Wanted:

A Downtown At Fairfield Hills

To the Editor:

We all love our beautiful town, and the many rural characteristics we have here. I am, however, troubled and you should be too if you’ve been paying attention. A year ago I wrote to our Board of Selectmen and town officials regarding Fairfield Hills and what I see as an opportunity to create a downtown there. In an article in The News-Times a few weeks ago pertaining to village districts and the benefits they offer, I was happy to read that my senses are correct. In other towns like Brookfield, village districts are being encouraged. I read that Newtown is discussing this concept on Route 25. While I do believe that perhaps a village district can do many things, I don’t believe we fully understand the intention of a such a district. We all remember what a downtown feels like though, and I wish for one at Fairfield Hills.

Many of us understand our issues: congestion, traffic problems, more and more destination shopping, and services that are scattered all around town. This is all very troubling. There appears to be plenty of discussion about traffic on Queen Street, Church Hill Road, and Main Street but no real effort to try to focus a “downtown” at Fairfield Hills. This could begin to relieve the terrible strain on these streets. These areas need a relief valve. Fairfield Hills is in a perfect location; with I-84 servicing three exits into Newtown, we can all access Fairfield Hills/downtown with very little impact on our beautiful Main Street.

Look out Newtown, we may turn into Danbury/Waterbury with all its destinations. It’s time to ask our officials to begin to speak to this concept.

For Route 25, if I were on a town board, I would begin to encourage a mix of residential growth with minimal commercial/professional development along 25. If I owned property there I would be looking to the town to encourage this concept. If I owned a business/property, yes I would want to develop it but I would be willing to have apartments, condominiums as well. I would also encourage entries onto each adjoining property through a shared driveway access system that would reduce curb cuts onto Route 25, which in turn would reduce the traffic congestion.

As for the development on the corner of Church Hill Road and The Boulevard, this is another example of bad planning. Newtown unfortunately just added another destination at a horrible area of traffic congestion with Hawley School so close and the St Rose Church directly across the street from this project.

All this can change if our leaders begin to take action by encouraging a new direction for Fairfield Hills with a focus on beginning to minimize the growth on these important streets and encourage sensible planning at Fairfield Hills. Let’s build our downtown there and enable for more possibilities for our residents: ball fields, art center, playhouse, and a new town hall if we want it.

Wayne A. Addessi

25 Mt Nebo Road, Newtown                              December 22, 2006