Date: Fri 04-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Hawleyville-development-report

Full Text:

Study Outlines Development Possibilities For Hawleyville In The Next Century

(with graphics)

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

An analysis of Hawleyville's potential for economic development and natural

resource conservation has found there's an opportunity for significant

economic development without adversely affecting the basic character of

Hawleyville or overburdening its natural or built environment.

The planning study describes developmental scenarios for Hawleyville extending

toward the year 2017, creating a conceptual framework for growth in the

largely undeveloped section of town. The planning study will serve as a tool

for the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z), the Economic Development

Commission and other town agencies in making future land use decisions.

The fiscal impact of such development would benefit the town since there would

be only 46 single-family houses built in Hawleyville compared to the estimated

400 single-family houses which could be built there under existing zoning

regulations, thereby minimizing the number of school-age children living in

Hawleyville, according to the Interstate 84 Exit 9 Hawleyville Transportation

and Development Study.

Guided by a 12-member advisory panel, the planning report was prepared for the

Housatonic Valley Council of Elected Officials (HVCEO) and the town by

Barakos-Landino, Inc, of Hamden in association with Harrall-Michalowski,

Associates, Inc, and KKO & Associates, Inc.

The planning report is an extension of the town's 1993 plan of development

which spotlighted the Exit 9 area of Hawleyville as a place for future

economic development.

The planning study will be the subject of a public forum scheduled for

Wednesday, July 9, at 7:30 pm at Newtown Middle School auditorium, 11 Queen

Street.

The planning study's primary purpose is to create a modern transportation

management plan and land use study for Hawleyville, according to Elizabeth

Stocker, the town's community development director. It was developed to help

realize the Hawleyville area's development potential within the context of

existing and future transportation facilities in that area, she said. The

primary goal of the study is to obtain a balanced match between anticipated

land uses and transportation facilities, she said.

The vast majority of the land projected for development is privately owned.

The study area covers approximately 1,200 acres, which is approximately three

percent of the town's total land area.

Components

The major components of the proposed development strategy include:

Creating facilities which have a regional economic impact including corporate

offices, a hotel/conference center, retail space, medical offices,

assisted-living and age-restricted residential units concentrated south of

I-84 with direct access from Route 25 or Route 6.

Strengthening Hawleyville Center near the post office as a mixed-use village

center to serve the local area.

Positioning and designing development sites to minimize the visual impact on

surrounding areas.

Continuing the development of the Barnabas Road area as a location for

industrial/distribution uses.

Extending sewer lines from the Bethel town line eastward to the intersection

of Mt Pleasant Road and Hawleyville Road, and then northward to the

intersection of Hawleyville Road and Barnabas Road.

Buying additional sewage treatment capacity from Danbury.

Improving intersections and entrances to major development sites, largely

within existing rights-of-way through private and public spending.

Creating pedestrian linkages and transit routes to limit the number of private

automobile trips among Hawleyville development sites; discouraging intra-area

vehicle trips by the mixed use nature of the development sites.

Increasing the efficiency of the road network and improving traffic safety by

employing a site access plan.

Providing passenger rail service as a long-range transportation option.

Area of Study

The area studied in the plan includes the northwestern section of town

generally bounded by: Mt Pleasant Road on the south; the Bethel town line on

the southwest; the Brookfield town line on the northwest; Hawleyville Road and

the Maybrook railroad right-of-way on the north and northeast; and the Tunnel

Road area on the east.

The planners project what Hawleyville might look like when fully developed.

"AREA A" is north of Mt Pleasant Road and west of Pocono Road. For that area,

the planners project building: 150 assisted-living residences; 200,000 square

feet of medical office space; 185 age-restricted townhouses; 20,000 square

feet of restaurant space; and 70,000 square feet of retail space.

"AREA B" lies west of Route 25, south and east of Farrell Road, and north of

the railroad tracks. The planners project 150 assisted-living residences, as

well as 50,000 square feet of office/research space.

"AREA C" lies north of Mt Pleasant Road, east of Hawleyville Road, south of

I-84, and west of Tunnel Road. In their scenario for that area, the planners

project 26 single-family houses; 600,000 square feet of corporate office

space; a 250-room hotel/conference center, and 30,000 square feet of retail

space.

"AREA D" lies north of I-84, east of the Brookfield town line, and south of

the railroad tracks. The planners project construction of 20 housing units.

"AREA E" is north of Barnabas Road, east of Hawleyville Road, south of the

railroad tracks, and west of Tunnel Road. The planners project that area as

the site for 300,000 square feet of industrial/distribution space.

"AREA F" is a subsection of AREA A.

"AREA G" lies northeast of the intersection of Hawleyville Road and the

railroad tracks. For AREA G, the planners project up to 30,000 square feet of

office space, 30,000 square feet of store space, and 24 townhouses.

Implementation

To implement the recommendations made in the planning study, the planning

consultants recommend that: the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) adopt the

planning study as an amendment to the 1993 town plan of development; the

zoning strategies contained in the planning report be incorporated as

amendments to the zoning regulations; and the Economic Development Commission

adopt the planning study and work with property owners to implement it through

a private/public developmental partnership.

The planning report includes a traffic engineering report made to learn what

physical improvements will be needed for roads in Hawleyville if the area

develops. The report also contains several illustrative site development plans

to depict how the various Hawleyville sites might be developed.

Copies of the planning study are available for public review at the first

selectman's office, the town library, the land use office, the community

development office, the town clerk's office, and the HVCEO offices at the

intersection of Routes 25 and 133 in Brookfield.