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Documents Reveal Discussion Of Clarksburg Height Limits
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Witthans, who resigned in June, declined to comment yesterday. Representatives of Bozzuto Homes did not return several calls for comment. Derick Berlage, the chairman of the Planning Board, would not comment specifically on the Bozzuto e-mail but said planners often meet with developers and residents.
Rose Krasnow, park and planning's director of development review, said that she is not familiar with the e-mail, but that she and Witthans met with both builders and Clarksburg residents in December to discuss building heights.
According to the documents, Clarksburg residents were rebuffed in September 2004 when they told the county they suspected that buildings were too tall.
One of the residents, Kimberly Shiley, wrote to Witthans on Sept. 27 to confirm a telephone conversation they'd had earlier that day.
"I understand that you will not be following up further through your office relative to project building verification. You would like us to contact the developer (Newland) directly," Shiley wrote.
Clarksburg residents, according to e-mails, continued pressing their case.
In December, Krasnow agreed to investigate. She explained in a Dec. 14 letter why she thought there were no height violations, citing earlier plans allowing buildings of up to four stories.
The advisory committee protested to Berlage, saying the planning staff "has been grossly negligent" and had "fallen abysmally short on serving the citizens."
The group requested a formal planning board hearing, which was initially scheduled for March but later pushed back to April.
At the hearing the board ruled there were no violations because, according to Berlage, Witthans crossed out "35 feet" on the site plan and replaced it with "four stories."
There is also evidence that in March, prior to the hearing, Witthans and Craftstar Homes discussed setback concerns.
"Per your request, here is the letter drafted by Craftstar on behalf of our homebuyers with the offset issue at Clarksburg Town Center," Kenneth J. Mergner, general manager of construction, wrote to Witthans.
"We truly thank you for your support and compassion as it relates to this unfortunate situation," Mergner said.
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