Johnstown Town Council approves zoning of embattled subdivision

JOHNSTOWN — A zoning request the Johnstown Town Council rejected earlier this year won their favor Monday night after the developer made changes to address neighborhood concerns.

Residents protested after Blue Spruce Ridge ManageCo LLC sought to build the Blue Spruce Ridge subdivision with the town’s R-2 zoning designation, which would have allowed apartments.  

The development company returned to the town with a substantially different plan, again for R-2 zoning, but with limits on the numbers and types of residential units it could build. No multifamily apartments were allowed, all townhomes would be limited to two stories, and the majority of the homes would be single-story homes. The project would be limited to five units per acre or a maximum count of 200 units, with 30% open space.

While it still received some criticism during Monday’s public hearing due the traffic and burden on the area schools, many neighbors reported they were satisfied that their concerns were met.

Johnstown Town Council member Dee Ann Menzies said she was pleased that the developers listened to the neighbors who were fiercely protective of their views and space.

“This is a very different position than we got in April.  When we asked for certain things we were told there would be no commitment,” Menzies said. “I felt we weren’t being heard, and our requests weren’t being listened to, and people were speaking one way to one of us and another way to others. Thank you for your diligence, we’re not opposed to development, but we want it to be the right kind of development for our town. Clearly, you have done that, and I personally appreciate the effort you put into this, and I hope you will continue to communicate with the neighborhood as this project moves forward.”

While the council had rejected the project 4-3 in May, this new proposal drew unanimous approval, with two Town Council members (Dianne Morris and Andrew Paranto) absent, on a 5-0 vote.

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