NISKAYUNA — Residents of Lori Drive may have more time to prepare for a controversial neighboring subdivision, whatever is decided on the possible connection between the two.

Developers of the long-delayed project have submitted a proposal that would have the 73-unit subdivision built in four phases, town officials said.

“Instead of doing it all at once, they want to do it over a period of time,” town Supervisor Joe Landry said. Representatives of the developers, J&E Cerone and Paulsen Development, could not be reached for comment. But Susan Cerone, of J&E Cerone, noted last month that already long delays in the project had placed construction in the middle of the real estate downturn.

Sketches and details hadn’t been completed, but the first phase has been proposed to include as many as 16 homes and take as long as two to three years to build, town planner Kathy Matern said. The first phase would be connected to Lisha Kill Road. Any connection to Lori Drive wouldn’t be made until the second phase.

However, the issue of what form that connection would take is not expected to take that long. That is expected to be made in the coming weeks by the Niskayuna Planning Board.

The board is expected to take its first look at the phasing plan Monday. It has asked for comment from police, fire and highway officials on a proposed compromise connection plan.

The compromise proposal includes blocking a connection from Lori Drive to a proposed subdivision, instead including a breakaway gate for emergency use only. The gate would be between Lori Drive and the proposed subdivision and include a walking path and bike access. No car traffic would be allowed.

Town and county officials billed the solution as a settlement in the long-running battle over the connector. But both sides have acknowledged there is no guarantee it will become a reality.

The Planning Board approved the subdivision in 2005 and expressly required the full connection. When a board member proposed the same compromise then, it had no support.

Residents along Lori Drive have been adamantly against the full connection from the start, fearing it would increase traffic on their street. Schenectady County representatives seized on that argument in trying unsuccessfully to block the connection.