After the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Isaias resulted in a high volume of power outages in Newtown, the Legislative Council canceled its regularly scheduled meeting on August 5. The council opted for a special meeting via teleconference on August 12, to proceed with the August 5 agenda.

Members continued their discussion about the potential referendum question to consider allowing housing within two existing buildings at the Fairfield Hills campus as part of Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee recommendation.

Legislative Council Chair Paul Lundquist said, “On this I did get some feedback and some input in the past couple of weeks from you folks. I shared what came together as a sort of revised proposed question.”

Throughout the process of coming to an agreement on the proposed ballot question, he said, he believes there has been the original version, two variations, and now the new proposed version created.

Each version has had slightly different wording.

He explained that the newest proposed version states, “Should the Town of Newtown consider commercial renovation proposals at the Fairfield Hills Campus that include a housing component, provided that any given proposals specify the housing component would be limited to no more than two of the existing buildings and that development is consistent with the architectural vision of the property?”

It is a Yes or No answer.

Legislative Council member Chris Smith said that he is concerned with using the words “renovation” or “restoration,” because they are specific construction terms in regard to keeping a building as is. He said it could limit what a developer may do.

He added that his preference for the updated wording would be to say “renovation/development” or just “development.”

Legislative Council member Cathy Reiss said, “I thought we were talking only about renovating specific existing buildings. Is that not true? We might have other development?”

It was clarified that only two existing buildings are being talked about in this ballot question, but that the word “renovation” specifies only working within a building’s existing frame. However, work may need to be done on and around the building.

Reiss said she liked including the term “renovation” and stated she preferred variation one, because it was “cleaner and less cumbersome.”

The variation she referenced states, “Should the Town of Newtown consider commercial development proposals at the Fairfield Hills Campus that include a housing component, provided that a housing component would be limited to no more than two of the existing buildings?”

First Selectmen Dan Rosenthal said he prefers having the inclusion about having the development keep the architectural vision of the property. Reiss said she does not mind including that part to the more streamlined variation she favors.

Discussion arose about adding more specifics, such as costs, to the question, to which Rosenthal said, “We talked about this a little when we last spoke on this. I think we’ve got to keep it as short and sweet as we can.”

Voter participation was available at the start and end of the meeting, but no public comments were made.

Lundquist said in preparation for the next meeting, he will add the word “development” to the potential ballot question and work to make the text more streamlined.

Since many residents have been following the formation of this potential ballot question, it was decided that the Legislative Council would hold off on voting on the matter until their next meeting, currently scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, at 7:30 pm.

For more information about upcoming Legislative Council meetings, visit newtown-ct.gov/legislative-council.