How Do You Want Newtown To Grow?

To the Editor:

On January 15 the Planning and Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on its proposed “Ten Year Plan of Conservation and Development.” The P&Z members are conscientious volunteers who serve in a difficult position. They are knowledgeable and sensitive to the views of their constituents. They need to hear your opinions – how do you want Newtown to grow? Plan to attend their public meeting – Thursday, January 15, 7:30 pm at Canaan House.

Let’s find our what they have in mind when they recommend apartments above retail stores, accessory apartments in 1, 2, and 3-acres zones, and cluster housing. How do they expect to reach one stated goal, “Grow Newtown’s commercial property tax base at a rate at least equal to the town’s growth in its residential tax base”? (“Plan of Conservation and Development” p.2).

The people of Newtown has spoken: they want Fairfield Hills reserved for passive and active recreation, education, cultural arts, and town offices. Commercial development of FFH will prevent this fulfillment. Historically, Main Street, Queen Street and Church Hill Road serve as our town business and shopping center.

Further commercial development in Newtown should be located at: Commerce Park – the 38-acre parcel the state is giving to Newtown specifically for economic development; the Grand Union complex which has 45,826 square feet and pays about $56,000 in real property tax; and the vacant commercial buildings in Commerce Park, on Church Hill Road, South Main Street, Hawleyville, Dodgingtown and Sandy Hook.

Any business that comes into Fairfield Hills will be subsidized by our tax dollars. We are buying the land; it belongs to all of us. Do we want to spend our tax dollars buying land for business development? Is that the best use of FFH? How much tax revenue can we gain from Fairfield Hills if we lease one building to a developer? Leases of 25 or 50 years will severely restrict our use of the buildings for a long time.

A building at Fairfield Hills may be the most cost effective solution to the projected high school of almost 2000 by 2012. Only long term planning can prepare the town for a future enrollment of 2500-3000.

We don’t need developers or consultants. We need to agree and to make a commitment to dedicate FFH for municipal needs. At the Selectmen’s meeting of January 5, an attendee spoke eloquently, “Newtown is a unique place to live. Please don’t change it.”

Ruby Johnson

16 Chestnut Hill, Sandy Hook                                January 7, 2004