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Board debates tying Willow Bend pavement requirement to occupancy vs date; asks for updated cost estimate
Summary
The Willow Bend amendment would change a pavement completion requirement from being tied to a specific occupancy count to a deadline date; the board raised concerns about using a fixed date and requested an updated pavement cost estimate and potentially a larger performance guarantee before deciding whether to tie completion to occupancy or a calendar date.
The Planning Board reviewed a Willow Bend subdivision amendment that would change the timing for completing the finished pavement course.
Staff explained the current plan required finished pavement prior to the seventh occupancy; the applicant asked to change the requirement to a calendar deadline (June 15, 2025) because winter closings could make paving difficult. Members raised concerns about the administrative burden of tracking a date and suggested keeping the occupancy trigger or choosing an earlier date. Planning staff warned that tying completion to a date could shift enforcement burden to the town and recommended instead tying the pavement milestone to a specified occupancy (for example the ninth or tenth occupancy) or to whichever comes first.
Board members asked the applicant to provide an updated cost estimate for finished pavement because the escrow/performance guarantee on file uses an older figure and bids/costs have increased. Staff said the usual approach is to request an updated estimate and add a contingency (10–15%) to set a performance guarantee. The applicant and staff agreed to confer and return with a clarified occupancy threshold or revised date and an updated cost estimate for the board to consider.
Next steps: staff to obtain an updated pavement cost estimate and recommend whether to tie completion to a specific occupancy number or a calendar date, and to review whether the performance guarantee needs adjustment.
