Date: Fri 05-Feb-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

equine-hospital-Hawleyville

Full Text:

Equine Hospital Plan Gets Wetlands Permit

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Conservation Commission has modified a wetlands construction permit which

will allow a group of veterinarians to proceed with plans for construction of

an equine hospital in an industrial area off Barnabas Road in Hawleyville.

Conservation Commission members January 27 modified the wetlands construction

permit held by Barnabas Realty Group on behalf of Fairfield Equine Associates.

The realty group obtained the wetlands construction permit from the

Conservation Commission in 1991 in connection with the creation of the

industrial subdivision known as Hawleyville Industrial Park.

The modified wetlands permit allows less disturbance of wetland areas than the

original permit, according to Conservation Official C. Stephen Driver.

With a valid wetlands permit in hand, Fairfield Equine Associates will now

approach the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) seeking approval for a site

development plan for a horse hospital, adjacent to the Connecticut Light and

Power Company's Newtown Service Center.

The horse hospital application had been scheduled for P&Z consideration

January 21, but was postponed until the applicant could get the wetlands

approval from the Conservation Commission.

The group of six veterinarians specializing in horse care received a zoning

amendment from the P&Z in November which allows a veterinary hospital as a

permitted land use in M-1 industrial zone.

Although the town has three veterinary hospitals, until now such facilities

were not a permitted land use. Those veterinary hospitals are either

non-conforming land uses or allowed by a zoning variance. The zoning amendment

granted to the veterinarians defines a veterinary hospital as a facility for

the diagnosis, treatment, care, and confinement of animals.

The associates are now located in two places, with offices in Monroe and

surgery and hospital facilities in Easton. Construction of a new facility on

Barnabas Road would relocate and consolidate those facilities in Hawleyville,

attorney Francis Collins, representing the associates, has explained.

The associates propose a 14,000-square-foot building including 12 horse

stalls, offices, and an accessory apartment.

Dr Mark Baus, a veterinarian with Fairfield Equine Associates, has said the

practice has outgrown its two current locations. The practice collectively has

about 70 years experience in horse medicine, he said, providing care for show

horses from Fairfield and Westchester counties. Eventually, the associates

want to build a horse ring at the site.