Developer requests delay on Cottage Green rezoning after roundabout costs; neighbor raises traffic and growth concerns

Frank Warren, representing HMF Americana and the Cottage Green project at Fork Shoals and Ashmore Bridge roads, asked the council on Sept. 15 to defer first reading of a rezoning request so his team could refine design and funding after updated cost estimates.

“Our engineers did some detailed design work and some high level cost estimates, and they came back with some numbers that were high,” Warren told the council. “The proposed roundabout came in at $2,000,000 alone plus another half a million for road and other road improvements, turn lanes, and sidewalks.” He also said the project team discovered they were short “about 8,000 square feet of right of way” to build the roundabout but were negotiating with the owner.

Warren asked the council to defer first reading until the Oct. 20 meeting to refine design, cost and funding. He said the developer “remain[s] committed to the project as planned.”

A nearby resident, Doug McMillan of Harrington, used the public comment period for agenda items to oppose approving rezoning without more study. McMillan said he and neighbors were surprised by the pace of nearby development and warned the area’s road network could not support more residential build‑out. “We can’t support the infrastructure now,” McMillan said. He described several nearby subdivisions and said he had trouble getting out of Harrington at peak times.

Council action: The council later considered a related new‑business rezoning (a 25.8‑acre tract at Fort Shoals and Ashmore Bridge Road) and voted to hold the item until the next regular meeting to allow more time for design, cost and funding details to be refined and presented.

Why this matters: The engineering estimate for a roundabout and associated right‑of‑way shortfall materially affects the cost and timeline for the Cottage Green project and signals potential fiscal and traffic impacts for the southwest side of Malden. Neighbors raised concerns about cumulative development, roadway capacity, and the loss of commercial uses that can support community cohesion.

What’s next: The developer requested a rescheduled first reading on Oct. 20. Council held the new‑business rezoning and related annexation items for the next meeting so staff and the developer can provide further information.

Source: Public comment by Frank Warren and Doug McMillan; council motion to hold the rezoning item on Sept. 15, 2025.