Council approves amendment to Whispering Coves phase 1 after months-long dispute over unfinished public improvements

The Verona Common Council on Feb. 24 approved a staff-recommended First Amendment to the Whispering Coves Phase 1 development agreement that allows limited items to be moved into a Phase 1B with a June 30, 2025 completion deadline, but stops short of the developer’s request to permit building to start while additional Phase 1 work remains unfinished.

The amendment matters because it resolves a year-long dispute over whether the developer Ford Development Group (FDG) had completed required public improvements for Phase 1, and whether building permits for homes should be issued before several punch-list and season-dependent items are finished.

Ford Development Group representatives told the council they had substantially completed the required public improvements and asked the council to allow building permits to be issued while outstanding items would be finished by June 30. Dan O’Callaghan, appearing for Ford Development Group, said the contractor and project engineer had certified substantial completion and asked the council to apply the June 30 deadline to all addendum items so “building permits for…