Master Plan Is A

Reasonable Guide For The Town

To the Editor:

As a member of the Fairfield Hills Ad Hoc Committee I would like to set the record straight. These are the facts about the plan and how they relate to the town meeting vote held in June 2001.

The vote was to have a campus that contained substantial open space inclusive of active playing fields and passive open space. The plan provides:

*Open space –– 140 acres compared to the current 112.

*13 buildings versus 31

*12 athletic playing fields and a network of trails.

*The buildings to be removed are in the worst shape and are not usable in their present form.

The vote called for one or more of the existing structures to be adapted for use as town offices and possibly educational uses.

The plan provides options for renovation or new construction. The council chose new construction to house town administrative services. New construction is estimated to cost $745,000 more than renovation of Shelton House, however the possibility of incurring greater costs from unknown construction risks due to long-term neglect was felt to be too great.

The vote indicated that the campus contain some revenue-generating economic development activities. The plan calls for a mixed use, which complements the municipal uses and is a far cry from an office park! There are those that say you need a lot of commercial building to matter. I would like to ask you if any of you would refuse an increase in pay? I would guess not. Then why would you refuse the possibility of adding to the towns tax base and reducing your tax burden?

The committee carefully considered the input of the public, architects, planners, and other experts. After much deliberation the plan contains several options for current and future actions preserving the significant buildings to allow for flexibility in the future. Plymouth and Bridgeport halls have been set aside for the town to decide whether to take on the buildings as a public facility, adding to our tax base, or to allow a private use of the buildings in conjunction with public use, thus allowing for revenue and use to the town. One site has been reserved for the Board of Education to handle the need for additional high school classrooms or whatever the need may be in the years to come.

The vote charges us with the responsibility to provide a plan that preserves the campus environment with the town maintaining overall control of the campus. This plan does just that! The Planning and Zoning Commission must approve all development.  It is my understanding that the people will have a say in the leasing of any property.

So you see that a vote is not the final say on what gets put on this property. A Yes vote says that you think the plan is a reasonable guide for the town to use in future planning by future generations to make our community continue to be a strong, vital, and effective part of our lives and the lives of the our children.

If you vote No, what will be next? Start over? Will there be fields in the next plan? Will there be trails or a town hall? Will there be additional municipal costs added to the next plan that will be the burden of the taxpayers?

I believe we have a good plan that allows for the current needs of the town with the flexibility to help the town provide for additional uses and needs as the funds become available and the future unfolds. The plan does all this within the $20 million allotted in the vote.

Now we have nothing –– give us a plan to work for our future.

I urge you to vote Yes on August 12.

John J. Martocci

4 Pinnacle Drive, Newtown                                         August 6, 2003