Conservation Balks At

Tech Park Army Base

By Kendra Bobowick

Conservation Commission member do not support a military base for location on the proposed technology park site.

Members were faced with a directive from the first selectman this week: “We were asked as a commission to consider [property slated for a technology park/open space] as a candidate property for the location of [a military] facility and get back to the first selectman with a recommendation, and he wanted it quickly,” said Conservation Chairman Joe Hovious Tuesday night.

Addressing the commission, he defined “quickly”: “Tomorrow,” he said.

Since meeting with First Selectman Joe Borst last week, he and a subgroup of several other conservation members, along with Economic Development Commission (EDC) members, scrambled to provide a response to Mr Borst.

Offering his subgroup’s succinct decisions, he told the full commission Tuesday, “We don’t think that [a military base] is an appropriate use for the property.” The proposed site for a technology park that also is slated for open space on a roughly 70-plus parcel off Commerce Road recently is the preferred location for a military training center per the military base reassignment and closure (BRAC) program. Conservation commission members agreed. “No,” they did not believe the site was appropriate for that use, for several reasons.

Giving the “why and why not” of the decision, Mr Hovious explained, “We felt open space should be preserved for use by the people of Newtown.” He noted concerns about the Army presence “hindering access to open space.” Later elaborating, he said, “We have concerns that a base there and ensuing security will hinder access to open space by the public. [The property] is used to run, hike, walk dogs, cross country ski…”

Like the EDC members, Mr Hovious also worried that the town would lose control over the site. “They are not subject to regulations through [Planning and Zoning Commission] or [Inlands-Wetlands Commission],” he said. He also worried about activity over a sensitive aquifer protection area. The site, he said, should be low-impact economic development. The commission also noted the proximity of schools, day care facilities, and churches to a possible military target.

“Given those reasons, we don’t think it’s appropriate,” Mr Hovious said. Member George Ferguson also echoed EDC sentiments: “There are a lot of unanswered questions.”