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COMMENTARY: Save Fairfield Hills For Newtown

By Ruby Johnson

The Save Fairfield Hills for Newtown organization proposes that the town of

Newtown purchase the 185-acre core campus of Fairfield Hills. The most often

asked questions and the answers of the group follow.

Why Should the town buy Fairfield Hills?

Fairfield Hills is the last significant property in central Newtown. Town

ownership will ensure control over the development. It is the only way to

control growth. Without town ownership, developers can vary from their

original plans and challenge the legality of local zoning. An opinion survey

of Newtowners showed support for land and buildings for schools, town offices,

recreational facilities (including playing fields, gymnasium, trails, and open

space), senior housing and business and professional offices. With over one

million square feet and 185 acres, this property provides the town numerous

alternatives for current and future space needs. The benefits of centrally

locating the majority of town offices on Fairfield Hills property would be

ease of use by citizens, easy access, and creation of a town green for

community use and enjoyment similar to that of Ram's Pasture.

Why is the purchase important to the Newtown school system?

New home construction in Newtown has averaged about 200 homes per year for the

last five years. If this pace continues, the schools will see in excess of

95-100 school age children per year from this source alone. It is predicted

that new home construction in the future will continue at this pace. Also,

Sandy Hook elementary school is bulging with students. An elementary school on

the Fairfield Hills property would be a most reasonable solution. In addition,

there is room for the already proposed five/six school. The future is in the

children. Does Newtown ever want to go back to the late 1960's when the

current middle school operated on triple sessions housing grades 6, 7, 8, 9,

10, 11 and 12? It is important to be proactive rather than reactive.

Why is the purchase of Fairfield Hills important to Newtown recreation needs?

Currently, we have a drastic shortage of field space for sports and open space

for passive recreation needs in Newtown. Fairfield Hills could provide space

to meet some of these needs. Fairfield Hills currently boasts two baseball

fields, one softball field and one soccer field that the town utilizes. Some

of the projected developers eliminate these fields which are so necessary to

student and adult sports. Purchase of the property will allow uninterrupted

play plus allow the creation of additional fields. In addition, biking,

walking and riding trails can be created so that all Newtowners can safely

walk and ride while enjoying the natural setting that Fairfield Hills

provides.

What other recreation uses can be met with Fairfield Hills?

Plymouth Hall currently has a gym, large auditorium, bowling alley, and

meeting rooms. Park and Recreation could use these for classes and programs.

Plymouth Hall would give the town access to day and evening recreation

programs. It would allow Parks and Recreation to expand their programs to meet

the needs of the 4,500 school age children as well as adults. Bridgeport Hall

could be opened as community center, usable by many different groups such as

the Friends of the Library and teens.

Aren't the anticipated repair costs astronomical?

The big question is the asbestos. The "sale price offers" of the three

developers have stipulations. All three stipulate that the cost of removal or

encapsulation of all hazardous materials will be deducted from the sale price

offer. In effect, one way or another, the state must pay for the cost of

removal. The town must expect the same or equal agreement when it negotiates a

sale price with the state. The state is proceeding with further study of this

issue. On a recent tour of five of the buildings, it was noted that although

fresh paint and replacement of old windows are needed, the interiors are well

cared for and no damage to plaster was observed. The building walls consist of

two layers of brick, an air space and a third layer of brick. The result is

that the temperature inside the unheated buildings never goes below freezing.

What will it cost the town to buy Fairfield Hills?

We would expect the town to pay no more than a developer. The best estimate of

a purchase price at this time is between 1.5 and 2.5 million dollars. The

price is really minimal when you look at the current cost of desirable land

per acre plus the infrastructure costs and land improvements. Also, some funds

for the land purchase will be reimbursable under the Open Space Act. In

addition, the town must pay for conversion of buildings for schools, town

offices, playing fields, senior housing, assisted living housing or whatever

use we wish to make of the property. Town ownership allows the town to space

the completion of each goal as money becomes available. The cost of

refurbishing buildings that are designated for commercial use may be born by

either the town or by the business involved.

What will it cost if we don't purchase?

If Newtown does not purchase the property, the town would need to replace

current athletic fields at Fairfield Hills lost to developers at approximately

$50,000 per field plus property acquisition cost. In addition, according to

the Strategic Plan for Municipal Space Needs developed by Kaestle Boos

Architects, the cost for proposed renovations to the Edmond Town Hall, Town

Hall South and Newtown Hook and Ladder would be $20,245,000 not including

$4,500,000 in deferred maintenance costs. If the town bought Fairfield Hills

much of that cost could be avoided. Also, according to the same study the town

will require additional municipal office space in twenty years and there will

be no room for further expansion on this property. If a developer obtains the

property, costs to the town will go up for increased road maintenance, police,

and emergency services, landfill requirements and fire protection, perhaps

even necessitating a paid fire department. In addition, the town may have to

spend money defending lawsuits which might be filed if the developers abrogate

original agreements. Finally, costs for education will go up, partly because

the housing proposed by the developers calls for structures that could contain

some to many new children. Finally, if the town does not control Fairfield

Hills, there will be a cost for new land needed for additional schools.

How do you propose to manage 185 acres with buildings?

The Newtown public school system is run efficiently with well-maintained

buildings. The structure of one highly qualified person responsible as leader,

hired and directed by a Board of Education, is a model to consider. The town

could created a separate development corporation, public/private partnership

or town agency to administer development. A Fairfield Hills authority or trust

with well-defined authority and source of funding would hire a manager and

staff and oversee their performance. After carefully listening to the voices

of the townspeople, the authority would decide the direction for development.

It would decide how much land to keep for the town and how much to be

developed for business. Probably, the maintenance and construction work would

be done by a chosen development firm. The Richter Park Authority in Danbury,

Brass Mill Shopping Center plan in Waterbury, and the Aspetuck Land Trust in

Weston are being studied.

Is there a need for professional of office space at Fairfield Hills?

Currently there are no vacancies for this type of space in town. The buildings

at Fairfield Hills are large and therefore can offer varying spaces. An

Internet startup company may need 3,000 feet and an environmental testing lab

my have need for 5,000 feet. Some companies may need storage space on the

ground level with upper floor office space. Other types of companies attracted

to a multi-tenanted office building are graphic designers, computer software

firms, advertising and marketing companies, placement agencies and educational

firms. In addition, as a company grows, it can remain on campus by expanding

its space. By having an expanded business presence, more people can work as

well as live in town. This may lead to expanded business sponsorship of sports

and charitable activities.

What advantages will Fairfield Hills office space have over space available in

neighboring communities?

Due to lower costs of renovation over new construction, there will be a

competitive price advantage at Fairfield Hills. The campus atmosphere will

also prove attractive to many companies.

What have the surrounding towns done about acquiring open space to protect

themselves from over-development?

Trumbull, Monroe, Weston and Wilton actively seek to prevent over-development

by town purchase of land and their efforts have been strongly supported by

each first selectman. New Milford recently made a large land purchase for the

same reason.

(Ruby Johnson is a founder of the Save Fairfield Hills for Newtown

Organization.)