Met with applause by a room full of attendees April 6, the Planning and Zoning Commission’s approval of Everwonder Children’s Museum’s intended new location at 11 Mile Hill Road proved a tough act to follow for Teton Capital Company, LLC, which was next on the agenda introducing four items of business.

Teton was scheduled for public hearings for four applications, including a text amendment to zoning regulations for pools and parking spaces, a re-subdivision at 6 Commerce Road, a special exception under the aquifer protection district, and for its site development plan in the property partially abutting the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary.

Teton has agreements in place to purchase the land, and needs approvals from town agencies and Connecticut Department of Transportation to finalize this and continue work. A subsequent hearing was opened by the town Inland Wetlands Commission April 12.

(Coverage of that session is planned for the April 21 print edition of The Newtown Bee.)

Public participation in front of the P&Z commission included a unanimous objection to the proposed plan as illustrated to continue at the location, which Teton calls “Church Hill Farm at Deep Brook, An Active Adult Conservation Community in Newtown, Connecticut” for residents aged 55 and older. Before the April 6 hearing, Teton addressed the commission with numerous representatives to detail their plan, the specific applications, and adjustments to it.

Peter Olson, an attorney at Land Use & Conservation Counsel, introduced himself and William Donahue, the founder of Teton. Jason Edwards, the civil engineer; Jack Perry, the architect; and Matthew Popp, the landscape architect all spoke in reference to the proposal and P&Z applications.

Olson detailed the Connecticut legislative act which “authorized the transfer of state owned land to the town of Newtown… on the condition that the parcel be used for economic development” and subsequent deeds reaffirming this “requirement.”

“By law, the town received this land subject to these legislative actions and deed restriction that this property must be used for economic development,” Olson said.

Public Participation

Instead of asking the representatives of the Church Hill Farm project any questions, Commission Chair Dennis Bloom said he would reserve the commission’s rights not to ask the Teton collective questions that evening and opened public participation. Members of the public were allowed to approach the commission for three minutes each.

At the podium, Brian Sharkenny suggested that Newtown’s economic development is more largely dependent on open space, and that by keeping the location as it is, it can still fulfill its requirements.

Tracy Van Buskirk, President of Newtown Bridle Lands Association was one of the other participants who agreed, saying there are probably better ways to achieve the goal of economic development than the project that is “too intense” for the land near the sanctuary.

Rob Hammon noted that there would be “extra burden” on fire companies, the ambulance corps, and police, as well as increased traffic and pedestrian safety concerns. Michael Taylor voiced a concern about emergency access to the complex, and wondered if Old Farm Road would have to be built up.

“Having almost 300 cars drive up through that area where we’ve got children, we’ve got horses — it's unsafe,” said Diana Davis, who also said that added traffic on surrounding roads with 300 additional cars would be “awful.”

“We all worked so hard to have this slice of heaven in Newtown,” said Davis, about the sanctuary.

Dr William Glass listed a few of the location’s merits for senior housing with its opportunity for passive recreation and volunteering at the sanctuary, but called the design “monstrous” and the plan “unconscionable.”

“This is an abject demonstration of disrespect that is hard to understand,” he said, comparing the development of the area around the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary to developing the area around the Sandy Hook Memorial.

Design Complaints

Numerous public participants complained that the proposed complex is unsightly.

“If you want to drive down Queen Street and see the top of four story buildings with AC units, with solar panels, and you’re cool with that, by all means, make those decisions,” said Mike Switzer.

Peter Klaudis, a member of the design advisory board, said the developers should send their proposal back to the board for a better design. He said he does not pretend to speak for the board.

Toni Earnshaw read an excerpt from the 2024 vision statement from the Plan of Conservation and Development which detailed protecting and enhancing Newtown’s picturesque, rural, historical setting and attributes in architecture and landscaping. She said nothing about the project is consistent with this vision.

“It’s difficult to imagine a more jarring or inappropriate scene than these apartments opposite the Catherine Violet Hubbard Wildlife Sanctuary,” said Earnshaw.

“They talk about wanting to be good neighbors,” said Phil Hubbard, who is on the board of directors for the sanctuary. “There appears to be a pretty significant drop off from the end of their development to Old Farm Road to where the sanctuary property is.”

One participant, Diana Streeter, liked the design, but recounted years of enjoyment of the nature on the property and appreciation of the sanctuary. In her words, the proposed development was “heartbreaking.” “It’s beautiful,” Streeter said, “but it can’t go in this spot, it can’t go there.”

A few participants recommended the project be moved to Fairfield Hills and to occupy abandoned buildings or add new structures.

“There are decrepit structures that we’re maintaining,” said Switzer, who handed out maps of the Fairfield Hills properties at the meeting. “They’re a long-term liability for us. Why are we not developing these properties rather than ripping apart farm fields?”

Switzer questioned why the project isn’t being considered “where we already have the gas, the sewer infrastructure to support this rather than running trunks through the wetlands, running sidewalks alongside the road.”

Environmental Concerns

Accounts of family enjoyment among the natural beauty and preservation of the property were shared by numerous participants, which accompanied the critiques of the selected location for the project and environmental disruption.

Joe Hovious, as a member of Candlewood Valley Trout Unlimited, said the organization is very concerned about the impacts of the development, referencing Deep Brook and the blue line beside the proposed area. He added CVTU has “real concerns” about the stormwater system, as well.

Hubbard said when sanctuary organizers were plotting development, the land was already a sanctuary to wild animals. He said the sanctuary teaches visitors how to be “good stewards” to the land. He said thoughtful development includes considering the context of neighboring properties as well as natural resources.

In her statement during public participation, sanctuary founder Jenny Hubbard talked about her daughter Catherine, a first grade victim in 12/14, whose life the sanctuary was built to commemorate. She said the sanctuary honors Catherine’s promise to care for animals.

Jenny Hubbard said they have asked for no funds from Newtown in the environmental rehabilitation of the sanctuary, and have invested in the schools. She stated the sanctuary is looking to give back to the town she calls home.

She spoke extensively about the environmental merits of the area, saying the sanctuary’s land management and master site plan were guided by expert opinion, and said a study at Western CT State University is showing a beneficial impact to the etymological biodiversity in the sanctuary.

Jenny Hubbard voiced concern that large-scale housing with “over 300 residents” would impact wildlife and displace a habitat she said was deemed important to CT Wildlife Action Plan — then cited light pollution from the complex, traffic, and vehicle and residential noise as concerns.

‘The Landscape We Call Home’

Jenny Hubbard said she heard the sanctuary being referred to as “one of Newtown’s hidden treasures,” which to her, ranked the location among Overlook at Castle Hill, Deep Brook, Ram Pasture, and Dickinson Park. She listed ways of how the community uses the “haven for wildlife,” for recreation and to “reflect, find healing, and learn.”

“Our hidden treasures are the backdrops in our memories that connect us to a community and to the landscape we call home,” she said. “We have them because we have gone to great lengths to protect them.”

“Give this land back to the state, and it will become agricultural open space once again,” said Bob Geckle during his time at the podium. He said former State Rep Julia Wasserman once told him the “biggest mistake she ever made was having the state give this property to Newtown for economic development.”

In his participation, Jerry Nash encouraged the developers to consider that aspects like nature, the earth, Catherine, the sanctuary and the town may be “more valuable in some way than profits.” He recalled a nature area he valued as a child that was eventually developed, and referenced a song by Mr Rogers, saying, “It’s great to be able to stop when you’ve planned a thing that’s wrong.”

“God knows what’s going to happen once ground gets broken over here. It’s going to be begging for forgiveness, that’s all it’s going to be, and it’s going to be too late at that point,” said Switzer in his concluding comments.

At the conclusion of the public participation, Bloom addressed the room again. “I don’t plan on closing this tonight, just to let you all know,” he said. “This will be staying open.”

Donahue denied The Newtown Bee's request for comment "while these applications are pending."

On behalf of the sanctuary, Jenny Hubbard stated, "We are in agreement with active adult communities allowing seniors to age in place, what we are opposed to is the density and the aggressive urban development that is being proposed."

The Planning and Zoning Commission will revisit this matter at its meeting which is open to the public on April 20, at 7 pm in the municipal center.

Reporter Noelle Veillette can be reached at noelle@thebee.com.