P&Z Reviewing Fairfield Hills Report On Future Land Uses

By Andrew Gorosko

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members are reviewing the recent report of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee (MPRC) in seeking to learn how that former ad hoc panel’s review of the Fairfield Hills Master Plan relates to the land use planning and regulation of Fairfield Hills as overseen by the P&Z.

As the town’s and the borough’s planning agency, the P&Z formulates a decennial advisory planning document known as the Town Plan of Conservation and Development, which lists a range of planning goals and objectives for the town and the borough, including preferred land uses at Fairfield Hills.

The P&Z is in the midst of updating the 2004 town plan, with the goal of completing the document by the end of 2012.

Sections of Fairfield Hills fall under the Fairfield Hills Adaptive Reuse (FHAR) zone. The FHAR zoning rules are intended to permit the conversion and reuse of buildings in a manner in harmony with the campus and the surrounding neighborhood. The town purchased the 186-acre former psychiatric hospital from the state for $3.9 million in 2004.

The Board of Selectmen has referred the 122-page MPRC report to the P&Z for review, P&Z Chairman Lilla Dean told P&Z members December 1.

Ms Dean said it appears unclear what “accepting” that report entails. “I’m a little unclear on what ‘accepting’ this [report] means,” she said. She said she has some questions concerning certain statistics pertaining to Fairfield Hills, as specified in the report.

P&Z member Robert Mulholland pointed out that both the selectmen and Legislative Council members have accepted the MPRC report.

Of the overall MPRC report, Ms Dean observed, “They [MPRC] certainly did a very thorough job.”

Ms Dean noted that among members of the public, there appears to be a divergence of public opinion as to the best future uses of the Fairfield Hills, including uses as parkland, local governmental facilities, factory sites, and a golf course. It does not appear that a majority of people ever are able to agree on the best future major uses of Fairfield Hills, she said.

Ms Dean pointed out that under current local regulations the town is prohibited from selling any property that it owns at Fairfield Hills.

“Fairfield Hills is really the ‘crown jewel’ of Newtown. You’ve got to be really careful about what you do here,” said P&Z members Michael Porco, Sr.

Mr Mulholland noted that any demolition that the town would conduct at Fairfield Hills is an expensive proposition. Such demolition is complicated due to the presence of toxic lead paint and asbestos in the buildings that were generally built in the 1930s when such building materials were commonly used.

Ms Dean said that if current economic hard times should continue for another several years, the original buildings at Fairfield Hills that remain would deteriorate even further than they have so far, casting in doubt whether the structure ever could be put to new uses under the FHAR zoning rules.

Mr Mulholland urged that the P&Z consider how the MPRC report, the original Fairfield Hills Master Plan, and the P&Z’s land use regulations covering Fairfield Hills interrelate to one another in fashioning a formal response to the MPRC report.

Ms Dean said she will inform the selectmen that considering that the P&Z has two new members who were seated on December 1, the P&Z needs more time to review the comprehensive MPRC report, after which the P&Z would formally comment on the report.

According to the vision statement listed by MPRC members in their report: “We envision Fairfield Hills as a vibrant sustainable destination where all members of the community can go to enjoy recreational, social, cultural, indoor and outdoor activities. The campus provides a home for some municipal services and a gathering place for a variety of townwide events. Small retail stores, restaurants, and professional offices are nestled harmoniously within the campus. The well-designed campus connects the history of the site with its future, with the town maintaining overall control of the property and preserving the campus environment and architectural style.”

P&Z members are expected to discuss the MPRC report at an upcoming session.