Population Spurt Propels Newtown Toward More Growing Pains

By Steve Bigham

The results from the 2000 census began trickling in this week and when it comes to Newtown, the numbers prove what most townspeople already knew. Newtown was the fastest growing community in the area and one of the fastest growing in the state for its size.

According to figures released this week by the US Census Bureau, Newtown’s population surpassed the 25,000-person mark last year after experiencing a 20.5 percent increase in population during the 1990s.

In 1990, Newtown’s population stood at 20,779, but nearly 1,800 new homes and condominium units built in the 10 years (1,400 since ’94) following have changed the face of the community.

“The numbers are a little higher than we thought everywhere,” noted John Chew, executive director of the Housatonic Council of Elected officials (HVCEO). “We know we’ve had a busy decade but it’s a little higher than we thought.”

Thanks to a hot economy and an abundance of available land, Newtown had enough housing construction to counteract what has been a 20-year trend of smaller families. According to Mr Chew, history will show that this growth spurt will keep going despite the recent slow down in the economy.

And that’s a good thing, he pointed out because growth problems such as increased traffic and the need for new schools are still better than the alternative.

“I’d rather have problems of prosperity than problems of depression,” Mr Chew said, quoting a famous politician.

Newtown: Population 40,000?

Based on its current zoning laws, Newtown’s population is projected to someday increase to more than 38,000 residents. The projection foretells a long road of transformation for an already fast-changing town. The statistics were provided by the HVCEO, which keeps close tabs on the development of area towns. The numbers were not new, but they served as a reminder that Newtown has the capacity to someday resemble Trumbull or Southington – two towns with populations in the 40,000 range. And the numbers could end up going even higher. The projections were made based on 1980 zoning practices, long before Newtown began approving high-density applications for multi-family housing like Walnut Tree Village and The Homesteads. Additional sewer and water installations could also serve to drive the population even higher.

“If you took Year 2000 zoning laws and did the same analysis, your number would probably be somewhat higher,” Mr Chew explained.

The numbers do not come with dates attached. Several factors, specifically the economy, will determine when and if Newtown reaches the 38,000 or 40,000 person plateau. But those who track the town’s development rate for a living say it is already on its way.

According to the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM), Newtown’s population was not expected to hit the 24,000 mark until 2020. With 40 percent of its land still classified as open space, the potential for further development in this town is easy to see.

“My feeling is this OPM projection may be low for Newtown because so many commuters [from lower Fairfield County] are finding Newtown. And it’s not just the economic activity of Newtown, but the economic activity of other areas as well,” Mr Chew said.

Land use department head Rita Macmillan reported earlier this year that Newtown’s building boom shows no signs of letting up with numerous applications still being approved with many others waiting in the wings.

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal has run successfully for office by emphasizing the need to preserve the character of Newtown. He has had his work cut out for him from the start.

“We certainly have been feeling the pinch from all this growth,” Mr Rosenthal said this week. “It continues to put pressure on the budgets. I believe the only way to offset this burden on the taxpayers is to get additional commercial tax revenue.”

According to Tax Collector Carol Mahoney, a new homeowner’s tax bill will never match his or her family’s cost to the town in terms of services, especially if the homeowner has children. Recent statistics show that it cost a town in the range of $7,000 a year to educate a child in Newtown.

“If you have two kids that’s $14,000. There are not a lot of homes in Newtown that pay $14,000 in taxes,” Mrs Mahoney said.

What homes pay that much? According to the tax office, only those homes in the $700,000 range or more generate that kind of tax revenue.

That is why town officials are advocating more commercial development in Newtown. The areas include Fairfield Hills, Hawleyville, and the proposed Technology Park off Commerce Road, which the town recently offered to convey to the town for a dollar.

 “We don’t want to change the character of the community, so we have to take advantage of the areas that are already developed,” Mr Rosenthal said.

The first selectman said he feels as strongly that Newtown can not afford to continue to raise taxes. However, residential growth equates with higher taxes, and that is a fact everyone must face, according to the first selectman.

The alternative is that the town could purchase available open space or buy the development rights to certain parcels, Mr Rosenthal noted. However, that is an expensive proposition. In Newtown, thanks to its 60-square-mile size, the town would need to purchase large tracts of land to make a difference.

“If the town is going to grow by another 14,000 residents, it will have a tremendous impact on the character of this town,” noted Superintendent of Schools John R. Reed. “I don’t think anybody disagrees there are going to be issues related to growth that will affect this town for many years to come. It’s just a question of what the rate of growth will be. It’s all dependent on the economy. If interest rates pop up to 10 or 11 percent, not as many people will able to afford the $500,000 to $600,000 homes.”