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GENNEWS / LIBRARY

Hearing Set On Rewritten Scenic Road Ordinance

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Just as there are no guarantees in life, there are also no guarantees that

your road will receive scenic road status.

That has been the case ever since the Legislative Council enacted the

ordinance creating "scenic roads" in Newtown more than two years ago. This

important point was apparently not made clear in the ordinance, however, and

it has caused misunderstanding and hard feelings with some residents ever

since.

On February 17, the council will conduct a public hearing to revise the

ordinance. The Wednesday night hearing will begin at 7:30 pm in the meeting

room at the Cyrenius Booth Library. No major changes are being proposed - just

a simple clause to remind residents that there are "no guarantees," even if

your road meets all of the criteria.

Many Washbrook Road residents say the revised ordinance is in direct conflict

with the intent and spirit of the enabling state statute.

In a recent letter to The Bee, Washbrook Road resident Don Hammalian stated

that the rewritten ordinance conveys a strong underlying message to residents

of such roads. The message is: "We don't care if 100 percent of residents want

it, and that your road meets the criteria. You really don't have a voice in

this matter. We make the decisions and we don't have to explain them."

Some residents are asking the council to rewrite the ordinance again,

eliminating its perceived subjectivity.

Council chairman Pierre Rochman shakes off all the criticism leveled at his

board over the issue. He believes the scenic road ordinance is a good one. He

indicated that anyone who says the council does not care what the residents

think is wrong.

"Just because we don't agree with them doesn't mean they don't have a voice,"

he said. "The revision only clarifies the fact that meeting the criteria does

not mean you automatically become designated. You would not even be considered

unless you met the criteria. The Washbrook Road residents don't understand

that."

The council took on the responsibility of deciding which roads should be

deemed scenic because it is the most broad-based body in town. It is

represented by district and by both political parties.

Some residents are appealing to the council to defeat the revision and that it

go back to the "drawing board" and try again, perhaps with citizen involvement

next time.

To date, only one road, Sanford Road, has received scenic road status in

Newtown.