Plans for Bay Watch Realty’s “40B” affordable housing development in Marion will continue modifications with the Zoning Board of Appeals, but the Board of Selectmen have a suggestion.

Now is the time to review the ownership of the road leading into the complex says Selectmen Chair John Henry.

During the March 20 meeting with the Selectmen, Henry discussed the possibility of submitting a request to Town Meeting for town ownership of the 1,500 square-foot roadway.

This, he said, would make maintaining the road much easier in the event of inclement weather and overall safety.

“We feel it’s cleaner and neater to accept this from the beginning,” Henry said. “We’ve been involved since the beginning and we would like to acquire this from the get-go.”

Bay Watch Realty has been in negotiations with the Zoning Board to accept their modifications for the 96-unit housing development, which includes 60 affordable housing units and 36 single-family homes for sale at market rate.

Henry said that the road is one of the Selectmen’s last concerns with the 40B project, still waiting for Zoning Board approval to go before Town Meeting for a vote.

Besides maintenance concerns, Henry said the town should consider purchasing the road because of safety issues.

During the March 8 meeting with the Zoning Board, concerns were raised by members of the board over school bus pick-up zones.

Zoning Board members suggested that the pick-up zone be at the end of a cul-de-sac inside of the development. Henry said this would lessen concerns with student safety.

“There’s going to be 36 single-family homes and 60 rentals so there’s a strong likelihood that there will be quite a few school-age children getting on the bus,” Henry said. “It would be a vast improvement if the bus could drive to the cul-de-sac.”

On March 8, Zoning Board Chair Bob Wedge said the plans were “making progress,” and could be ready to go before May Town Meeting for approval pending engineering approval of the project.

The Zoning Board has yet to determine the number of affordable housing units in the development.

Bay Watch Realty has suggested that two of the 36 homes be made affordable housing.

This falls short of the 25 percent asked by the Selectmen to be affordable.

Henry said that this concern is still “under discussion” with both the Zoning Board members and Bay Watch Realty.

“We’re satisfied these plans are as close as can be practically made to conform with the bylaws,” Henry said. “The atmosphere has been one of cooperation with the developers and with the town’s boards. I’m very encouraged with the willingness of the boards to push it forward.”