By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
SAUGUS — More than 17 years after the Bellevue Heights subdivision was supposed to be completed, officials are out of patience with developer John Mallon.
Chairman of the Planning Board Peter Rossetti said a conference call with Town Manager Scott Crabtree and Town Counsel John Vasapolli is scheduled for March 16 prior to the next scheduled Planning Board meeting. Mallon is to outline his timeline, which should include a June 30 end date, at the meeting.
“We will discuss any outstanding issues,” Rossetti said. “He is supposed to tell us his plans for completion, so we’ll wait eagerly for that.”
Conceived as a 28-lot subdivision with panoramic views from single-family homes, Bellevue Heights hit a snag when a retaining wall collapsed in 2008. The timing of the collapse could not have been worse for a private developer with the economy and housing market sinking, said Mallon. Since then, 21 houses have been built and are occupied.
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Last October, Planning Board and Board of Selectmen officials voiced frustrations with Mallon and the never-ending project at a public meeting. As of then, curbing had been installed on both sides of the road, but not repaired on the east side. The sidewalks were not finished and the Jersey Barriers had not been moved to their proper positions.
New signs with the proper spelling of Hitching Hill Road needed to be installed. The road needed to be paved, nine trees were yet to be planted, and a grass strip between the sidewalk and the street needed to be installed
Rossetti said complaints were made about the subdivision’s roads not being treated for snow and ice during the winter storms in the past two weeks. Mallon is responsible for making sure the roads are plowed, sanded and salted.
But Mallon said the barriers were in place more than two years ago and that he is not required to place any additional units. He said the roads were done “just perfectly.”
“My subdivision does not have to be any better than any other road in town,” said Mallon. “This is winter time. Ice is part of winter. There’s ice on every road. I look out my door and if the plow hasn’t come out by my door, I don’t go up and plow. If the town isn’t doing me, why should I do them?
“Instead of calling me and saying, ‘Hey Jack, it’s icy,’ they let it be icy and they wait and complain to the Planning Board.”
Mallon is expected to complete the project by the end of June. Should he miss any of the deadlines, a surety bond of $50,000 will be seized to finish the work. Mallon estimates it will cost about $65,000. Last week, he told the Item he is on target to meet that requirement.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.