No Vote on Embattled Highland Drive Subdivision

The Summit Planning Board's Monday night hearing on a Highland Avenue subdivision project was nearly another all-nighter. The meeting adjourned after 11p.m. for a second time. It concluded with testimony from planner and landscape architect Russell Stern who called into question some of the renderings of the planned property.

The project drawing, Stern said, "doesn't depict all the trees that are along the property line." Many neighbors who were in attendance were concerned about plans that call for removal of 15 trees. Developers say they will attempt to save several other trees which range from 12 inch caliper to 24 inch caliper trees, the rest will be replaced with smaller vegetation."The intent is to preserve 7 nice trees in the back of the property," said landscape planner John McDonough who represents the property owners, Harry Allan and Alicia Connaughton.

The 10 Highland Drive property would contain two "L" shaped homes on lots that are 15,798 square-feet each. Building on the .72-acre site would require a retaining wall around a portion of the property. 

Board Attorney Clifford Gibbons asked Robert Simon, the attorney for the property owners, to decide on one variance, either a C1 hardship variance or a C2 variance, but not both. However, most of the meeting was spent allowing McDonough to continue his presentation about changes to the lot and neighborhood under the plan. McDonough maintained that building two homes on the lot would put the curvy stretch of Highland Drive more into balance by adding two more homes to one side.

But neighbors disagreed. "We are directly across the street," said Lucille Calahan. "When I look at this design it appears that where my home is situated I will stare at the garage structures." Other neighbors used the public questioning portion of the meeting to ask McDonough about inconsistencies with his plans and whether or not he thought adding two homes to the lot would lower property values for nearby residents.

Attorney James Weber, representing a pair of neighbors, called the board's attention to portions of the zoning ordinance that dealt with natural features and sustainability. On cross examining McDonough, Weber asked, "Do you believe that this property has been carved up to fit the architectural plan?" McDonough acknowledged that that was the case.

Neighbors of the Highland Drive property have banded together with lawn signs calling for "No Subdivision" and by coming out in a group of about a dozen people to Planning Meetings. Several neighbors scoff at mention that the development is a positive for the neighborhood. "The lot does not warrant two houses," said Helen Johnson.