BURRILLVILLE – A hearing on amendments to the town’s zoning ordinance to change zoning for a development off Victory Highway and Walling Road has been pushed back from Sept. 23 to at least November.
Frequent local developer Robert Woods and Citadel Development Group LLC are seeking a review of a request to the Town Council to amend the zoning ordinance to change the zoning of several parcels from farming residential (F5) to suburban residential (R-40)
Town Council President Don Fox told The Local Insider that the applicant made the request to postpone to the Nov. 3 meeting, as someone they need to have there was not available this month. He said the proposed zoning would be consistent with similar nearby zoning in Nasonville.
The matter will be heard in November at the earliest, he said, as the council needs to hear from Planning Board members what they think of this proposal. He said he won’t offer an assessment until after hearing from them, as this is their purview.
Woods is seeking what is essentially a zoning change to “squeeze more lots” out of a property that is going to be developed one way or another, said Fox, and the developer wants to see if he can get a few more houses. Woods, he said, is a good guy who has done a lot of projects in town. There are a number of issues at play, he said, including possible paving of the road and who is responsible for the roadway.
“I want to see what the Planning Board has to say,” he said, adding that the board is charged with following the town’s comprehensive plan and analyzing how this project fits into it, and this is a lengthy process. “We’ll make an assessment.”
Fox said he understands that a number of abutters feel strongly that this shouldn’t move forward, and while he understands that “everyone has a case of NIMBY-ism” when a project touches their property line, he also understands why they feel that way. He said he’s trying to lend as much support as possible, despite any of their “mis-intentions,” including advice on the process, making sure they know how to engage with it, and publishing information on it whenever he can.
Resident Jess Pelletier posted that this proposal is not something residents can just sit back and watch happen, citing the potential loss of rural character and the need to stand up and fight together.
“Think about Sweet’s Hill. Think about the fight against the power plant. Burrillville residents have shown before what we can accomplish when we come together, speak up, and refuse to simply accept what is being proposed. We can do it again,” she posted.
