Date: Fri 26-Jan-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

selectmen-development-roads

Full Text:

Right-Of-Way Question Sparks Debate On Development

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

The Board of Selectmen intends to ask the town attorney for an opinion on

whether the town can grant a developer the right to construct a road across a

strip of town-owned open space.

The issue of whether to allow Palmer-Mathison builders to build a road

connecting Alpine Circle with Jeremiah Road brought more than two dozen

residents to the selectmen's meeting at Town Hall South Monday night. Many had

come because of a letter written by Kim Danzinger, president of Danzinger

Homes, Inc., which was sent to residents in the neighborhood. In it, Mr

Danzinger warned that construction of the proposed road would turn Alpine

Circle into "the next Route 34."

While some residents lamented "the vanishing rural character" of their

neighborhood, others said the new road would provide a second access for

emergency vehicles to reach homes in the Riverside area.

"I'm quite appalled by this proposal," said Kurt Gillis of 30 Jeremiah Road.

"We will have increased traffic forever and the loss of rural character

forever. Let people buy existing homes. There should be a moratorium on new

construction or increased acreage requirements."

"There are 40 houses (in Riverside) that were cut off from emergency vehicles

for 12 hours when trees fell across the road after a storm last year," said

Michael McCarthy of Alpine Road. "If a house had caught fire, it would have

burned to the ground."

Larry Edwards, an engineer who represented P&M Builders at the meeting, said

the issue involves a proposal to build 17 homes on a piece of property which

fronts on Alpine Circle. There already are 13 homes on the dead-end road,

however, and local zoning regulations limit the number of lots on a cul de sac

to no more than 15.

"The Planning & Zoning Commission asked us to look for alternatives," Mr

Edwards said, noting that constructing a road to link Alpine Circle with

Jeremiah is one way to avoid a protracted lawsuit over the regulation.

Another developer, Excelsior, was represented by engineer Alan Shepard, who

said his clients intend to build eight homes on an adjacent piece of property

which also would be served by the new road. Mr Danzinger already has approval

to build 12 homes in a subdivision known as Stonewall Ridge off Jeremiah Road.

"Sandy Hook is becoming grossly overdeveloped," said Edward Kelleher of 59

Jeremiah Road. "There's a very good chance my son will have to attend

kindergarten in the Sandy Hook firehouse next year because of the effect of

this development on the schools. I think granting a developer use of this open

space for a road is a bad precedent to set. We're talking about a windfall for

a developer and the liklihood that more lots will be developed on land going

down toward Lake Zoar."

Mr Cascella said the narrow strip of land that the developers want to cross

was deeded to the town 12 years ago and is part of the trails and greenways

connections between town-owned open space.

"All we are looking for is the right to construct a road across this land -

not to buy it," said Mr Edwards. "We have already agreed to dedicate 12.3

acres of land (in the proposed subdivision) for open space, much more than the

three acres which is required.)

"It is good planning to connect roads instead of having cul de sacs with only

one access," Mr Edwards said. "The Sandy Hook fire department and the public

works department supports us and we are asking the police commission and the

emergency medical services for their opinion. We believe they will support the

need for a second access."

Mr Edwards said the existing route from Riverside through Pole Bridge Road to

Route 34 is 1.7 miles compared to 1.9 miles via a new road from Alpine Circle

to Jeremiah to Route 34.

"The new road involves turns and a steep hill," he said. "I believe a majority

of people in Riverside will continue to use Pole Bridge."

But David Frobey of Bennetts Bridge Road pointed out that the new road will

open a shortcut for traffic from Riverside via Bennetts Bridge Road to Route

34 toward New Haven.

Mr Cascella said that - all these issues aside - the real question is a

narrower one.

"Do we want to sell the land? Do we want to put a road into that neighborhood?

Will we create another Butterfield Road problem?," he asked.

The selectmen voted to table the matter until they can get an opinion from

Town Counsel David Grogins on the legality of allowing the road to cross

town-owned land. Even if the road eventually is approved by the selectmen, the

question would have to go to Legislative Council for its approval, then to a

vote at a town meeting.