CLAREMONT — Southwestern Community Services has withdrawn its application for a density variance to allow a 172-unit affordable housing complex behind the Hannaford supermarket off Washington Street because of objections raised by residents living near the proposed development.
Beth Daniels, CEO of Southwestern Community Services in Keene, said Friday that their decision was based on the comments made at a Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting in early September on the variance request.
“We work closely with community members, and we certainly wouldn’t want to move forward with anything that had a lot of pushback from the community,” Daniels said Friday in a phone message.
“We understood what the abutters were saying in the hearing, and we certainly want to work with anyone in helping us find a suitable place for a development project, but not at the expense of the surrounding neighborhood and residents. We work with the community, not against it.”
Daniels said her organization is still “optimistic” about developing affordable housing options in Sullivan County.
The variance would have changed the density on the 75-acre parcel in the rural agricultural zone from one unit per 5 acres to one unit per 19,000 square feet.
John Arnold, an attorney representing Southwestern Community Services, said the request would make the density consistent with adjacent residential properties on First Street and what is known as College Square. Both neighborhoods are on either side of the Hannaford property, and Arnold said they would propose a “loop” road to connect residents at the affordable housing complex to Washington Street through the residential areas.
At the September meeting, many residents living in those neighborhoods strongly objected to the plans. They said the increase in traffic to get cars out to Washington Street would destroy the tranquility of the area and create a safety hazard for residents who like to walk in their neighborhood. They also said the streets would have to be widened and sidewalks added, which would mean the taking of road frontage property.
“There is not much traffic, and we would like to keep it that way,” Dartmouth Street resident Jim Litevitch told the ZBA. “Help us protect College Square.”
The variance, if approved, would have been a first step, as a special exception and site plan approval would also have been required.
Patrick O’Grady can be reached at pogclmt@gmail.com.
