Waterford — A planned development near Oswegatchie and Shawandassee Roads took a step forward Monday night with approval from the town's Planning & Zoning Commission.

The five-member commission decided unanimously that the plan proposed by developer Sawyer's Cove LLC, to build 11 houses on a 5-acre portion of a larger plot, qualifies as a "cluster subdivision" and is allowed under town zoning rules.

The cluster approach allows developers to build on smaller lot sizes than the zoning regulations for the lots permit, as long as they maintain a certain amount of open space on the lot.

Sawyer's Cove plans to transfer about 23 acres of the plot, which consists mostly of wetlands, to the Waterford Land Trust to be maintained as open space.

Neighbors of the proposed development have spoken in several public meetings against the plan, saying it would cause too much traffic and noise, negatively affect the ecosystem in the nearby Niantic River and drive down area property values.

The commission approved the plan Monday under the condition that Sawyer's Cove redesign its plans to vary the setback distance of each house from the road and vary the design of the 11 houses so that no two adjacent houses look the same.

The plan will make the development "look less like a cookie cutter arrangement," commission member Bertrand Chenard said.

Sawyer's Cove is contracted to buy the property, which abuts the Oswegatchie Historic District, from owners Marie Aydelotte Turner and Jeannette Farley Burr.

The group plans to build 11 colonial-style single-family houses between 2,200 and 3,000 square feet each, Sawyer's Cove contractor Scott Desmond said Monday.

Sawyer's Cove will have to redesign its plans to accommodate the new setback requirements — at least 50 feet from the road for most of the houses — and the design variations.

The commission also asked that the rules of the homeowner association for the development be reviewed by the town attorney before they are put into place.

The town's planning department must approve the changes made to the subdivision's design before the company can begin applying for building permits, according to Town Planner Mark Wujtewicz.

Oswegatchie Road resident David Lersch said after Monday's vote that he was "disappointed."

"I, as well as my neighbors, find that the design of a cluster subdivision doesn't fit in ... the Oswegatchie neighborhood," he said.

The town regulations governing cluster subdivisions are outdated, he said.

"It opens the door for even more creative ... use of land to become more congested," he said.

m.shanahan@theday.com

Twitter: @martha_shan