Date: Fri 23-Apr-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

horse-farm-Stone-Gate-Morgan

Full Text:

New Horse Farm Expansion Plan Again Draws Neighbor Criticisms

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Stone Gate Drive neighbors of a Sandy Hook horse farm that wants to build an

indoor horse arena strenuously opposed the horse farm's planned expansion on

quality-of-life issues at a Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public

hearing April 15.

Annette Ammentorp and Brian Sullivan of 5 Morgan Drive are seeking a special

exception to the zoning regulations to build a 10,368-square-foot indoor horse

riding ring, to board horses, and to train boarded horses and train their

riders. The farm also is seeking P&Z permission to build a 1,728-square-foot

addition to an existing barn and build a new 720-square-foot barn.

Morgan Drive is a short dead end street off Jeremiah Road, near Bennetts

Bridge Road.

Zoar Ridge Stables submitted its controversial expansion proposal to the P&Z

last year, but withdrew it because the plans were incomplete.

The farm resubmitted plans at a January public hearing, but withdrew them in

February in the face of intense neighborhood opposition to the expansion

project.

Since that withdrawal, the applicants have resolved zoning issues stemming

from failure to obtain town permits for past construction work and operation

of a horseback riding school.

Engineer Alan Shepard, representing the applicants, said the farm is seeking

P&Z approval to stable 28 horses, the maximum amount allowable under

applicable zoning regulations. Mr Shepard termed the application "a

low-intensity use" of the site in which only three percent of the property is

covered by development.

Boarded horses, which had been kept at the farm, have been removed from the

premises, he said.

In response to neighborhood concerns, the farm would remove some existing

outdoor lighting which neighbors have called objectionable and restrict

nighttime horseback riding to the proposed indoor arena, Ms Ammentorp said.

Ms Ammentorp said she wants to reopen the farm to horse boarding by this fall.

She added she's willing to close horse farm operations on Mondays in light of

neighbors' concerns.

Opposition

Attorney John Fallon of Fairfield informed P&Z members he represents the

Sapienzas, Conways, Jerrises and Maurers, all of Stone Gate Drive.

Mr Fallon told P&Z members he has collected enough letters of opposition to

the farm's application to increase the P&Z's minimum voting requirements to

approve the application.

"This isn't about horses, liking horses or not liking horses," Mr Fallon said.

The special exception application is about a major expansion of an existing

land use, expanding the family farm into a commercial horse stable, he said.

"What you're involved with here, with special exceptions, is balancing

people's rights and that's what zoning is all about," he said. Mr Fallon said

his clients don't object to how the horse farm has been used in the past, but

they do object to how it would be used in the future under the expansion

plans.

He charged that the application is incomplete and should be denied without

prejudice. The application doesn't include enough information about plantings,

about the training of horses and riders, and about the specific activities

proposed for the farm, he said.

P&Z members must consider whether the proposed expanded horse facility would

harmonize with the neighborhood and must consider its impact on local property

values, he said. Mr Fallon attacked the application on environmental grounds.

In light of increasing the number of horses kept on the property, he asked

"What is going to happen when it rains and all that manure is out there?'

He objected to the town health department's review of the proposal, terming it

"outlandish." The health department recommended that the P&Z approve the

project.

The proposal poses the potential for the contamination of nearby surface water

and domestic water wells with manure-laden stormwater runoff, the lawyer said.

He urged that the applicant provide a manure management plan and a plan for

erosion and sedimentation control.

"You don't have enough information to approve this application," he said,

adding the application isn't well-defined, is incomplete, and should be

denied. He termed the proposal a "dramatic intensification" of the farm's use

that seeks to commercialize the operation.

Mr Fallon said he had wanted to question the traffic engineer who prepared a

traffic study on behalf of the proposal, but the engineer wasn't present at

the hearing.

In his report, traffic engineer Irving Chann states "This modest increase of

traffic on Morgan Drive will not affect the capacity of Morgan Drive or its

intersection with Jeremiah Road."

P&Z member Heidi Winslow said if the application's opponents are going to

question aspects of the project as intervenors to the application, they should

provide expert testimony to support their claims.

Public Comment

Resident Donna Sapienza of 6 Stone Gate Drive stressed the farm did much

construction work in the past without obtaining required permits.

The expansion of farm activities came to light last year when Zoar Ridge

Stables advertised it would build an indoor horse ring.

"The area is too densely populated for a business of this magnitude," she

said.

Resident Judy Gardner of 47 Jeremiah Road said a pond on her property has been

filing up with silt since the farm did construction work. She asked if new

construction proposed for the site would lead to erosion and sedimentation

problems. Several years ago, the water well on her property became

contaminated, but the town health department couldn't determine why it

happened, she said.

"I oppose this. It doesn't seem like this (application) is thorough enough,"

she said.

Resident Meg Maurer of 2 Stone Gate Drive objected to the application for many

reasons. The application doesn't show the true magnitude of the envisioned

business, she said. Manure disposal isn't addressed in the application, she

added, saying her property and water well is adjacent to an area where farm

manure has been spread. She urged P&Z members to reject the application.

Resident Robert Abraham of 3 Stone Gate Drive opposed the application. Many

small children play on the street where horses from the farm walk and drop

manure, he said. Manure-laden stormwater runoff and the presence of flies pose

health issues, he said. "It's just ruining the character of the neighborhood,"

he said. The farm keeps many lights on at night, he said, adding that

increased activity at the farm will mean increased local traffic.

Chris Maurer of 2 Stone Gate Drive said the application is vague about how

many horseback riders would use the farm. Mr Maurer said it would be

unacceptable for nearby property owners to suffer decreased property values

due to the expansion of a business in a residential neighborhood. "I strongly

oppose the application," he said.

Resident Robert Sapienza of 6 Stone Gate Drive complained about the past

erection of nighttime lighting and a pole barn at the horse farm. Through his

efforts, the town issued a cease-and-desist order against the farm over its

doing work without obtaining permits, he said. Mr Sapienza criticized the

application as being too general. He objected to the farm's becoming a

commercial enterprise in a residential neighborhood.

Resident Jane Nickerson of 20 Bridle Path Trail of the Newtown Bridle Lands

Association said increasing residential development is making it difficult for

local horse farms to survive. Although the farm violated town land use rules

in the past, it is now making a good faith effort to observe the rules, she

said. She termed Zoar Ridge Stables a big, safe, clean operation that is a

model horse farm.

Resident Claudia Staley of Bennetts Bridge Road urged the approval of the

application as did Cara Gillespie of Taunton Hill Road.

Response

In response to the various criticisms of the farm's application, Mr Shepard

said the applicant will provide additional details on the proposal, including

a manure management plan.

Mr Shepard stressed the farm has corrected its past zoning violations. He

added the applicants understand the neighbors' concerns. Erosion won't be a

problem at the farm, he said, adding the applicants have an erosion and

sedimentation control plan.

P&Z members told the applicants to provide additional information on the

proposed indoor horse ring, landscaping plans, and manure management plans.

The health department is expected to rebut Mr Fallon's criticisms of its

review of the development proposal.

Also, the P&Z asked the proposal's opponents to substantiate their

environmental criticisms of the proposal.

The P&Z will continue the public hearing at an upcoming session.