Avalon Wants The Town To Help With A Sewer Deal

By Andrew Gorosko

Officials from the Avalon Bay Communities, Inc have asked the town to act as its agent in securing additional sewage treatment capacity to serve its proposed 304-unit complex in Hawleyville.

Currently, the town has an agreement with the city of Danbury for 150,000 gallons of daily capacity for economic development use in the Hawleyville sewer district. Avalon Bay’s proposed site – called Avalon at Newtown - lies just outside the district and some town officials do not consider its proposed luxury apartments to be economic development. Avalon Bay needs both sewer and water for its project and has made its request to the WPCA.

Seeming desperate to receive a sewage connection, Avalon Bay went before the Board of Selectmen Monday night with its request. According to its attorney, Joseph Williams, Avalon Bay is prepared to pay for any additional capacity the town might be able to negotiate from Danbury. The construction company said it would buy more than what it would really need, resulting in a net gain for the town. He added that the pipes running through Bethel to Newtown are big enough to handle up to 400,000 gallons per day. The infrastructure is there, the attorney said.

“We’re asking for a preliminary thumbs up to the WPCA from the Board of Selectmen,” Mr Williams said.

The Fuss & O’Neill engineering study indicated that Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Hawleyville Facilities Plan could generate up to 500,000 gallons per day, not including the Avalon property.

Mark Forlenza, Avalon’s senior development director, said Danbury has confirmed it has additional capacity to share, which would require negotiations between Newtown and Danbury. Avalon Bay’s proposed development “should be complimentary” to industrial/retail development and would be willing to pay for a study to convince the town of this fact, Mr Forlenza said. He estimates the proposed development would generate as much as $600,000 in tax revenue to the town.

“Why should we do this for you?” asked Selectmen Bill Brimmer. “If a smaller developer came in and asked for this we’d probably say, `no.’”

Mr Forlenza replied that Avalon Bay’s large size would allow it to help the economic development of the district move forward with contributions for necessary infrastructure.

“I was hoping the town would look at this as an opportunity for economic development,” Mr Forlenza said.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal said he and the town of Newtown are in favor of affordable housing and pointed to the town’s affordable housing regulations as proof. There is, he said, always the chance that the Planning & Zoning Commission might turn Avalon’s proposal down if its plans do not meet the regulations. Noting the stenographer present at Monday’s meeting on Avalon’s behalf, Mr Rosenthal wondered why he should help a company that could very well turn around and “stab us in the back” with a lawsuit against the town.

“I might be inclined to do this if you were willing to abide by our affordable housing regulations,” he said.

Mr Williams said the stenographer was not meant as a sign of hostility, but rather a standard practice in his firm.

Mr Rosenthal said he would need to see more “incentives” for the town before he agreed to meet with Danbury. The Board of Selectmen made a motion to authorize Mr Rosenthal to have additional discussions with Avalon Bay in regards to negotiations with Danbury.