Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission gives Coogan Farm complex a unanimous OK

Mystic - The Stonington Planning and Zoning Commission approved plans Tuesday night for a 245-unit assisted living complex on a portion of Coogan Farm.

Morningside Management of Virginia and BROM Builders of Norwich plan to build Mystic Preserve Senior Living on 18 acres of the farm property, which would be accessed from the end of Clara Drive, the road that leads to McQuade's Marketplace.

Another 11 acres would be preserved as open space; the Trust for Public Land and the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center have reached a preliminary agreement to purchase 34 acres of the farm so it, too, can be preserved as open space.

The project would create an estimated 125 jobs and $400,000 in annual tax revenue for the town, making it Stonington's second-largest taxpayer after the nearby StoneRidge retirement community.

Commission Chairman Rob Marseglia wished the developers luck after the decision and thanked them for bringing the development to town.

"Thank you for your patience dealing with us laymen," he said. "These larger developments are sometimes complicated and difficult."

Before their decision to unanimously approve a subdivision plan and special-use permit for the project, commission members discussed the numerous stipulations they attached to their approval, such as requiring the developers to return to the Architectural Design Review Board so its members can look at the final design of the buildings before construction begins.

The nature center is slated to receive the 11 acres of open space as well. Commission member John Prue pointed out that the state does not include the nature center on its list of land trusts, but Chairman Rob Marseglia said the nature center does hold land in trust.

Prue said there now has been very significant changes to a very unique piece of property in town.

The project would be built in two phases, with memory care and assisted living in phase one and independent living in phase two. The developers have said the project will be designed to create as much of a residential and neighborhood feel as possible.

Instead of long, narrow corridors, rooms are wrapped around common areas so residents do not have to walk far to the dining room, bistro and activity and wellness areas.

Units would be rented on a monthly basis and do not have to be purchased, as they are at StoneRidge. The project is seen by the developers as a more affordable alternative to StoneRidge.

j.wojtas@theday.com