To the Editor:

The Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Commission surveyed over 1,800 residents for their vision of Fairfield Hills. That’s a huge sampling considering only 2,800 residents turned out for the annual budget vote. Those surveyed made it abundantly clear what they thought of housing, all types, on Fairfield Hills. In the summary report, the Master Plan Review Commission wrote that in all cases, the support for housing was less than 24 percent (and in most configurations, under 16 percent), while the survey showed that Total Unfavorable votes were above 71 percent and as high as 75 percent unfavorable. Mixed use housing was 24 percent favorable and 64 percent unfavorable.

Not much to misunderstand: the vast and overwhelming majority of residents in Newtown are against housing on the Fairfield Hills campus.

So it’s a little hard to understand how the commission voted to have mixed use housing in two buildings on Fairfield Hills, with no limit on the number of apartments. What don’t they understand about what the town wants and doesn’t want?

If the commission felt a compromise was in order, they were misinformed. When 51 percent of the voters vote down a budget, it doesn’t pass. When the First Selectman gets 70 percent of the votes, he doesn’t serve for just 70 percent of the time he is approved. How does the commission conclude that a few buildings, with no restrictions of the number of apartments, is justified, based on the survey votes?

Their recommendation is a thumb in the voters’ eyes. They should have skipped asking what the residents wanted and just give the commercial builders what they want: apartments above commercial space so they can make larger profits.

The commissioner’s recommendations now go to other boards; let’s hope they can read a little better than the Review Commission.

Bruce Walczak

12 Glover Avenue, Newtown         July 17, 2019