Selectmen Take Up

Open Space Issues

By Jan Howard

Newtown’s Board of Selectmen has begun to address the way in which the town’s open spaces, including trails and natural parks, are organized and administered. The town’s new budget has allocated $2 million for the acquisition of open space, and there are ongoing efforts by local groups to maintain and extend a nascent greenway system of connected trails known as Al’s Trail.

Representatives of the Ad Hoc Open Space Task Force made a presentation to the Board of Selectmen Monday, focusing primarily on Al’s Trail, a nine-mile continuous greenway trail from Reed Intermediate to Upper Paugussett State Forest, and the need for easements on some properties to connect different sections of the trail.

Martha Wright and Patricia Barkman discussed the need to create a master plan of connecting properties, to research and catalog current open space lands, and to prepare maps of open space parcels in subdivisions.

Ms Barkman, in her presentation, noted that funds are in place to build footbridges, fencing, and signage for Al’s Trail through the Iroquois Gas Transmission System’s recent authorization of a release of $49,413.87. The funding approved is the remaining money in an approximate $900,000 grant to the town that was received in 1991 through Iroquois’ Land Preservation and Enhancement Program (LPEP).

Three bridges are planned for the southern portion of the trail.

There is also a potential for additional funds through a National Recreational Trails Grant administered through the state Department of Environmental Protection, she said. This grant would be used to build a gazebo along the river in the rear of the Methodist Church property on Church Hill Road.

She noted the need to protect the trail from use by all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and dirt bikes.

Ms Barkman said there is a Rotary Club plan in the “brainstorming stage” as a Tercentennial project and for its 100th anniversary that would join all greenways in town and link trails from Brookfield to Monroe and Bethel.

Ms Wright voiced the need for a land trust to accept land and donations for the purchase of open space and someone to manage and oversee the properties.

“The committee wants to put its emphasis on open space,” Ms Barkman said.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said that Parks and Recreation Chairman Larry Haskel has expressed an interest in having the Parks and Recreation Department take over responsibility for the trails.

“They have the manpower to maintain the trails and get the work done,” Mr Rosenthal said. He said Mr Haskel was enthusiastic about the trail system and having Parks and Rec look at passive recreation. He noted that Parks and Recreation already maintains the Orchard Hill Nature Center.

Mr Rosenthal said on Tuesday that while trails are one part of open space, he would like to move the trails aspect to Parks and Recreation and keep the focus of the Ad Hoc Open Space Task Force on the acquisition of open space property. The task force currently has a list of properties of over ten acres, he said.

“Parks and Rec is looking at its purpose,” he said, adding the commission wants to look at recreation for all ages, both passive and active, which would include walking trails.

He would have the Ad Hoc Open Space Task Force rank properties according to three aspects: 1) Properties of significant ecological value, such as the protection of a natural resource or an area that connects to other properties, has an important view, or location on a pond or stream; 2) properties that would be able to be extensively developed; and 3) properties that would have some passive use, such as a park or school site.

The third aspect, he noted, would be a lesser part of what the committee would be doing.

In other business on Monday, the selectmen also recommended to the Legislative Council an ordinance that would prohibit the use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and dirt bikes in the town’s parks and open space lands and resolutions to create a Social Services Donation Fund and Conservation Commission Fund.

Mr Rosenthal said he has received a number of letters and phone calls complaining about the use of ATVs in town.

“I’m hearing there are problems on town property and trails,” he said, as well as in residential developments.

“We have to do something,” Selectman Joe Bojnowski said. “They cause destruction.”

Mr Rosenthal said there might also be a need for a noise ordinance to address the use of ATVs on private property. He said recently that there is a state statute that forbids the use of ATVs and dirt bikes on roads unless they are registered.

In other business, the selectmen appointed Sean Hughes as a member of the Ad Hoc Open Space Task Force. They also approved the appointment of ten Lake Lillinonah marine patrol officers.

They also set a special town meeting for Monday, May 17, at 7:15 pm, at the C.H. Booth Library meeting room to consider and act upon a resolution to authorize the issuance and sale of not exceeding $43,040,000 in obligation refunding bonds.

The selectmen agreed to further discuss a recent quote of $10,000 from the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis for a survey that would address changes the selectmen made to the Fairfield Hills Master Plan.

Selectman Bill Brimmer said the cost of the survey is “still too high,” adding he had received feedback from some people who do not think it is a good idea to ask more questions.

During public participation, Ruby Johnson, a member of Friends of Fairfield Hills, presented the selectmen with information that outlined a projected revenue plan for Bridgeport Hall on the Fairfield Hills campus that compares the sale of the building with lease of the property to a developer with renovation and future lease of the building by the town. The data she presented showed the town would gain greater revenue through renovating and then leasing the building itself.

Ms Johnson noted the building’s roof leaks and that it needs a heating system. She urged the selectmen to undertake the renovation as soon as possible after the purchase of the campus from the state.