"I want you to hear something," resident Ann Astarita told Fairfield Hills Authority (FHA) members Monday night, January 25. The lower meeting room at Edmond Town Hall filled with sounds of the outdoors - insects, birds' whistles and chatter, wind, all added to the brief recording.

"What you listened to was a glimpse of meadow, June 14, 2014," she said. Ms Astarita had recorded the songs of sparrows, ravens, cardinals, starlings, and a bobolink, "a species of special concern," she said, at HIgh Meadow, an area within the Fairfield Hills campus that is being considered as the location for a permanent memorial to honor those killed on 12/14.

The meadow is a part of Newtown's preserved open space, which Ms Astarita noted in a letter to the authority, signed by nine others. Her letter noted that use of the High Meadow for a memorial "is inappropriate for a number of reasons." She highlighted points in her letter that the "property legally is protected open space." Her letter concludes: "Once developed, open space is lost forever."

Ms Astarita is among a small group of residents to approach town officials recently, responding to news that the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial Commission (SHPMC) has narrowed its search for a memorial location to the High Meadow as its first priority. The memorial will honor those killed on 12/14 at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

SHPMC Chairman Kyle Lyddy said his commission is currently moving ahead with its choice of locations, but will not make a final recommendation to the Board of Selectmen regarding a permanent memorial until a design is selected. No design for a memorial has yet come from the planning group, which has prompted past questions asking how the meadow site could be approved without knowing what the memorial will look like.

At its upcoming Thursday, February 11 meeting, the commission anticipates hearing from the town attorney and land use members about the possible legality of using the High Meadow for the memorial. The meeting is scheduled for at 7:30 pm at Newtown Municipal Center.

Meanwhile, as the January 25 Fairfield Hills Authority meeting continued, Land Use Director George Benson said, "Open space is not just for wildlife," but also for people to visit and see. He said he was among those in town who "helped get the open space preserved, and we kept open the option to use it as passive recreation, which includes driveways and parking lots."

A driveway and parking area are among the reasons listed in Ms Astarita's letter that will "compromise the express purpose of this area."

Ms Astarita had first submitted a letter to the Conservation Commission on December 14 arguing to maintain the area as open space. The commission later that night approved the location.

Ms Astarita, along with others who had signed the letter submitted to the Conservation Commission, attended the January 25 FHA meeting to again raise concerns. Although the SHPMC was on the meeting's agenda, FHA has no power over decisions regarding the memorial's placement.

Declaring a parcel as open space is "a long, deliberative process," during which past Conservation Commission members "spent years to establish," and that a driveway and parking area are "inconsistent" with the land's natural condition, Ms Astarita said. She wants to keep both High Meadow and the precedent for open space intact.

Garden Club of Newtown President Holly Kocet next addressed the authority, mentioning pollinating insects.

"There are so few habitats left," she said, which "should be preserved." Resident Dottie Evans said she "echoes" both Ms Kocet and Ms Astarita, and is "dismayed."

"There is a need for the Sandy Hook Permanent Memorial, but not in this place," Mrs Evans said.

The habitat is "beautiful," and "rare," she continued. "Why would we do this?" Mentioning the many people, young and old, that she sees near the High Meadow daily, Ms Evans asked, "Should we introduce this memorial to this scene?"

Mary Gaudet-Wilson was a conservation commissioner who had "worked hard" in establishing the High Meadow as open space. "It's a gem," she said. Regarding the large parcel with its scenic views, she said, "We don't need to bisect it with roads and parking."

The meadow, currently more of a grassland, could be turned into a true meadow with the memorial fund money, she said. "That would be a beautiful tribute to the children."

Karlyn Sturmer, a Conservation Commission member who had not voted in support of the commission's approval of SHPMC's High Meadow choice, was also among those signing the letter to the authority. She said last Monday that she feels the commission's mandate is to protect open space.

Responding to questions posed by authority members, Ms Astarita explained that "people and cars will impact the meadow."

The High Meadow has been maintained as grassland where birds fledge, Ms Astarita said, and she does not want to lose that capability.

Has the memorial commission been communicating with Ms Astarita and others with concerns?

"Yes," Ms Astarita said, but when she learned that they had chosen the High Meadow, she said, "It would have been a better conversation to have ahead of the choice."

Chairman Thomas Connors said, "I appreciate the passion," but he wanted "all to understand our role is limited." The members can offer input and opinion, "but we don't guide." He felt that "the relevance of the authority comes into question when something like this comes up."

James Bernardi asked if the families supported using the High Meadow.

"If the families want it there I would not want to tell them no," he said.

Mr Lyddy said, "We have had no opposition specific to the location at this time from the families."