Will The Tech Park

Become A Military Base?

By Kendra Bobowick

First Selectman Joe Borst anticipated a phone call Tuesday that could settle where the military may — or may not — wish to locate a training base in Newtown. “I am waiting to get a call … that will tell if they’ll go ahead with the Tech Park or forget the whole thing,” he said.

The plot of land off Commerce Road slated for a technology park that is intended to boost the town’s economic development is of interest to military personnel, a site the Army turned to after officials rejected an offer to purchase the High Meadow at Fairfield Hills.

By Thursday morning Mr Borst was still waiting for a call that had not come as of 9 am. He had hoped to clear up some confusion — the military is interested in 13 acres of Tech Park land — with a March 10 letter he wrote that stated: “The Tech Park property is also not available to the government...” A shuffle through letters to and from the military and the first selectman reveal a mixed message: while the town rejects a proposal to purchase Tech Park land, a letter received by Mr Borst on March 19 finds the Department of the Army advising that the government “would like to pursue the possible acquisition” of Tech Park acreage.

The military is working to comply with the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission (BRAC) as area training bases close and the government seeks a new central location.

Tuesday evening’s anticipated phone call was critical. The first selectman’s contact, Colonel Keith Landry, who had signed the recent letter to Newtown, was in meetings that could make a difference to what happens in town. “They’re looking at the [BRAC] legislation for the whole country,” Mr Borst had learned. Would Newtown turn out to be a desired spot? As of early Thursday he did not know the answer. Although military contacts had said in the past that they wished to go where they were welcome, the possibility of a forced eminent domain acquisition of the property still worries local officials.

That prospect was in mind Tuesday morning as Land Use Director George Benson pointed to a map showing a grouping of would-be buildings if the town’s technology park plans progress. With his pen hovering above the rectangular buildings that could be displaced buy a military base, he said, “If they get [this parcel] it would be by eminent domain.”

With those words, which he repeated several times in less than an hour, he made another point: “We’re getting ready if they pursue this; we’re preparing. We’re not giving [land] to the Army, that’s not the plan,” he said, hoping to clarify a closer look officials have taken at maps of aquifer locations beneath the Tech Park, specifically.

Problems With The Tech Park Site

Unfolding additional site maps marked with red grids, blue lines, and boundary markings, Mr Benson and Land Use Deputy Director Rob Sibley pointed out conflicts the military could encounter — primarily, the town has plans for the space they want. The proposed technology park, a potential source for local economic development, is a series of would-be buildings sketched to form a cluster precisely on the spot the Army is eying (see related story in this issue). A military base would essentially “scrub the project,” Mr Benson said.

Below ground is another problem, for which the military may have to answer to the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA). The site sits atop a sole source aquifer. Is this a problem? Pushing back from the maps and considering the designation, which falls under the EPAs purview, Mr Benson answered, “We believe it is.” He added, “It would need a review by the EPA.” Mr Sibley agrees that the sole source aquifer “directly effects the Army itself,” and their proposed military base “deems review by the EPA.”

The EPA aside, local laws cannot bar the federal government. Mr Benson noted, “The site is completely within our aquifer protection zone, but they don’t have to abide by our local or state regulations.” Skeptical, Mr Benson said, “They could give us the courtesy, they said they would.” Legally, however, “They don’t have to,” he said.

Deadlines Loom

The military faces a fast approaching deadline to comply with BRAC requests. In his March 19 letter to Mr Borst, Colonel Landry wrote, “Due to the statutory deadline to complete BRAC projects no later than September 15, 2011, we face a very tight deadline to purchase land … to construct a reserve center. We respectfully request a response in the next 30 days.”

Citing the benefits to the local community based on a facility used by “residents of local communities who raise their families, operate businesses, and work at jobs in and around your community while they volunteer to support national defense …” Mr Landry later made a proposal.

He wrote: “The Army would like to host a public forum in conjunction with the selectmen to present information on our project … to alleviate any concerns.”

Questions still remain, including how much the town would benefit from the land sale. As Mr Benson and others have noted, the military does not pay taxes, the town would lose the technology park site and access to that parcel. Concerns of vehicle maintenance over the aquifer also arose during the land use meeting Tuesday.

Others feel, however, that Newtown ought to turn a patriotic eye to the military, as expressed during a recent afternoon meeting hosted by the selectmen. Several residents and business owners offered thoughts that the military members would benefit the local economy.

Project managers and Army Corps of Engineers representatives could not be reached for comment in time for publication.