Upzoning Is A Debilitating Act

(The Bee has received for publication the following open letter to the Planning and Zoning Commission)

To the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission:

The passing of the upzoning regulation on September 7 by your commission represents the ultimate failure of the political process to work here in Newtown. You have taken the issue of Newtown’s need to provide services to the community affected and turned it into a repressive and debilitating act.

Why have you created a senseless roadblock for simple people who just want to make their lives better? Why have you alienated such a large group of Newtown residents over a phony environmental issue?

The only answer is that your stated purpose of slowing down growth in Newtown has been a failure over the last four years. Since you couldn’t beat up on the builders and developers, you stuck a knife in the side of Joe Homeowner in Sandy Hook.

Your planned expansion of this new regulation to many other Newtown homes will unfortunately raise the level of your indecency when it’s too late for the next batch of suckers to fight back, once the law is in effect.

For Newtown residents who are affected and are soon to be affected, your opportunity to remove the P&Z members who brought you this “gift” from our political electees will be at the voting booth in November 2001.

NPOA will be around to make sure everyone doesn’t forget…

Barry J Piesner, Director NPOA

38 Underhill Road, Sandy Hook                            September 8, 2000