SAUGUS — Developers interested in turning Golf Country on Route 1 into a 245-unit apartment complex will seek approval again on Sept. 6.
The development would be located on a 10.7-acre site on Route 1 North made up of three parcels, including the former Golf Country property. It would include apartments in three four-story buildings, an outdoor pool, common area, and fitness facility.
About 40 percent of the units would be one-bedroom and about 60 percent would be two-bedroom. At least 10 percent of the apartments would be affordable, as required by zoning.
They’ll ask the Planning Board to waive an environmental impact study, and for master plan and site plan review permits.
Original plans included an emergency access road stemming from Longwood Avenue, but neighbors strongly opposed it. Developers worked with the town’s police and fire departments to eliminate the road and instead space out the buildings to allow space for emergency apparatus between them.
Last month, the Planning Board voted 3-0 in favor of approving a traffic study and to continue the hearing for master plan approval until Aug. 16. Developers were in the midst of a hearing with the Conservation Commission because part of the property contains wetlands. They expected the hearing to conclude in its third session a day before.
But the Aug. 16 meeting, which was set only for the one hearing, was canceled the day before.
“(The town) wanted to have the people who were doing the development go before the Economic Development Committee in town,” said Peter Rossetti, chairman of the Planning Board. “They’ll listen to the project and see if it sounds like a good project to the committee.”
The town manager’s Economic Development Committee is comprised of department heads and other officials.
Attorney Richard Magnan, representing the team, expressed urgency for the board to take a vote in the Aug. 2 meeting in response to Rossetti questioning whether a quorum would be present on Aug. 16.
“If we went to the September meeting, there could be the same issue of a quorum,” he said. “So at some point, we have to vote this one way or the other.”
