Clubhouse Application—

Fish & Game Club Closes Secondary Access To Grounds

By Andrew Gorosko

In response to traffic concerns raised at a recent public hearing on the Fairfield County Fish & Game Protective Association’s proposal to replace its clubhouse with a new, bigger facility, the association has closed to its membership a secondary accessway that links its grounds to Walker Hill Road in Sandy Hook.

Attorney Andrew J. Buzzi, Jr, an association member who represents the group, told Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members at a June 16 public hearing that the club has closed that driveway to traffic by club members.

The association is seeking P&Z approval to replace its aging clubhouse with a new, modern facility that would be almost triple the size.

The group owns approximately 300 acres on the Newtown-Monroe town line, which it uses for members’ hunting, fishing, and various shooting sports. Roughly 90 percent of the site lies in Newtown. The property’s main entrance is at 310 Hammertown Road in Monroe. A secondary entrance extends from 14 Walker Hill Road in Sandy Hook.

The group’s clubhouse construction proposal drew opposition at a May 19 public hearing from some Walker Hill Road residents, who charged that larger club facilities could lead to problems for them, including increased traffic flow on Walker Hill Road.

The association wants to remove its existing 1,580-square-foot clubhouse and replace it with a modern 4,300-square-foot facility. The organization, which was founded in 1907, has 475 members.

At the close of the May 19 session, P&Z members had told club representatives that a formal traffic study must be performed to gauge the clubhouse expansion project’s traffic impact on Walker Hill Road. Such traffic studies are required when applicants seek “special exceptions” to the zoning regulations, as is the case with the association’s clubhouse application.

On June 16, Mr Buzzi told P&Z members that the club has had a “Knox box” installed at its locked gate across its driveway extending from Walker Hill Road. That driveway gate is not near Walker Hill Road, but is located a considerable distance in from the street.

A Knox box is a key safe that is used by fire departments to gain rapid access to properties and buildings during emergencies. Fire departments hold the key to the Knox box, which contains the keys for the property. The Knox box on the club’s property contains the key to the lock on the driveway gate.

“Given that the [driveway] is closed, there’s no longer any traffic there,” Mr Buzzi said. He thus requested that the P&Z waive its normal requirement for a traffic study.

On May 20, the club’s leadership had sent an email message to its membership, informing members that the Walker Hill Road driveway entrance to the club is officially closed and would only be used for emergency vehicle access to the property.

Some club members had been using the Walker Hill Road driveway for access to the club grounds, prompting the complaints from the Walker Hill Road residents.

P&Z Chairman William O’Neil said that Community Development Director Elizabeth Stocker had advised him that because there would be no traffic on the club driveway due to its gate being securely locked, there is no longer a need for a traffic study.

Mr Buzzi stressed that club members would not have copies of the key that would allow them to open that gate.

Pointing out that the gate is located a considerable distance from Walker Hill Road, P&Z member Robert Mulholland said that club members might park their vehicles on the lengthy driveway and then walk onto the club grounds.

P&Z member Sten Wilson suggested that the association reposition the gate closer to Walker Hill Road to better restrict access to the site.

Mr Buzzi said the only person who would be using the Walker Hill Road driveway is the club’s caretaker, who lives in a house along that driveway. Club members will not be parking their vehicles on the driveway and walking onto the club grounds, he said.

But P&Z member Robert Poulin said that club members might seek to park their vehicles in an open area near the caretaker’s house.

Parking there would be inconvenient for club members, Mr Buzzi responded.

P&Z members ended the public hearing on the clubhouse construction proposal, but took no action on the matter. Action is expected at an upcoming P&Z session.