants, a fitness center, library, convenience store, hair salon, fully operating pharmacy and about seven physicians.
Scott Hayward, Erickson regional vice president, has said that if the plan is approved, groundbreaking would occur in about two years, with construction taking about seven years.
Erickson would have to apply to change the zoning on the property, which currently only allows for office and commercial space, or about 2,355,000 square feet of commercial building. The zoning would need to be changed to residential before the project could potentially move forward.
”The campus will bring significant economic benefits to Hillsborough, while having far less impact on traffic and public services than the more than two million square feet of zoned office buildings,” Ms. Lynch said. “It is estimated that our proposed development would contribute significantly to the township’s tax revenue base. Further, a new campus also will help spur economic vitality and will create on-campus business opportunities for local vendors.”
Ms. Lynch said that Mr. Hayward, Senior Vice President Gary Hibb and several professional consultants will be present at the meeting to discuss the plan and answer questions.
The Planning Board meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. June 26 in the courtroom of the municipal building, on South Branch Road.
