Plans for progress at the Catherine Violet Hubbard Animal Sanctuary have prompted concerns with Conservation Commission members and a handful of environmental-minded residents who spoke out last week.

During the September 11 Conservation Commission meeting, First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, Jenny Hubbard — who, along with husband Matthew, created the sanctuary and Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation in their daughter’s memory — and architect Philip Hubbard (no relation) discussed site work at the sanctuary location on a hillside sitting above Deep Brook, past the Newtown dog park. The 34-acre parcel is where the Hubbards plan to build a sanctuary in phases, which could include a welcome center and centers for feline and canine care.

“The Hubbard Foundation is trying to bring a project to fruition … long-term, it will benefit the community,” Mr Rosenthal said.

Plans seek temporary access to the sanctuary to do “limited work” on the site in preparations for future sanctuary construction. Mr Rosenthal explained that plans sought access for a four-month period to use the accessway via a bridge that crosses Deep Brook just below the dog park, before the roadway heads up the hill to the sanctuary location.

Mr Rosenthal said a reinforcement bridge could “add another layer” to the existing bridge in order to accommodate tri-axle trucks to carry loads to the sanctuary.

Frequent truck traffic would move through the area during the several months of work.

Regarding the increased activity on town-owned land that also welcomes pedestrians, horse-back-riding, and more on land bordering Deep Brook, which is a class I trout habitat, Mr Rosenthal said, “I think we’re all trying to be good stewards.”

Earlier, during brief public comment, Candlewood Valley Trout Unlimited (TU) and Pootatuck Watershed Association (PWA) member and resident Joe Hovious noted that the Deep Brook’s brook trout are “very sensitive,” noting various spills or contaminations that in past years had decreased the stream life. He also noted the success of more recent projects to reintroduce a breeding trout population into Deep Brook.

“The point is, we have a special resource that needs to be protected,” Mr Hovious said.

Trout Unlimited member Steve Zakur said his group partnered with the PWA to focus on Deep Brook, “and improve the habitat that has had ups and downs, mostly because of human activity.” The stream’s health is “on the rebound,” he said. “When left alone, it does well.”

He said that dump-truck trips across the bridge and activity in the area, despite intentions, could harm the brook.

Commission Chairman Holly Kocet asked, “What’s the urgency?” to do the proposed work.

“The ask is to do site work,” so investors “can get an idea of where buildings will go,” Phil Hubbard said. He also noted that during a fundraising process, “We need to show progress.”

Commissioner Cindy Joyce said, “I don’t understand how this would not affect Deep Brook.” She said, “Our sole purpose is to protect open space.”

Mr Hubbard said, “We’re a sanctuary; we don’t want to harm Deep Brook.”

“I need to understand a lot more about what would be done,” Ms Joyce commented.

“We want to drive over the bridge; we’re looking for your reaction to cross the bridge for construction access,” Mr Hubbard said.

Questions about building a new road to the sanctuary or accessing it another way, possibly from the end of Commerce Drive, which borders Deep Brook, proved not to be viable options at the moment, Mr Hubbard said.

Concerned about disrupting pedestrian traffic, Ms Joyce said the frequent trips of trucks carrying fill and stone possibly every 12 minutes was “insane.”

Concerns Voiced

Resident Michael Fatse was “concerned about degradation” of an already crumbling roadway that leads past the dog park, crosses the bridge over Deep Brook, then leads uphill to the sanctuary.

“We’re talking 20 trucks a day, two trucks an hour,” Mr Hubbard said. Regarding pedestrians, he said, “The Foundation is committed to having public traffic.”

Ms Hubbard added, “We were assured that access would not be an issue, and that proved not to be true.”

Ms Kocet wanted to know more about a “butler” bridge that would temporarily go over the current bridge. Little is known about the current bridge’s construction.

Questions arose regarding who would pay to fix a further degraded road. “We’ll post a bond, button this up legally so the town is protected,” Mr Rosenthal said. He also noted that he did not want to leave the Hubbards with land-locked land.

“Our mission is to protect open space and Deep Brook,” Ms Joyce reminded.

“Our mission are aligned; we’re a sanctuary,” Mr Hubbard said.

“My mission is not to assist you, but protect open space,” reiterated Ms Joyce.

Mr Hovious asked if project planners intended to do stormwater control to protect the stream for changes in temperature from storm runoff and the silt and debris that could harm the stream life.

Mr Hubbard “would be happy” to look into the possibilities, he said.

“I had hoped to see [plans] for streamwater management,” Mr Hovious said. “There are a lot of heavy trucks on a road that is not in good shape. Keeping out runoff seems a reasonable thing to do.”

Past successes that are improving life in Deep Brook could be undone, Mr Fatse added.

“Deep Brook has vulnerability all over town,” Mr Rosenthal said.

Randy Walker with the PWA hoped to have a “dialogue” to provide project input and better understand “and hopefully support,” the Hubbard sanctuary plans.

“The sanctuary is going to be long-term, and I hope we all can collaborate. It requires effort on all our parts,” Mr Rosenthal said. Ultimately, the project will come before the Board of Selectmen, he added.

He asked what the Conservation members needed to better understand the plans.

“I think we need information and time to discuss,” Ms Kocet said.

Mr Rosenthal seeks “resolution sooner, rather than later.”