Date: Fri 20-Aug-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Monetssori-school-P&Z

Full Text:

P&Z Gets Plans For Montessori School On South Main St

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Newtown Montessori Society has submitted plans to the town to convert the

former Gordon Fraser Gallery at 173 South Main Street into the new home of

Newtown Montessori School.

The school is seeking a special exception go the zoning regulations to use the

commercial building as a private school to replace its crowded quarters in

Dodgingtown. A public hearing on the application will be scheduled.

In July, the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) approved a zoning amendment

requested by the Newtown Montessori Society which allowed it to proceed with

its planning to relocate the school.

According to the application to the P&Z filed this week, the proposed school

on the 8.7-acre site would have no effect on neighborhood property values. The

application lists 26 property owners with holdings within 500 feet of the

property who will be formally notified of the upcoming public hearing.

The society is under contract to buy the property from Golden Oak Investments,

Ltd, of England.

A key aspect of the application involves the effect the presence of a school

would have on area traffic.

A traffic report prepared for Montessori by traffic engineers I.K. Chann

Associates of Wilton indicates, "The proposed Newtown Montessori School can be

satisfactorily accommodated in terms of traffic operations and safety and will

have no adverse impact on any nearby area roads." Vehicle access to the school

would be from South Main Street. The property also has a rear driveway leading

from Pecks Lane.

According to Chann's traffic study, in the year 2000 the facility would

generate 102 morning peak hour vehicle trips and 68 afternoon peak hour trips,

based on a school size of 120 students. A 3 pm school dismissal time would

avoid the heavy traffic flow on South Main Street between 5 and 6 pm, it adds.

By 2004, the school is projected to have 265 students, a student population

which would generate 266 morning peak hour vehicle trips and 146 afternoon

peak hour trips. As it does now, the school would use car pooling and busing

to limit vehicle trips.

The traffic levels of service at the two intersections of Pecks Lane and South

Main Street would not change due to the presence of a school, according to

Chann.

The P&Z's July approval of the zoning amendment for Montessori came in the

face of opposition to the proposal from the Economic Development Commission

(EDC), whose members had recommended against approving the amendment because

they fear the local property tax base will be damaged by having a currently

taxed industrial building converted for use as a non-taxable private school.

The owners of the property currently pay about $43,000 annually in property

taxes.

In their motion to approve the zoning amendment, P&Z members decided, "Private

schools are found to be a community benefit which provide educational choice

for residents and enhance the quality of life in the community and the

region."

P&Z Chairman Daniel Fogliano has said that although schools are exempt from

paying local property taxes, the benefits of having the Montessori School

located on South Main Street far outweigh the loss of local tax revenue.

The school has an option to buy the former Fraser building, which has a $2.1

million price.