HADLEY — Site plans for a 55-and-over residential development on a 45-acre parcel between North Maple Street and Rocky Hill Road, expected to feature around 50 single-family homes, are expected to be filed with the Planning Board sometime this fall.

An overview of the North Maple Commons proposal from Amherst developer Barry Roberts for the Babb Farm property was presented to the board Tuesday on May 20 by attorney Tom Reidy of Bacon Wilson, PC, showing a possible layout of a new road that would connect North Maple and Rocky Hill, with homes positioned along that road and various cul de sacs.

“Even though this takes up more land area... it will feel more like a neighborhood,” Reidy said of the current proposal.

In addition to the layout, Reidy showed the one-story homes that would feature windows with divided light, clapboard siding, porches and gable roofs. Each would be limited to two bedrooms and some might have basements, while others would be built on slab.

“These are all single-family dwellings,” Reidy said.

Describing the homes as “not imposing,” Reidy said the designs come from John Kuhn, the founder of Kuhn Riddle Architects in Amherst.

“A little bit more standardization instead of customization, but there’s still opportunity for uniqueness with each of these,” Reidy said.

Of the 50 units, eight would be affordable, or 80% of the area median income, and likely be rented, with 42 to be market-rate homes that would be sold.

“Nice looking units,” Planning Board Chairman James Maksimoski said.

He also asked if the appearance would be in keeping with the homes in the town’s first 55-and-over development, located off East Street. “Similar looking homes to what you have on East Commons Drive?”

Reidy confirmed that, but with shotgun garages rather than conventional two-car garages, making development more compact.

Reidy said site plans are likely to get submitted in September or October, though the Conservation Commission could change the layout and where the roads go, depending on the delineation of the wetlands resource area, which it has to accept under the Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation, or ANRAD.

The idea is also to build out the development in phases.

Planning Board member Mark Dunn said the project is a little bigger than anticipated, though Maksimoski said it was always proposed as 40 to 50 homes. Dunn suggested that two homes closest to North Maple Street be moved or removed from the plans so there is more buffer from the street.

Planning Board Clerk William Dwyer cautioned that there needs to be enough space before vehicular turning moves. “It’s that combination of the main entrance incoming traffic and that first turn,” Dwyer said.

Reidy said a homeowners association would eventually form to be responsible for common areas, and unit owners then become trustees for the property.

Planning Board member Joseph Zgrodnik said he wants to make sure the town doesn’t become responsible for road maintenance or the sewer pumping station. Reidy said this could be written into the conditions.

The only neighbor who commented was John Edwards of Hawks Meadow, who wondered if some of the on-site amenities and recreational activities, like walking trails or pickleball courts, could instead be set aside for agricultural purposes. Reidy said he wasn’t sure that would feasible, but it could be explored.

Next up will be a preapplication meeting, likely after the Conservation Commission does its review.

The site for the senior housing development previously had been eyed for a 232 large-scale apartment complex of two-story cottages and three-story townhomes.

Other business

In other business, the board:

■Approved placement of a new sign for Mountain View Apartments, the senior and family housing development off Campus Plaza Road, behind the former MedExpress Urgent Care building.

■Endorsed sending a support letter to the state’s Community One Stop for Growth program that would pay to study the feasibility of installing a sewer pump station on Mill Valley Road. Such a pump station would send sewage to Amherst and allow Hadley to consider some greater density of residential development on the Route 9 commercial corridor.