Newington’s Town Plan and Zoning Commission has approved a 40-unit affordable rental housing development on Kitts Lane, clearing the way for construction of the project after imposing extensive conditions aimed at addressing traffic, emergency access and noise concerns. The commission voted to approve the application from Kitts Lane Apartments LLC at its Wednesday night meeting, […]
Newington’s Town Plan and Zoning Commission has approved a 40-unit affordable rental housing development on Kitts Lane, clearing the way for construction of the project after imposing extensive conditions aimed at addressing traffic, emergency access and noise concerns.
The commission voted to approve the application from Kitts Lane Apartments LLC at its Wednesday night meeting, following a public hearing process that began in August.
The development — planned for 220, 226 and 244 Kitts Lane in the Business-Berlin Turnpike zone — is being pursued under 8-30g, the state's affordable housing statute.
Of the 40 units, 30% — 12 — will be designated as affordable housing and preserved for 40 years for moderate-income households.
The affordable units include six units at 80% of area median income and six units at 60% of area median income. Eleven of the 37 two-bedroom units and one of the three three-bedroom units will be reserved as affordable.
The project is being developed by Kitts Lane Apartments LLC, a Cromwell-based company headed by Patrick Snow, who is also named as the project designer. He has also proposed an 8-30g project in Berlin.
The development team includes legal representation from Timothy S. Hollister and Andrew R. Morin of Hartford-based Hinckley Allen, civil engineering by Daniel Vill of Zuvic Inc. in Rocky Hill and traffic engineering by Scott F. Hesketh of F.A. Hesketh & Associates in East Granby.
Town Planner Paul Dickson presented the commission with more than 20 recommended conditions of approval, many addressing technical site design and safety issues identified during the review process.
Among the key conditions, the development must include a four-way stop at the proposed driveway intersection opposite the Aldi supermarket driveway and Kitts Lane. The commission also required modifications to sidewalks and curbing along an inner ring roadway to support fire apparatus and emergency vehicles.
Additional requirements include sound mitigation and submission of a final affordability plan before certificates of occupancy are issued, with annual reports to the commission on the dispersion of affordable units throughout the development.
The approval also mandates various infrastructure improvements, including drainage agreement requirements, electrical vehicle charging infrastructure and landscape plantings, including foundation plantings.
