:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/VIBRL2PHCZA6PKF6KJPF36XJSU.png)
Residents living near a proposed 326-unit subdivision off of Wolf’s Crossing Road in Oswego continue to voice concerns about the subdivision adding to flooding problems in the area.
On Thursday, Oswego’s Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a final planned unit development and subdivision plat for the Piper Glen single-family subdivision proposed on the south side of Wolf’s Crossing between Douglas Road and Southbury Boulevard. The subdivision is proposed just east of the Southbury subdivision.
“Still my concern as well as my neighbors is the flooding and safety issue about this property.”
— Southbury subdivision resident Daniel Bergan
In its report to the Planning and Zoning Commission, village staff said the proposed final PUD and subdivision plat is in substantial conformance to the approved preliminary plat and recommended approval. On April 5, the Village Board approved ordinances annexing the project site into the village, rezoning the land from R-1 to R-2 (single-family residential), and granted developer M/I Homes preliminary approval for the subdivision, subject to engineering review.
All of the ordinances were passed in two, 4-1 votes with board member Kit Kuhrt voting no and board member Brian Thomas abstaining from the vote. Following the Planning and Zoning Commission’s vote, Southbury resident Daniel Bergan repeated concerns about how the proposed subdivision would add to flooding problems. His house backs up to the proposed Piper Glen site.
“Still my concern as well as my neighbors is the flooding and safety issue about this property,” Bergan said in addressing commission members.
He talked about a large swale that is located behind his property. Swales are designed to manage water runoff and filter pollutants.
Bergan said putting a buffer between the two subdivisions would solve the problem.
“It would make all of my neighbors relax a little bit,” he said. “There would be 10 to 20 feet of space that would take care of seven or eight houses.”
Community development director Rod Zenner told commissioners that the proposed plan for Piper Glen “meets and exceeds code requirements for stormwater.”
He said the swale was designed at a certain width to allow for a certain velocity of the water.
“The water is slower and more manageable,” Zenner said.
Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Charlie Pajor said that requiring the developer to buffer the homeowners from the swale was not an issue addressed by the commission or the Village Board.
“I don’t know if there is anything we can do at this point,” he said. “Without getting into litigation, there are limitations on what we can do because there is an approved plan.”