Date: Fri 25-Apr-1997

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

P&Z-Meadow-Acres-Mathison

Full Text:

P&Z Considers Meadow Acres Resubdivision Request

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members are considering a request to

resubdivide an existing building lot into two building lots in the Meadow

Acres residential subdivision.

P&Z members took no action on the request following an April 17 public

hearing.

Applicants Robert and Kathryn Mathison want permission to resubdivide the

3.4-acre Lot 25/26 into Lot 25 and Lot 26 on Jo-Mar Drive in Meadow Acres.

Jo-Mar Drive is a loop road which extends off Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. A

section of Jo-Mar Drive runs parallel to Interstate 84, adjacent to its

westbound lanes.

Engineer Stuart Somers represented the Mathisons before the P&Z.

The proposed resubdivision will require the installation of a pump-powered

system for septic waste disposal, Mr Somers said. Such pumped systems are

allowed under town and state health codes, he noted.

Two three-bedroom houses are planned for the lot eyed for resubdivision, Mr

Somers said.

Mr Somers told P&Z members that the requested resubdivision would mark the end

of residential development for Jo-Mar Drive.

P&Z Vice Chairman Thomas Paisley, seated as the P&Z's chairman, sought public

comment on the Meadow Acres resubdivision, but no comments were made.

P&Z action on the resubdivision proposal is expected at an upcoming session.

In November, in a 2-to-1 vote, the P&Z approved the controversial Meadow

Acres, a 10-lot development on 20 acres on Jo-Mar Drive and Philo Curtis Road.

That approval requires the developers to avoid disturbing any archaeological

artifacts present on building lots by positioning houses, driveways, and

septic systems away from such artifacts. The approval also requires that lots

that contain any archaeological artifacts have specific deed restrictions

placed on them to avoid disturbing the artifacts.

The November approval granted by the P&Z amounts to a reconfiguration of a

previously-approved subdivision for the land.

At a September public hearing, residents living near Meadow Acres voiced many

environmental objections to the development project. The concerns included

that the construction of new houses would hurt area residents' quality of

life, pollute the air, damage the land, increase property taxes, hurt

archaeological sites, overcrowd local schools, impair public safety, and

generally damage the environment.

The original Meadow Acres subdivision gained town approval in the 1960s when

nearby Interstate 84 and the Iroquois natural gas transmission pipeline hadn't

yet been built.

The town and the developers plan to share the costs of some drainage

improvements for Philo Curtis Road in connection with the project. Those

improvements will be made on the deteriorated section of Philo Curtis Road

between Treadwell Park and I-84.

Eight of the lots in Meadow Acres are along Philo Curtis Road. Approving the

pending resubdivision request would make Meadow Acres an 11-lot development.

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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 25-Apr-1997

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