Date: Fri 17-Apr-1998

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Conservation-wetlands-

Full Text:

Wetlands Hearing Set On Homesteads Plan

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

The Conservation Commission has scheduled a public hearing on the wetlands

construction aspects of a proposal to build 300 age-restricted housing units

on a 60-acre parcel on Mt Pleasant Road in Hawleyville.

The hearing is scheduled for 7:30 pm Wednesday, April 22, at the town land use

offices in Canaan House at Fairfield Hills.

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members March 19 swiftly approved a zone

change requested by The Homesteads at Newtown, LLC, thus letting the

development group proceed with detailed development planning on its proposed

300-unit complex.

Applicant Dr Morton Silberstein received a change of zone for about 60 acres

off Mt Pleasant Road, altering that land's development designation from (R-1)

and (R-2) Residential to (EH-10) Elderly Housing.

The project requires a wetlands construction permit from the Conservation

Commission and a special exception to the zoning regulations for a site

development plan from the P&Z.

Converting the zoning designation of the property places more limitations on

how the land can be developed.

Concerns that were raised at a past P&Z public hearing about the developers'

proposal to extend an emergency accessway from the site to Pocono Road will be

addressed when the P&Z reviews the site plan for the proposed 300 housing

units.

Although generally acknowledging that providing age-restricted housing is

worthwhile, some residents who live near the site say such a facility would

make their lives more difficult.

The residents' concerns focus on: a proposal to create an emergency accessway

to the site from the narrow, unlit, deteriorated Pocono Road; increased

property taxes; increased traffic; the visibility of the development; how it

would be illuminated at night; fire safety questions; and whether other

properties in the area would be required to connect to a municipal sanitary

sewer that would serve the complex.

Wetlands Issues

In his application pending before the Conservation Commission, Dr Silberstein

wants permission to place clean earthen fill along the edge of some wetlands,

install two stormwater culverts, build a stormwater retention basin, and

stabilize four areas along a streambank to accommodate the grading associated

with the construction of roadways on the site.

Most of the site is a vacant former gravel mine. The property is north of Mt

Pleasant Road, south of Old Hawleyville Road and Interstate 84, east of the

Bethel town line, and west of Pocono Road. Most of the site lies to the north,

northeast, and northwest of Grace Christian Fellowship and Newtown

Professional Building.

The complex would include 100 assisted-living units which are for the elderly

needing the highest level of care; 160 congregate-housing units for those

requiring less care; and 40 independent-living apartments for the elderly

requiring even lower care levels.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 17-Apr-1998

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