No One Is Singling

 Out The Monks

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to the Peaceful Monks Letter (“Singling Out The Monks,” Newtown Bee Letter Hive; May 2, 2008):

In case no one has caught you up on the ongoing issue with the monks and the Boggs Hill property owners, I just wanted to pass some info along. This has been going on for a long time. The monks bought property basically under false pretenses and made it seem five to seven monks were going to live in the neighborhood. They really wanted to tear down trees, make a large parking lot, put in very tall, invasive lighting for that parking lot, add an oversized building and put in a commercial septic tank on ten acres — of that only five which are actually useable because of water issues. Festivals with people coming from all over the East Coast would be held there — not only Connecticut.

You say you have only been in Newtown two years. Have you ever driven on Boggs Hill Road? It is not a road for a lot of cars. It is a quiet, residential neighborhood. I am absolutely positive you would not want this to be built on Bennetts Bridge Road and if you took a poll on your street, your neighbors would probably not be thrilled either. This has been to the State Supreme Court and to the Supreme Court and they both do not see any religious persecution happening here, disguised or otherwise. The people who are property owners have rights too. The zoning does not exist for a new building of that size in that neighborhood and why should the zoning be changed for such a disruption? Houses of worship belong on major thoroughfares with double yellow lines and traffic signals.

No one is “singling out the monks.” They chose to move there and they are causing the disruption. They have been warned about gatherings that are noisy and they have chosen to be defiant. They are supposed to abide by the laws in place, just like everyone else. This is a zoning issue. Zoning laws should be adhered to, otherwise why bother having them? How would you like a Costco in your neighborhood? Zoning doesn’t allow them either.

JoAnne Barnhart

Brushy Hill Road, Newtown                                               May 5, 2008