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Newtown All Grown Up

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Newtown All Grown Up

To the Editor:

Recently, I received a forwarded e-mail. I don’t know the original author’s name, but he/she stated the problem with planning the future of Newtown is that Newtowners have not agreed on the “picture” of what they want Newtown to look like when all the useable land is developed. The H.C. Planning Consultants study, “Buildout Analysis & Population Projections,” 1998, reported a population projection of 33,770 by 2030, up from 27,430 in 2008 if zoning regulations remain unchanged. The senior population (65+) is expected to rise from 2,822 in 2010 to 5,558 in 2030.

Choices for Newtowners: Housing — mostly one- or two-acre single-family homes? Condos and apartments: many? few? Senior housing? Affordable housing for population diversity? Employment opportunities? Expanded manufacturing? Retail businesses? A minimall? Research facilities? An office park?

Quality of life issues: Recreation — More walking, biking, horseback riding trails? Neighborhood parks? A central park providing winter sports like skiing and ice skating; summer sports — playgrounds, playing fields, swimming pool, eating facilities, Others? Cultural: playhouse, artists/pottery enclave, movie theater, concert/opera center, Scrabble museum, historic houses, scenic views – open space?

Education: Will the school population increase? Should land for a future school site be purchased soon while such land is still available? Will Newtown High School, indeed all our school facilities, be adaptable to adequately house inevitable changes in the way education is delivered to students?

Financial choices: Rely on private developers? Use some public funding? Seek grants? Sell municipal bonds to raise money? Sell excess public buildings or public land like portions of FFH or town-owned open space? Raise local property taxes gradually and increase fees? Growth is painful. It’s people moving into town requiring town services that cause taxes to rise quickly. Can we be patient and accept slow progress?

Choices, choices! The FFH Master Plan Review Committee will soon release to the Board of Selectmen and the Legislative Council the results of their research and their recent online public opinion poll. Shortly after, the Planning and Zoning Commission is expected to vote on housing/no housing at Fairfield Hills.

What next? Hopefully, our leaders will take the next step: begin the creation of a long-range plan for the growth of Newtown. The unknowns are the major stumbling block. What will the maximum population be? How many children will use the public schools? How quickly will maximum population occur?

Let’s get busy. Now is the time to paint the “picture” of Newtown “all grown up.”

Ruby Johnson, PhD

16 Chestnut Hill Road, Sandy Hook                              July 13, 2011

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