The Marion Zoning Board of Appeals in the Police Station’s conference room on December 11 approved a variance for Heron Cove Estates, a proposed development that has changed from 125 proposed apartment units to 57 town houses.
The ZBA at a joint-meeting with the Select Board on November 13 discussed whether the ZBA could even vote on a variance for a project that has drastically changed.
Select Board members were all in agreement that the board could indeed vote on the variance and that the project would boast economic benefits to the town.
Ken Steen of Steen Realty and Attorney Ken Debrowski outlined the economic hardships for developers, ranging from rising construction costs since the apartment project was proposed, as well as $1 million needed to build a retaining wall that abuts the nearest property on the west side of the development.
Debrowski and Steen also mentioned that the topography of the area would also be an economic drain to the developers.
“The land has to be filled and graded, and costs of raw materials are out of sight,” Steen said. “It has gone crazy.”
The ZBA unanimously granted the variance and expressed no opposition.
At the November 13 joint-meeting, Select Board Vice Chair John Hoagland said that the scaled-down version of the project will likely attract older people without families. He said the development would connect to the town’s sewer and water, helping improve that infrastructure, as well as make road improvements in that area.
Hoagland also said that the development’s close proximity to town businesses would be a boon to the local economy.
He and other Select Board members said the developer has also promised around $500,000 to the town in addition to tax revenue.
The next meeting of the Marion Zoning Board of Appeals will be on Thursday, January 8.
Marion Zoning Board of Appeals
By Jeffrey D. Wagner