Date: Fri 16-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

council-scenic-road-ordinance

Full Text:

Hearing On Scenic Road Ordinance Set June 18

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Town officials are now considering a new ordinance that would protect some of

Newtown's most picturesque roads from future alterations.

A public hearing will be held June 18 on a proposed scenic road ordinance that

many feel is a long time in coming.

The creation of a scenic road ordinance has been advocated by residents who

view rapid development as a threat to their quality of life.

Last summer Mae Schmidle of Echo Valley Road submitted a petition to the

council calling for an ordinance for the preservation and public safety of

Newtown's scenic back roads. Many of those who signed the petition have been

concerned about development in the area around Echo Valley Road, Tamarack Road

and Sanford Road.

"People were concerned about developers who went in and flattened and widened

roads. That frightened people," Mrs Schmidle said.

Prompted by the petition, the Legislative Council's ordinance committee then

began the framework for the ordinance in August. As proposed, the scenic road

ordinance would allow residents to request that their road be deemed scenic,

protecting it from speeders, billboards, jack hammers and anything else that

could threaten safety, the natural landscape and scenic beauty of the area.

"A lot of people are going to be happy with this ordinance, I think," said

Pierre Rochman.

Under state law, towns may designate local roads as scenic in order to

regulate future alterations and improvements such as widening of a

right-of-way, paving, grade changes, straightening and removal of stone walls

and mature trees.

The proposed ordinance gives authority to the Legislative Council to designate

and oversee all scenic roads. It authorizes the town to maintain the road,

making non-routine alterations only after receiving approval from the council.

In fact, improvements or alterations such as paving of dirt or gravel roads,

widening, change of grade, straightening, removal of structures or trees would

be required to go to a public hearing.

According to the proposed ordinance, the road cannot abut commercial property,

commercial development, or be in an area where there is extensive vehicular

traffic.

One or more of the following criteria must also be met for scenic road

designation:

1. road is unpaved;

2. road has mature trees;

3. road has stone walls;

4. road has scenic views;

5. road has surrounding lakes, ponds, rivers and streams.

The ordinance also requires that the road blend in naturally with the

surrounding terrain and be no more than 20 feet in width.

The ordinance also states that the section of road to be designated have a

minimum length of at least 30 percent of the length of the entire road; front

areas designated as parks, forests or conservation areas and front farmland.

According to the ordinance, the majority of the road's land owners must submit

a petition in order to request a scenic road designation.

There has been much discussion by the ordinance committee about how many

residents of a road would be needed in order to petition for a scenic road.

The owners of a majority of lot frontage and driveways abutting the road to be

designated must petition for scenic designation. Members of the ordinance

committee agreed to give each homeowner with frontage property an equal say

rather than giving the homeowner with the most land the most say.

According to the ordinance, the designation of a scenic road may be rescinded

by the Legislative Council using the same procedure required for designation.

The council will hold a public hearing on the issue at 7 pm June 18 in the

middle school library.