Board approves Sacred Heart’s Great River golf performance center with engineer conditions

The Milford Planning & Zoning Board approved a special exception and coastal area site plan review on Aug. 4 allowing Sacred Heart University to build a two‑story golf performance center at Great River Golf Club.

Chris Russo, counsel for the applicant, said the portion of the site on the Milford side is roughly 94.88 acres and that the proposal would disturb about 0.9 acres for the building and related site improvements. He described a roughly 3,900‑square‑foot footprint for a two‑story structure with three practice bays (each able to operate as a driving‑range bay) and an adjustable putting surface, plus locker rooms and offices.

The proposal reconfigures a portion of the existing parking lot and increases total parking on the site by five spaces (from 216 to 221) while adding handicap access, new walkways and an updated stormwater retention system. “The proposed activity is hundreds of feet from coastal resources,” Russo said, noting the coastal area management response found the proposal consistent with the CAMA requirements.

City planner David summarized staff and engineering reviews and said the city engineer identified items A through L in a July 21 letter that should be conditions of approval. Robert Emond, the project civil engineer, told the board the Milford portion shows a reduction in impervious area and that outstanding engineering issues would be worked out directly with the city engineer.

A motion to approve the special exception and coastal site plan review carried on roll call with the condition that the applicant address the city engineer’s recommendations to the engineer’s satisfaction before receiving a zoning permit.