To the Editor:

The Planning & Zoning Commission usually gets attention only when a big new project is going through the town approval process. While there are meetings of various town bodies involved, public hearings, and many social media comments posted, sometimes people feel excluded from the process and not heard.

Most of us care deeply about Newtown and want to preserve its open space and small-town appearance while still holding the line on taxes, maintaining our excellent schools, and keeping up our town services. Newtown has been very lucky to have many residents who contribute lots of time, effort, and experience to volunteer positions serving the community, but they can’t do it without citizen input.

You will hear a lot in the coming months about the Plan for Conservation and Development (POCD), a document that has and will continue guiding Newtown’s development. Public participation is critical to maintaining a useful plan. So, go to a meeting, take a survey, talk to your neighbors, or send an e-mail. Or take the time to flip through the 2014 edition of the POCD on the Town website. It’s interesting and you’ll learn something about Newtown.

We will also soon consider, as a community, a number of high-profile development projects.

Fairfield Hills may be changing, several housing developments are under consideration, and there are always discussions about preserving open space and adding different types of commercial development. Don’t wait until something pops up in your neighborhood or near your favorite bike path or trail to wonder how it got there. Our town boards and commissions ache for your input. Let them hear your voice. It doesn’t take much to make a difference, and it doesn’t have to be contentious.

Peter Schwarz

Newtown