P&Z Orders Buddhist Religious Gatherings To Cease And Desist

By Andrew Gorosko

In response to new complaints about recent outdoor gatherings at a Buddhist monastery on Boggs Hill Road, the town’s zoning enforcement officer has sent the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut a cease-and-desist order to stop having the gatherings unless the group obtains permission to do so from the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z).

In an April 18 letter to Pong Me, president of the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut, Gary Frenette, the town’s zoning enforcement officer, writes, “I have received numerous complaints that religious services were conducted over the Easter weekend… I have sent you numerous letters, and we have had meetings, in regard to religious functions being held without permission from the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission. All of this unfortunately has been to no avail. Therefore, I have no alternative but to serve you and your society with a cease-and-desist order… I strongly suggest for the last time, that your society apply for a special exception [zoning] approval as soon as possible. In the event this order is ignored, this matter will be turned over to the town attorney for legal action.”

In the spring of 1999, the Cambodian Buddhist Society of Connecticut purchased a nine-acre property at 145 Boggs Hill Road from the Daly family for $470,000. The site, which now houses a monastery, formerly was a horse farm.

Neighboring property owners seemed accepting of the several Buddhist monks who had moved into a large house on the property and were using it as a monastery. But some of those neighbors later grew upset when the property became the site of weekend Buddhist religious gatherings, and occasional large special events, which attracted many people and much traffic into what is normally a quiet neighborhood.

In May 1999, following complaints from neighbors, Mr Frenette formally told the society that it needed P&Z permission to conduct religious events on the property. 

Last fall, after more events were held, some Boggs Hill Road area neighbors publicly complained about the Buddhist monks having large gatherings at the property. Those complaints focused on noise and traffic.

Resident Mona Wood of 147 Boggs Hill Road, who lives next door to the monastery, said this week that outdoor events were held at the monastery on Friday, April 13, and Sunday, April 15. On each of the two days, the events attracted at least 50 vehicles, she said. Each event lasted several hours, she said.

“It was noisy. How many times do you let people get away with this?” she asked.

Ms Wood said she notified police of the events and was told the situation is a zoning enforcement matter, not a police matter.

Last fall, in lodging her concerns about events held at the property, Ms Wood had said that although the Buddhist society may have purchased the large house on the property as a residence, it had become much more than that. The site generated much noise, much traffic, and crowds of people at gatherings, with one event having attracted 200 people, she has said. Ms Wood has said the Buddhist monks have been quiet, excellent neighbors during the week, but it had become quite noisy at weekend events.

At an October event, the Buddhists had used a public address system, sounded gongs, and conducted a procession. Following that event, Mr Frenette had informed the society to stop holding religious events at the property without P&Z permission.

Ms Wood has said she and her husband had bought their property on Boggs Hill Road for the area’s peace and quiet. Boggs Hill Road is a long residential connector street that links Sugar Street to Hattertown Road.

In the past, apparently realizing that their outdoor gatherings were annoying to their neighbors, the Buddhists placed leaflets under windshield wipers in the neighborhood explaining that the Boggs Hill Road property is the only Cambodian Buddhist religious center in the state.

In response to complaints about Easter weekend events, Mr Me, the president of the Buddhist society, said Tuesday the group will soon seek a permit from the P&Z to conduct religious ceremonies.

Mr Me said the events were held in conjunction with Cambodian New Year. The event held Friday, April 13, attracted about 25 vehicles, and the event held Sunday, April 15, drew about a dozen vehicles, he said.

Mr Me said he plans to talk to Mr Frenette about the society’s seeking a special exception to the zoning regulations for religious events. Such a zoning application requires a public hearing. P&Z members have much latitude in setting conditions on such approvals.

“I like to do the right thing. I don’t want to get in trouble,” Mr Me said.

Mr Me said the society is awaiting a property survey, which is required as part of a P&Z zoning application.

The society formerly had a house in Danbury, but moved from it because it had become too small for the society’s needs. The 400-member society was founded in 1987.

Mr Frenette this week said he is awaiting a response to the cease-and-desist order from the Buddhist society.

“This is a delicate issue… But now I have to start the legal machinery in motion… They [the Buddhists] just don’t seem to get it. Now, I have to do something,” he said.

“I don’t know where this is going to go,” Mr Frenette said.

Houses of worship are subject to “reasonable regulation” by the P&Z, without violating the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion, according to P&Z attorney Robert Fuller.