Toll Brothers has dropped its plans to build dozens of homes on a 73-acre site on Cedar Mountain in Newington, according to town officials. Now, the town is looking to acquire that land and preserve it as open space.
In the years since Toll Brothers asked the town public and zoning commission to rezone the land from commercial to residential so they could build luxury condos, several groups have fought the proposal.
In 2011, hundreds of Newington residents attended a public hearing about the proposal and the town inland wetlands commission voted 4 to 1 to deny the company’s proposal.
On Thursday, Mayor Steve Woods issued a news release, saying Toll Brothers has terminated its agreement with Tilcon to buy the property on the Cedar Mountain and is withdrawing its court appeal.
"When it was clear that the people in town were very passionate about this piece of property, we wanted to protect it," Woods explained.
The next step is for economic development director Andy Brecher to begin discussions with Tilcon for the town to acquire the 85-acre property.
"I would envision down the road possibly trails for the townspeople to be able to use," Woods said.
