Newtown Can’t Afford To

Pass Up Fairfield Hills

To the Editor:

The Town of Newtown cannot afford not to buy Fairfield Hills from the State of Connecticut.

I attended the meeting on September 21 regarding the three proposals on Fairfield Hills. I was deeply disturbed by some of the suggested usage by each of the developers.

The Town of Newtown over the past few years is averaging 200 new homes per year. This breaks down to 1.5 children per household, or 300 new students per year for our overcrowded school system. We certainly don’t need any additional housing which Wilder Balter and Spectrum Skawska, two of the developers have proposed.

The proposal by Becker & Becker contains some good uses for the existing buildings at Fairfield Hills. However, the idea of “leasing” these buildings back to the Town of Newtown is unwise and unacceptable.

The Town of Newtown should buy Fairfield Hills from the State of Connecticut, and hire its own developer to fit the needs of Newtown. What will help pay for these needs? Commercial development such as a YMCA, boutique shops, and industrial offices all will help pay the way. Old mill buildings in the towns of Southbridge and Sturbridge, Mass., have been successfully converted.

The Board of Education, and Dr Reed should go ahead with an architectural study of the Cochran House at Fairfield Hills. I cannot believe that Becker & Becker and not the Town of Newtown cannot receive equity raised through historic tax credits, or that federal or state grants are not available to the Town of Newtown for our 5-6 grade school.

Town Hall South is under another drainage repair project to divert water away from the building’s foundation. It will never work! Use one, two, three buildings at Fairfield Hills for a new police station, and town offices, and they still will be located in the center of town.

With the need of our growing youth population, I see the need for a new youth center to replace the dismal center on Church Hill Road. I see the need for more ball fields for our youngsters. The Town of Southbury is purchasing the 68-acre Berry Farm for $1.5 million, and the town anticipates that the Parks and Recreation Department will spend $200,000 a year for the next five years to develop this property. The City of Danbury is buying 100 acres of land to expand Terrywile Park. The Town of Ridgefield is also involved in buying open space. The Town of Newtown must also follow this wise course. What is the budget of our Parks and Recreation Department? With the growth of Newtown, you cannot expect to hold taxes at zero or near zero increase.

Fairfield Hills is one of Newtown’s heritages. Don’t let it slip through our fingers. Everyone benefits when we own this beautiful open space. We should recognize the fact that it will take 10 to 20 years to completely develop this lovely piece of land to meet Newtown’s best interests.

Sincerely Yours,

Donald L. Ferris

62 Apple Blossom Lane, Newtown        October 19, 1999