Town Planning Director George Benson said this week the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) has given preliminary approval to the town’s proposal for a 1,500-foot-long driveway, which would extend from 6 Commerce Road, providing access to town land proposed for industrial development and to the planned Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary.

The town has long sought vehicular access to land it owns for industrial development, having gained a wetlands/watercourses protection permit for such a project from the town Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) in 2011, he said. Formerly known as “Tech Park,” the town’s industrial development concept is now called “Deep Brook West.”

The complicating factor in gaining DEEP approval for driveway construction has been the driveway’s need to cross the courses of two intermittent streams.

After the town receives final DEEP approval for the driveway, it would turn over the project to the town Economic Development Commission (EDC), which has been designated as the marketing agent for the sale of that town land for industrial development, Mr Benson said. The firm that eventually buys the land would then be able to use the DEEP-approved plans to construct the 1,500-foot driveway, he added.

Mr Benson said the town’s current conceptual plans for industrial development there reflect significantly less growth than previously proposed, with all development at the site, except for the wetlands crossings, lying at least 100 feet away from any wetlands. Construction cost estimates for the driveway and two wetlands crossings range from $500,000 to $1 million.

DEEP’s approval of driveway construction is subject to environmental review by the US Army Corps of Engineers.

‘Not In Limbo’

“It’s not in limbo any more,” said First Selectman Dan Rosenthal of DEEP’s preliminary approval for vehicular access to town land and the animal sanctuary via 6 Commerce Road.

The preliminary approval allows the town to start planning for development on the currently town-owned land, he said. Mr Rosenthal added that considering all the demands that are placed on local tax dollars, he does not expect taxpayers to immediately fund a new driveway.

Mr Rosenthal said he does not believe that the nonprofit Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation (CVHF) expects the town to immediately construct a driveway.

“I expect there would be some form of cost sharing,” he commented. “There’s no timetable for a driveway,” he said, adding that the town needs to sort out the expenses involved in constructing a driveway.

Mr Rosenthal said he expects that Jennifer Hubbard, the foundation’s president, would be excited about the town’s having gotten a preliminary driveway approval from DEEP.

The sanctuary would be constructed in the memory of Catherine, a first-grader who was one of the 26 people killed in the December 14, 2012, Sandy Hook School shooting. The young girl’s love of animals is the concept underlying the project.

Providing access to the animal sanctuary via the driveway fits in with the proposal to industrially develop the nearby land, the first selectman said. “We’d like to have robust marketing” for the industrial project, with the goal of increasing the municipal property tax base, he said.

Hubbard Response

Asked to comment on the town’s having gained preliminary DEEP approval for the access driveway, Ms Hubbard said August 14, “We would love to move forward.”

“I’m thrilled,” she said. One of the hurdles in getting the sanctuary project underway has been getting access approval for the site. Ms Hubbard noted that CVHF holds an easement from the town to cross 6 Commerce Road for access to the sanctuary site.

“We really need to coordinate with the town,” she said. CVHF wants to collaborate with the EDC, Mr Rosenthal, Mr Benson, and other town officials, she said.

“There’s so much complexity to it,” Ms Hubbard added, concerning the details involved in creating an animal sanctuary at the 34-acre Fairfield Hills site. In 2013, the state donated the agricultural acreage to the foundation, which had expressed its intention to create an animal sanctuary in town.

“We want to be careful and thoughtful” and work cooperatively with the town, Ms Hubbard commented.

The foundation would contribute funds toward construction of the driveway, she said, noting that past talks have concerned the cost of the driveway as a “shared cost.”

When the driveway would be built remains unclear, in that such a project involves spending, she said.

Some site work has been done at the animal sanctuary, including grading, building a retaining wall, installing drainage structures, and the restoration of a meadow, Ms Hubbard said.

History

In October 2017, following lengthy discussion and review, Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z) members unanimously approved three development applications from CVHF for the animal sanctuary off Old Farm Road.

The P&Z approved creation of a new land use zone known as the Animal Sanctuary Design District (ASDD); approved a change of zone for the 34-acre site from M-5 (Industrial) to ASDD zoning; and also approved a detailed site development plan and master plan for the project.

In June 2017, the IWC approved a wetlands/watercourses protection permit for the animal sanctuary.

The sanctuary would serve as a center for compassion and healing, focusing on animal rescue and refuge. The facility would have a veterinary center and a nature-based educational program and library. There would be a community garden. A farm-to-table cafe would be open the public. The group would sponsor conservation initiatives involving environmental education. Public trails would be available for hiking and dog walking.

A landscape architecture firm developed a planting plan keyed to environmental protection and to attracting butterflies to a butterfly garden.