Planning Board grants two‑year extension for last phase of Katkin Subdivision over nearby resident objections

The Planning Board on Wednesday approved a two‑year extension for SD017‑17, the final phase of the Katkin Subdivision, extending the final plat submittal deadline to March 15, 2027.

The applicant, represented by engineering consultant Jeremy Starks, requested more time because some lots from earlier phases remain unsold; staff recommended the extension as allowed under borough code to permit later submittal of remaining phases. Planning staff said three of the subdivision’s four phases have been completed and the roads required by the approved plat have been constructed and inspected.

Resident Deborah Ryan spoke as an interested person and urged denial of the extension. Ryan said she lives on Miller Hill Extension near the site, described ongoing noise and dust from gravel trucks during development that began in 2017, and said she opposed extended construction and smaller lots in the immediate neighborhood. "Please do not extend this," she told the board during public testimony.

Applicant Jeremy Starks replied that lot sizes comply with the zone (GEO1) and that extensions are common practice when market conditions slow sales; he said approving a short extension is consistent with past board practice. After discussion the board voted 7‑0 to grant the two‑year extension; the written decision includes appeal rights to the Board of Adjustment within seven days.

Board members noted that denying an extension would not stop development but would require the owner to refile a new preliminary plat, increasing applicant cost. The board’s approval keeps the previously approved conditions and final plat timeline intact but moves the final submission deadline to March 15, 2027.