A housing project with the potential of being the most ambitious development ever built in Winslow is just beginning what may be a lengthy interval in the city’s permit process. Because of location and size, the Grow Community (the former Government Way development) needs to be publicly vetted slowly and throughly. (Search “HDDP project” at bainbridgereview.com).

The eight-acre parcel owned by Bainbridge Community Development LLC is located north-south between Wyatt Way and Winslow Way and east-west between Madison and Grow avenues. Local developer Asani LLC wants to build a diverse 138-unit project in eight phases over a five-year period that will serve as a pilot program for the Housing Design Demonstration Project (HDDP) ordinance the city approved last August.

The plans calls for a “community within a community” – with common open space and gardens – that is affordable, sustainable, innovative and diverse with rental apartments and occupant-owned cottages, flats and condominiums. (About 20 houses will need to be removed). The development will be roadless and with as many as 170 parking spaces placed around the community’s perimeter.

Because of the large impact the project will have on the neighborhood, planner Marja Preston and Asani have held several meetings with the community already, with more to come as it moves through the public process. The complexity of the project became clear Monday when Preston and city planner Josh Machen gave a “pre-pre-application” presentation to the city’s Design Review Board. (The proposed housing units are currently being redesigned, so a pre-application meeting on the site plan will come next).

The planners were seeking the board’s input – via a scoring system – on how the project meets basic HDDP requirements such as affordability, sustainability, housing diversity, low-impact development, landscaping, open space and transportation. The board hesitated at first to offer “scoring” opinions on the project’s first phase because members felt there weren’t enough details being provided. Some indicated they were being asked to make decisions too quickly – à la Island Gateway, as one of them said – but eventually they agreed to participate so they could learn more.

The board agreed that the plan “appears likely” to meet the HDDP criteria, but members were more reticient than enthusiastic about the process. That’s a good sign.

The board and the planners emphasized the need for each phase to stand-alone, in case construction stalls due to outside forces.

The project may be worth doing and Preston said there will be no shortage of public involvement. But the city needs to be cautious when commiting to a complex proposal at a time when the margin of error is so small.