Approval for the first phase of a proposed subdivision near Birchwood was delayed, as an engineer asked for a 60-day deferral to address safety issues.
Fire and highway officials told planners they worried that adding more homes and traffic on Eldridge Road would make emergency response in the area more difficult and could further damage an aging road and bridge.
Right now, the state of the infrastructure would make development unsafe, said Bryan Shults, development director for the Regional Planning Agency.
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“We’re not saying never on this property,” Shults said. “Until such time infrastructure is being fixed to this area, this is premature development. It’s not ready for development. Now, five years from now, it could be, if roads improved by the county or a partnership with the applicant.”