The Davidson Town Board Tuesday approved, by a 5-0 vote, a master plan for the second phase of the 30-acre Davidson Bay development off Beaty Street.

The approval came after a lengthy back-and-forth between town staff and commissioners on the one hand, and property owner Dominic Liburdi and his architect and builder on the other. At one point, it appeared the board might put off a vote on the plan.

The proposed 223-unit development, between Armour Street and Lake Davidson, would include single-family homes, townhouses, artists’ lofts and senior citizens’ housing. The developer has agreed to construct a park with playing fields, a lakeside walking trail and a pier and park along the lake near the existing Lake Davidson Park neighborhood.

Although the master plan had made it through the Davidson Planning Board on Jan. 29, planning director Kris Krider said he was concerned about how construction of roads, water and sewer lines and other infrastructure would be spread out over multiple phases.

“If you put in one road, then five years later put in another road with sewer and water, it’s very disruptive to the people who already live there,” Mr. Krider said.

The plan also was not clear enough to suit some board members about when the two public parks might be completed.

In the end, Mr. Liburdi agreed to compress the road and utility work into two phases, each of which would include one of the parks. He also agreed to speed up work on affordable housing units being built in Davidson Bay Phase I development, across Armour Street from the new 223-unit project. Under that agreement, no building permits would be issued for the new project until the affordable housing is permitted and under construction.

With those amendments, the Town Board approved the plan.

As the plan now stands, the east side of the property from the existing Liburdi Dimetrics industrial building to Beaty Street will be Phase A, and will include the playing fields. Phase B will include the rest of the property west of the industrial building, including the proposed waterside park.

Mr. Liburdi has worked with the town planners to ensure there is adequate parking near the waterfront park. And he has agreed to donate the land for that park, which would be turned over to and maintained by the town. He agreed to work with town parks and planning officials to determine what the parks should look like.

LINKS

Davidson Bay site plan and other information on the town website, CLICK HERE>