Mark Romano wants to build 23 new homes in Ansonia.
In any other town that might be minor news, but Ansonia is a city developed practically to its limits — a place where few subdivisions of that size come before zoning boards anymore.
Romano, a Shelton developer, owns one of the last large tracts of land that can still be developed. It’s about 15 acres on Castle Lane, near the Seymour border and Colony Pond.
He wants to subdivide the land into 23 lots, and eventually build 23 single-family homes there.
“I think we can build new houses at an affordable price in this economy,” Romano said. “I think it’s a great neighborhood.”
Romano has applications pending before the city’s Inland Wetlands Commission and the Water Pollution Control Authority to subdivide the land.
Once he gets permits from those boards, Romano plans to bring the proposal before the Planning and Zoning Commission, and eventually come back with site plans to get permission to actually build the homes.
The land is zoned for residential use.
The Details
Romano wants to extend Castle Lane — a dead end road starting over the border in Seymour — and create a cul-de-sac at the end.
He wants the houses on the street to be colonials and raised ranches, with three to four bedrooms each. The homes will sit on half-acre lots.
The bad economy makes things harder, but Romano said he believes the price range, quality of home and proximity to Route 8 will draw buyers to the site.
He estimated that the homes might sell for about $299,000. Romano wants to start building within the next eight months, assuming the approval process goes smoothly.
“Where else can you get a brand new house on a half acre for $299,000?” Romano asked rhetorically.
Bigger Picture
The development is the first large residential subdivision to come before city zoning boards in a few years, said Planning and Zoning Chairman Bart Flaherty.
That’s due to the state of development in Ansonia — most land is already built on — and the faltering economy.
“It’s just a 6‑square-mile city, already densely populated,” Flaherty said. “There aren’t really many available tracts of land.”
Another 25-acre lot sits undeveloped off Pulaski Highway. It was approved for about 30 homes, but the developer never moved forward because of the economy, Flaherty said.
The city looked into buying the land to designate it as open space, but decided against it because of the cost, according to Ansonia’s attorney, Kevin Blake.
Romano’s 15-acres was previously approved for 24 homes, but a previous developer who owned the land never moved forward with the plans, Romano said.
