Comments On

Open Space Subdivisions

The following letter to Planning and Zoning Commission chairman William O’Neil has been received for publication.

Dear Mr O’Neil:

I am unable to attend the public hearing and would like to enter this letter into the public record.

1. The density bonus contemplated of seven percent does not in actuality give any bonus density unless there is 15-lot subdivision potential. Therefore the proposed regulations will not offer any bonus/encouragement to pursue an Open Space Conservation Subdivision (OSCS). In order to encourage smaller OSCS, perhaps a greater density be given to smaller developments.

2. It appears that the regulations rely on the applicant to provide all of the technical expertise. As the Greater Bridgeport Council points out in their letter to the commission there is no one on the town’s staff with the technical expertise for OSCS applications. Before passing new regulations the commission should get a commitment from the selectmen and Legislative Council to fund a new town employee.

3. The regulations do not provide for adequate buffers between traditional subdivisions or farms and proposed OSCS. Consideration should be given to enlarging buffers where the clustered houses are within a certain proximity to other homes and businesses.

4. There are no community facilities provided for in the regulations for OSCS. As these houses are in close proximity to each other, there should be communal recreational facilities so that homeowners will not be encouraged to build the facilities on their limited lots.

5. Before we agree to a new lifestyle type development, we should carefully review the kind of regulations that exist for our traditional subdivisions.

A. We should consider abandoning the two front lots, one rear lot concept so that we could achieve more clustering that way (one front lot, one rear lot).

B. By requiring each lot on a road to have access from that “frontage,” we encourage many more driveways on public thoroughfares. By changing this regulation we can accomplish a “greenway” at the public road which is partially what OSCS is trying to create.

Yours truly,

Gary Tannenbaum

36 Pond Brook Road, Newtown                                    June 22, 2004