Westwood Subdivision Which Raised Flood Concerns Dismissed by Board

A plan to subdivide a Westwood property and build a second home on the newly-created lot which neighbors said could worsen flooding in their neighborhood has been put on hold indefinitely.

The Westwood Zoning Board voted to dismiss the application without prejudice during their meeting Monday night, following months without a hearing on the matter.

The applicant would have to make a whole new application if they want to make another attempt at getting the plan approved, which would include re-noticing all property owners within 200 feet.

Board attorney David Rutherford said he had informed James Delia, the applicant's attorney, that the application might be dismissed. Delia was not immediately available for comment.

The plan had called for an existing 14,240-square-foot lot with a two-family home to be split into a 7,505-square-foot lot and a 6,735-square-foot lot. The existing house would have remained and a second one-family home would have been built on the new lot.

Several neighbors had expressed concern about the plan at the first hearing, which was held last December. George Mulhauser, whose woodworking business is located on the other side of the stream from the property, told Patch then that severe storms have caused his whole shop to flood.

Those who testified on behalf of the project at that hearing said they had been unaware of the flooding problem.