Date: Fri 08-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

affordable-housing-legal

Full Text:

Newtown Reaches Across The State For Legal Representation

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

With the largest affordable housing development ever proposed in Newtown

currently before the Conservation Commission, First Selectman Bob Cascella

wants to make sure the town has the best legal representation possible.

But he has had to go across the state to find his man.

D&H Homes and Fairfield Homes Corporation have proposed a 100-house

development called Newtown Village on 32 acres between Berkshire Road and

Philo Curtis Road. The builders are currently seeking a wetlands construction

permit from the commission for the housing project. A hearing is scheduled

with the Conservation Commission next week.

As the first selectman points out, a lot of people in Newtown are leery about

the large number of homes in this development, given the density issue.

"This has the potential of having an enormous impact on the community," Mr

Cascella said. "I want to make sure the town is well protected."

But Town Attorney Dave Grogins of Cohen & Wolf Attorneys of Danbury, who would

normally represent the town in this matter, has a conflict of interest,

according to Mr Cascella, as does Robinson & Cole Attorneys, which also

handles some Newtown cases.

Instead, the Board of Selectmen Monday agreed to retain the services of

Attorney Tim Bates of the law firm BGBB&G of Groton, a noted land-use

attorney, who Mr Cascella expects will be a good man to represent the town in

this important matter.

Besides needing a wetlands construction license from the Conservation

Commission, the project would also need a special exception from the Planning

& Zoning Commission, according to town Environmental Official David Thompson.

Town affordable housing rules require that at least 20 percent of the units in

an affordable housing complex be designated as "affordable."

The affordable housing rules allow higher construction densities than

permitted in conventional subdivisions.

The proposed Newtown Village would be constructed on the site of the old

McCarthy gravel pit, aka "the pits," north of Berkshire Road, to the south of

Philo Curtis Road and to the west of Bishop Circle.