Creek Wood is moving forward.

The city Planning Board recommended Tuesday afternoon that the 200-unit apartment complex be pushed to the City Council for approval.

The board's blessing comes despite unresolved issues between the Watertown City and General Brown Central school districts' borders, which run directly through the development.

Norstar Development USA, Buffalo, plans to construct 28 buildings between Mill Street and Plaza Drive on the city's north side this fall.

The development is proposed on 26 acres that the city annexed from the town of Pamelia in December 2005. Because the annexation did not change the school districts' boundaries, the children living in the development will attend either General Brown or Watertown schools, depending on what side of the border they live on.

This has some city officials uneasy, especially considering that a city elementary school is within eyesight of the development.

Based on the plans presented to the Planning Board on Tuesday, the boundary line split one of the apartment buildings down the middle.

"I expect that by early fall we'll try to meet with the General Brown board, with Mr. Boak's facilitation, to have a general meeting to discuss this further," Watertown Superintendent Terry N. Fralick said, referring to Jack J. "Jay" Boak, district superintendent of the Jefferson-Lewis Board of Cooperative Educational Services.

No schedule for that meeting has been set, he said.

A meeting was held last year between representatives from the two school districts and Mr. Boak.

The city school district dropped its claim to the portion of Creek Wood in the General Brown district following the meetings.

Since then, "it's pretty much been status quo that General Brown would be servicing the needs of the kids on their side of the line," Mr. Fralick said Tuesday afternoon.

The school district was not once mentioned during the Planning Board meeting.

Watertown Mayor Jeffrey E. Graham said he discussed the issue between the schools with state Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo during his visit in late June.

"He seemed very interested and wanted to help out," the mayor said. "I would hope that an accommodation could be reached between the two districts."

City Manager Mary M. Corriveau suggested a similar course to resolve the dispute.

"It's really an issue that goes beyond the local level," she said. "My understanding is that it is a state issue."

Linda L. Goodman, Norstar director of project development, attended the Planning Board meeting Tuesday. She said the developer will not get involved with issues between the school districts.

The developer already was awarded $1.24 million in state Division of Housing and Community Renewal housing tax credits for the first 96 units. It has applied for more state funds to help build the remaining 104 units.

"We're just waiting for the DHCR right now," Mrs. Goodman said.

Mr. Graham called the Planning Board's decision to move the project forward "very excellent."

"This carting kids all around the county in huge vehicles makes absolutely no sense," Mr. Graham said. "I think there needs to be some outside-of-the-box thinking."

The Planning Board tabled the proposal at a June meeting because details had to be worked out about a proposed sewage pump station. Those issues have been resolved, City Engineer Kurt W. Hauk said.

Norstar will own and maintain the station as long as it serves the development.

The city agreed in 2005 to accept sewage from Pamelia as part of the deal to annex the 26 acres for Creek Wood. Once the town's sewer district is operational, the city likely will take ownership of the pump station.

"We're still hammering out the details on that part of the project," Mr. Hauk said. "That's a second phase."

The project likely will go before the City Council at its meeting Monday.