Date: Fri 13-Sep-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Meadow-Acres-P&Z-Mathison

Full Text:

Neighbors Voice Concerns About Meadow Acres Development Plan

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Residents living near the proposed 10-lot Meadow Acres resubdivision in Sandy

Hook have voiced numerous environmental objections to the development

proposal.

Robert and Kathryn Mathison want to resubdivide a 20-acre parcel with frontage

on Philo Curtis Road and Jo-Mar Drive.

Attorney Angela Trombly of Jo-Mar Drive, representing the Meadows Acres Area

Association, voiced many of the concerns which area residents have about the

proposal at a September 5 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing.

The association is composed of residents in the area of Jo-Mar Drive, Philo

Curtis Road, Riverside Road, and Chimney Swift Road.

Stuart Somers, a Southbury civil engineer and land surveyor who represents the

Mathisons, said the original Meadow Acres subdivision gained town approval in

the 1960s when nearby Interstate-84 and Iroquois natural gas transmission

pipeline hadn't yet been built.

Two building lots would be located on Jo-Mar Drive, with the remaining eight

lots on Philo Curtis Road. The development would have more than two acres of

open space land.

There wouldn't be any adverse effects resulting from the development, Mr

Somers said. The town and the developers would share the costs of some

drainage improvements to Philo Curtis Road in connection with the project, he

said. Those improvements would be made on the section of Philo Curtis Road

lying between Interstate-84 and Treadwell Park.

The proposed resubdivision amounts to a reconfiguration of existing building

lots at the site, Mr Somers said. The Mathisons would build three-bedroom

houses in the development, he said.

Mr Somers told the commission that he expects the Mathisons would agree to a

request for an archaeological inspection of the land before construction.

In a letter to the P&Z, Nicholas Bellantoni, the state archaeologist, recently

wrote that two sites that were occupied by prehistoric people about 2,000

years ago are in the area, requiring that archaeological research be done

there before construction starts.

Attorney Michael Nahoum, representing the Mathisons, urged the P&Z to approve

the development proposal.

Ms Trombly told P&Z members that approving the resubdivision would hurt area

residents' quality of life, pollute the air, damage the land, increase taxes,

hurt archaeological sites, overcrowd local schools, impair public safety, and

generally damage the environment.

Newtown is being overdeveloped and subdivision applications are being approved

without sufficient consideration, she said. It is the P&Z's role to protect

residents, she said.

Ms Trombly urged the P&Z to grant the association a six-month time extension

to research the ramifications of the development project.

Ms Trombly charged that although the town has a 15-house limit on cul-de-sacs,

Jo-Mar Drive has 18 houses on it. Jo-Mar Drive connects only to Riverside

Road.

Ms Trombly said the Mathisons should pay for a study of noise and air

pollution in the area of the development. New development will adversely

affect existing water wells, she said. She also pointed out that any blasting

done for new home construction could damage the nearby Iroquois pipeline.

Barbara Obeda, an environmental analyst working for the association, said that

water pumping tests and bedrock fracture analyses should be performed to gauge

the volume of underground water supplies in the area. Wells should be drilled

before new houses are built to ensure water supplies for new residents, she

said.

The open space land proposed by the Mathisons isn't very useful, she said,

noting it is a wetland next to an interstate highway. She urged that tree

cutting be limited. Very steep slopes in the area could be dangerous to

children. If the original Meadow Acres subdivision was approved in 1963, why

is it taking so long to complete it, she asked.

Bob Miles of Jo-Mar Drive said he fears he will lose his water supply if a new

house is built near his house. He noted he has had to drill a second well to

maintain his water supply. "We are now getting overdeveloped in this area," he

said.

Dan Hogan of Jo-Mar Drive said he recently moved to the area because it's

quiet and is a good place to raise children. The two new houses proposed for

Jo-Mar Drive could be the beginning of yet more home building, he said. "We

should keep Newtown as attractive as possible, and not (be destroyed) in this

craze of overdevelopment."

Dennis Kyle of Jo-Mar Drive he has had to redrill his well twice to deal with

water supply problems. He suggested more construction will mean more problems.

P&Z Chairman Stephen Adams said the public hearing on Meadow Acres will be

held open until October 3 when the Meadow Acres Area Association may present

any expert testimony on the development issues.