Date: Fri 03-Jan-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

real-estate-Hawleyville-plan

Full Text:

to go with map: Planning Consultant Peers Into Hawleyville's Future

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

A planning consultant has described several developmental scenarios for

Hawleyville extending toward the year 2017, creating a conceptual framework

for growth in the largely undeveloped section of town.

A projection of "recent historic market trends" indicates that during the

coming 20-year period, Hawleyville would see the development of about 210

single-family homes; between 32,900 and 41,125 square feet of new office

space; between 3,600 and 4,500 square feet of new industrial space; and

between 113,880 and 142,350 square feet of new store space, according to the

draft planning report.

The area studied generally lies to the north of Mt Pleasant Road, to the east

of the Bethel and Brookfield borders, to the west of Tunnel Road, and to the

south of Currituck Road. The area under study occupies about 1,200 acres or

approximately three percent of the town's land area.

Elizabeth Stocker, the town's community development director, said the

planning study will serve as a tool for the Planning and Zoning Commission

(P&Z) and other town agencies in making future land use decisions.

"It is, in a way, a means to implement of plan of development," she said.

The 1993 town plan of development describes broad development goals endorsed

by the P&Z.

The draft planning report was prepared by Barakos-Landino, Inc, of Hamden, for

the town and for the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO).

The draft report will be the subject of a public informational meeting

Tuesday, January 7, at 7:30 pm at the town's multipurpose building on

Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. Comments and suggestions made at the meeting

will be considered when the final draft of the planning study is written.

Regulatory Changes

"In order to accommodate this level of development, some redevelopment as well

as zoning revisions may be necessary. This would be particularly true in order

to accommodate the retail development. However, the existing B-2 zone on Route

6 and the M-4 zone in the Hawleyville center area could accommodate the bulk

of this retail development. Retail use in the M-4 zone is permitted in the

form of a shopping center with a minimum 10-acre site. The site currently

utilized for lumber transfer meets this minimum site requirement," according

to the report.

The current residential density in the study area is mostly minimum one- and

two-acre lots. At an average developmental density of 1.5 acres per housing

unit, the projected residential construction would absorb about 315 acres of

developable land, with an additional 60 acres used for roads and loss to

building lot layouts, according to the planning consultants.

Combined residential and non-residential construction during the next 20 years

is projected to absorb almost 400 acres of developable land, Barakos-Landino

says.

Developmental Scenarios

The planners say that development in Hawleyville could exceed their

projections for the next 20 years based on several factors because: sites

outside of Hawleyville may be absorbed; extending sanitary sewers to

Hawleyville would increase the prospects for development; land use rule

changes could be adopted to provide development incentives; and the town would

aggressively market Hawleyville as a development site.

Beyond the basic projections made based on "recent historic market trends,"

the Barakos-Landinos Design Group, for analytical purposes has conceptualized

the developmental potential of seven sub-areas within the Hawleyville area

leading up to the year 2017. These areas are now vacant or undeveloped and

have the potential for more intensive development.

AREA A is generally bounded by Route 6, Pocono Road and Old Hawleyville Road.

A possible general land use for the area is assisted-living facilities for the

elderly and various medical uses, according to Barakos-Landino. The planning

scenario projects construction of 150 assisted-living residential units and

50,000 square feet of medical offices during the next five years. In the

period stretching 5 to 15 years from now, the planners project the

construction of a 300,000-square-foot medical center.

AREA B is generally bounded by Route 25, Farrell Road, and the Maybrook

railroad tracks. The planners suggest low-density residential development for

the area due to significant environmental restrictions there. They propose

building 40 housing units during the period five to 15 years from now.

AREA C is generally bounded by Route 25, Route 6, Tunnel Road, and

Interstate-84. The planners project a major corporate office use and a

hotel/conference center, as well as some residential development. During the

next five years they suggest building 25 single-family houses and 300,000

square feet of corporate office space. During the period five to 15 years from

now, they project building an additional 330,000 square feet of corporate

office space and a 250-room hotel/conference center.

AREA D is generally bounded by Interstate-84, the Brookfield town line, the

railroad tracks and Old Hawleyville Road. The planners recommended residential

development at current zoning levels. They suggest building 20 housing units

there between five and 15 years from now.

AREA E is generally bounded by Barnabas Road, Tunnel Road, the railroad tracks

and Route 25. The planners suggest an industrial and warehousing use of that

area. They suggest building 100,000 square feet of industrial and distribution

space during the next five years; an additional 100,000 square feet of such

space between five and 15 years from now; plus another 100,000 square feet of

industrial and distribution space 15 or more years into the future.

AREA F has frontage on the north side of Route 6 between the Bethel town line

and Pocono Road. The planners recommend a modest amount of retail, restaurant

and service development, with controlled access to Route 6. They suggest

creating 15,000 square feet of restaurant space during the period five to 15

years from now. Also, they recommend 15,000 square feet of office/service

space being constructing more than 15 years from now.

AREA G is located east of Route 25 and comprises the current Hawleyville

Center. The planners recommend a mixed-use village center containing a

combination of governmental uses, services, and retail uses. The existing rail

service in the area should be a factor in future development there, according

to the planners. They propose creating 15,000 square feet of office space and

15,000 square feet of retail space there during the period 5 to 15 years from

now. Fifteen or more years from now, the planners suggest another 15,000

square feet of office space and another 15,000 square feet of retail space.

The planners also describe the types of transportation facility improvements

which would be necessary to support the potential growth of Hawleyville.

Such improvements would include the widening of the Interstate-84 bridge which

crosses over Hawleyville Road, as well as the widening of Hawleyville Road

near that bridge.

The planning report includes traffic engineering report made to learn what

physical improvements would needed for roads in Hawleyville if the area

develops.