Dear Commissioners:

As a local homeowner I would like to express my concern regarding developer Guri Dauti’s application for an amendment to Newtown’s zoning regulations located at 95-99 Church Hill Road. If passed this could allow him to shoehorn 23 condos on four steep acres.

I live directly across the street from the proposed driveway and among the many concerns I have with this development the biggest one is safety. This location of Newtown currently shows up on the population map as bright red for greatest density. And as we know, great density means much traffic and increased danger.

In The Newtown Bee article “State Hopes to Improve Dangerous Local Intersections” dated April 4, 2002, the Church Hill Road / Exit 10 area is pinpointed as the highest traffic accident location in the entire State of Connecticut. “The DOT is looking at reducing some of the problems along Church Hill Road near Exit 10. This area ranks as one of the highest for accidents in the entire state.”

That was three years ago and we know the population has increased considerably in Newtown and Sandy Hook since that time. However in the official legal application that was submitted by the developer it states, “We do not believe that the traffic from a 23-unit residential community will have any negative impact to the safety or level of service on Church Hill Road.” WOW! I can’t think of anything further from the truth!

If each unit had only one car that would be 23 cars (a conservative number) but most likely it will be two–four extra cars per unit, which means anywhere from 69 to 92 cars residing on the side of the hill. Let’s not forget the additional vehicles going in and out of the proposed development’s single driveway onto Church Hill Road — everyday visitors and carpools, deliveries, landscapers, recycling and garbage trucks plus emergency vehicles. And of course, there are the school buses that will add to the congestion and further aggravate the dangerous traffic conditions and pose a serious safety threat to the neighborhood.

I simply ask that you please consider all of the potentially adverse affects this development would have to residents if this plan was approved.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Megan Williams

82 Church Hill Road, Sandy Hook                             April 4, 2006