Date: Fri 30-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Fairfield-Hills-P&Z

Full Text:

P&Z Weighs Plan To Rezone Fairfield Hills

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

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

rezone Fairfield Hills with an eye toward creating land use zones for

industrial development, land conservation, agriculture and the adaptive re-use

of existing buildings.

The current zoning at Fairfield Hills is residential, with most of the land

there designated as R-1, meaning that minimum one-acre lots would be required

for single-family house construction.

In December 1995, the state closed the former psychiatric institution that was

designed to serve 3,500 patients. Since then, the state has been seeking to

sell or lease the property to a tenant or tenants who would put it to new

uses. Such a sale or lease would put unneeded state facilities into active use

and raise state revenue.

Following the hospital's closure, P&Z members began considering what

development might occur at Fairfield Hills under its small-lot residential

zoning designation. The property's residential development potential prompted

P&Z members to form a subcommittee to research rezoning Fairfield Hills. That

subcommittee's work is the basis of the rezoning proposal now before the P&Z.

If the state retains ownership of Fairfield Hills, the town's rezoning of the

land would be a moot point because the state is not subject to town zoning

regulations. If the state were to sell the property, the new private owner or

owners would be subject to the new zoning designations, if the rezoning

proposal is adopted by the P&Z. If the state were to lease its property to a

private party, it is legally unclear whether new zoning designations would be

applicable.

Besides a map depicting the rezoning proposal for Fairfield Hills, a P&Z

subcommittee has developed proposed zoning regulations for a Fairfield Hills

Adaptive Reuse (FHAR) and Conservation/Agriculture (CA) zones.

FHAR

The Fairfield Hills Adaptive Reuse (FHAR) zone encourages the conversion and

reuse of the former hospital campus in harmony with the campus's character and

the surrounding neighborhood. The zone would allow the economic reuse of the

site while conserving the overall site design and campus layout. The intent is

to maintain the historic integrity of the campus.

The property is centrally located in Newtown. It is an environmentally

sensitive site, portions of which are located in the Pootatuck Aquifer

protection area.

The property's reuse should involve new structures which blend in with

existing historic structures while maintaining the environmental integrity of

the site, according to the subcommittee.

Under the proposal, the adaptive reuse of the campus would require a special

exception to the zoning regulations from the P&Z. Such reuse would require the

submission of a master plan, phasing plan, and the potential impact on

historic features, natural resources, and existing facilities. Also required

would be descriptions of the development plan's effect on the environment, the

aquifer, and the campus's character. Plans for traffic flow, parking,

pedestrian circulation, and landscaping also would be required.

The rezoning proposal includes a variety of permitted land uses, including:

stores, shopping centers, and wholesale centers, all limited to a maximum

40,000 square feet per tenant; schools with accessory housing; light

manufacturing; bulk storage and warehousing; office space; medical and dental

offices; laboratories; corporate headquarters; printing plants; laundries; dry

cleaners; publishers; restaurants; commercial and public recreational

facilities; museums; libraries; theaters; houses of worship; banks; hospitals;

multiple family dwellings which include affordable housing; adult congregate

living facilities; assisted living facilities for the elderly; multiple-family

elderly housing, and parking structures.

CA Zone

The subcommittee also proposes a Conservation/Agriculture (CA) Zone. That zone

is intended to provide for the long-term maintenance of land in an undeveloped

state by limiting its use to wildlife habitats, agriculture, foresting and

passive recreation.

The intent of such a zone is to protect existing and potential underground

drinking water supplies; preserve and protect plant, animal life and unique

natural features; promote aquatic life; maintain vistas; protect

archaeological sites; provide recreational opportunities; and retain

agricultural land uses.

Permitted uses in a CA zone would be crop farming, forestation, timbering,

hiking trails, wildlife habitat, nature preserves, and open space land.

Applicants who obtain a special exception from the P&Z could put land in a CA

zone to uses including bicycle trails, equestrian trails, playgrounds and

outdoor sports fields.

Subcommittee members are split over whether golf courses should be allowed in

a CA zone. Member Heidi Winslow favors allowing golf courses. Member Stephen

Adams opposes it. Member Elizabeth Stocker has taken no position on the

matter.

Under the subcommittee's proposal, a playground, outdoor sport field (or golf

course) in a CA zone would minimize the use of chemicals to control weeds and

pests and make minimal use of fertilizers.

Applicants for special permits in CA zones would have to submit a turf

management plan and environmental management plan which detail the steps to be

taken to avert damage caused by pesticides, fungicides, weed killers and

fertilizers.

Under the proposal, playgrounds, outdoor sports fields (or golf courses) could

not have pavement or have grandstands or bleachers. Accessory uses allowed in

CA zones would be greenhouses, parking areas and children's playgrounds. If

golf courses were allowed, they could have a maximum 3,000-square-foot

building for the repair, assembly and sale of golf equipment and sale of

luncheon food.

Presentation

In a presentation to the P&Z January 22, Ms Stocker recommended that the tip

of land at the northern end of Fairfield Hills have its zoning changed from

the current R-1 Residential to M-5 Industrial. That area includes the new

sewage treatment plant. It also includes approximately 37 acres which the

state is offering to the town for industrial development. The state has

offered to the town the land through a long-term, low-cost lease, or through

an outright sale.

The 23 acres to be given to the town by the state, the Governor's Horse Guard

area, and the 250 acres designated by the state for open space and agriculture

use at Fairfield Hills all would fall into the proposed CA zone, as would

Garner Correctional Institution.

About 100 acres at Fairfield Hills lie in the Borough of Newtown and are not

addressed by the rezoning proposal before the P&Z. The borough has its own

zoning commission. That land largely is in the area designated for open space

and agriculture by the state.

The approximately 150 acres in the "core campus" area of Fairfield Hills,

where most buildings are located, would be designated as the FHAR zone.

Ms Winslow said it is in the town's best interests for the core campus area to

become an active commercial/industrial area. But subcommittee members realize

there are physical limitations to that happening, such as the campus's steam

heating system, the closeness of buildings and the lack of parking. Although

more parking would be needed, subcommittee members want strict limits placed

on additional parking, she said. New uses of the campus might require removing

some buildings and building a parking garage, she said.

Currently, about 16 percent of the core campus is paved, she said.

Subcommittee members are considering allowing no more than 20 percent of the

core campus to be paved, she said.

Although the state would like to market an additional 120 open acres with the

150-acre core campus to prospective buyers, subcommittee members oppose that.

That 120 acres lie on the rolling hills southwest of the intersection of Mile

Hill Road and Nunnawauk Road. Subcommittee members propose that the 120 acres

fall into a CA zone.

The preservation of open areas is important, Mr Adams said, pointing out the

importance of protecting the Pootatuck Aquifer.

Under the subcommittee's proposal, the CA zone would be three times the size

of the FHAR zone.

OPM

Richard Nuclo, head of assets management for the state Office of Policy and

Management (OPM), said a consulting firm is conducting a study for the state

on the highest and best use of the property at Fairfield Hills. The firm,

Andersen Consulting, will be submitting a report within two months.

The consultants are studying the 150-acre core campus and the adjacent 120

acres, both of which lie south of Mile Hill Road.

Also, the state is preparing an application to subdivide land it owns along

the east side of Queen Street, he said. That land lies both in the borough and

the town.

When the land is subdivided, the state will sell the houses it owns there, as

well as new building lots, he said.

Ms Winslow said she has asked that state officials keep affordable housing in

mind when planning a subdivision.

P&Z members plan to conduct a discussion session on the Fairfield Hills

rezoning proposal, eventually hold a public hearing on it, and then act on it.