FARMINGTON — A preliminary proposal for an addition to the Woodlands Memory Care building raised concerns from Knowlton Corner Road neighbors during a Planning Board meeting Monday.

Five abutters said they were worried about traffic, a lack of lighting and road conditions, a lack of a safety for the neighborhood, potential issues with groundwater, flooding of their properties, water runoff into Wilson Stream and a lack of concern from the owners.

Elliot Thayer of Thayer Engineering in Farmingdale presented a proposal for a second phase to Woodlands Senior Living, a one-story, 32,447-square-foot addition that would provide 66 beds for seniors.  

The proposal would add 20,224 square feet to a 36-bed residential care facility being constructed to serve individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

The $4 million Woodlands Memory Care project at 175 Knowlton Corner Road is expected to be completed and open by early fall, Thayer said.

The town has a copy of the site permit application recently filed with the Department of Environmental Protection. Thayer plans to file an application with the town and come before the board for a site review at its May 8 meeting.  

Owners Lon Walters and his son Matthew Walters, operators of Woodlands Senior Living,  want to start construction on the addition in June 2017 and complete it by September 2018. 

The addition would provide 46 beds for residential care and 18 apartments for senior living, he said. Two apartments would have two beds.

Staff would include 18 for the first shift, 14 for the second shift and five administrative-management positions.

The addition would be to the right of the Memory Care center. Thayer planned for 132 parking spaces with 11 handicap spaces for the phase one and two projects.  

Two driveways have been built. One, from Knowlton Corner Road, is to be used by residents and guests and another from Webster Road is for staff, deliveries and emergency vehicles such as firetrucks and ambulances, he said.

Planning Board member Michael Otley asked why the new project was not included in the original plan. He was concerned that the plan triples the size of the project and poses traffic and road concerns.

Thayer said the owners considered the market and financing before making the decision to move forward with Phase II a couple of months ago.

The potential for a Phase II project was mentioned to the Board of Selectmen while discussions were held on development of a tax-increment financing agreement with the town for Phase I, Town Manager Richard Davis said.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net

Woodlands Senior Living is proposing an addition to the Memory Care Center, currently under construction, at 175 Knowlton Corner Road in Farmington. A 66-bed senior living addition to the right is proposed with plans to start construction in June. The Memory Care Center is expected to open early this fall.

Woodlands Senior Living is proposing an addition to the Memory Care Center, currently under construction, at 175 Knowlton Corner Road in Farmington. A 66-bed senior living addition to the right is proposed with plans to start construction in June. The Memory Care Center is expected to open early this fall.