Date: Fri 29-Nov-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

P&Z-NNC-regulations-changes

Full Text:

Hearing On NNC Land Use Proposals Set For December 5

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

The Newtown Neighborhoods Coalition's proposed land use regulation changes

designed to limit local residential growth will be the subject of a Planning

and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing Thursday, December 5.

The hearing is scheduled for 8 pm at the Newtown Middle School auditorium, 11

Queen Street. A P&Z business meeting will start there at 7:30 pm.

The coalition is an umbrella group consisting of several neighborhood

associations and others who have expressed concern over the rapid pace of

residential growth.

Coalition members have expressed fears that increased residential development

and higher housing densities will adversely affect the town's character.

Coalition members initially had proposed four major land use rule changes. But

after realizing that their major proposal, a sweeping change called

"upzoning," would be technically cumbersome to accomplish and prone to legal

challenges, coalition members opted to withdraw it from consideration at the

public hearing.

Upzoning would have increased the sizes of several classes of residential

zones: R-« Acre to R-1 Acre; R-1 Acre to R-2 Acres; and R-2 Acres to R-3

Acres. The point of upzoning, as is the point of the coalition's other

proposed changes, is to decrease potential housing densities.

The regulation changes to be considered at the public hearing include:

Eliminating back lots in R-2 Acre and R-3 Acre residential zones.

Back lots also are known as interior lots.

Reducing the number of new houses allowed on new dead end streets from the

current 15 to 4.

Requiring that a minimum of 10 percent of "quality" land be set aside as open

space land within new residential subdivisions.

Details

In their proposal on rear lots, coalition members recommend that no building

or structure be erected, constructed, altered or placed on any rear lot unless

a variance to the regulation is granted by the P&Z.

To get such a variance, the applicant would have to bury all public utilities

for the rear lot before the rear lot's driveway is built. The accessway to the

rear lot would have to be less than 50 (feet) wide and provide good access for

emergency vehicles. Also, the accessway to the rear lot would be an integral

part of the rear lot. Each rear lot would require its own accessway.

The minimum size of a rear lot would be at least double the minimum size of a

lot with frontage in that zone, under the coalition's proposal. So, in an R-3

Acre residential zone with minimum three-acre lots, rear lots would have to be

at least six acres.

In 1995, the P&Z altered its regulations to allow rear lots in areas with R-1

Acre residential zones. Following that rule change, developers submitted

subdivision plans including rear lots in R-1 zones, prompting protests from

people living near sites proposed for such housing densities. In response to

those protests, P&Z members this year eliminated the regulation allowing rear

lots in R-1 zones.

In its regulation proposal on dead end streets, the coalition wants to limit

the length of any new permanent or temporary dead end street to 750 feet. It

also wants to prohibit any dead end street from intersecting with any other

dead end street. Also, it wants to limit the number of houses on dead end

streets to four. The P&Z currently allows 15 houses on dead end streets.

The town places a limit on the number of houses on dead end streets as a

public safety measure to assure emergency vehicle access and also to limit the

number of homes which would be isolated in the event of an emergency.

In its proposal on open space, the coalition wants the town to require, not

ask, developers to donate at least 10 percent of "quality" land within a

proposed subdivision, excluding roads, as open space in the form of parks and

playgrounds.

Also, the coalition wants wetlands and unbuildable areas omitted from open

space donations. Coalition members have complained that open space donations

which have been made by developers contain extremely rugged terrain or swampy

areas which have limited recreational use.

A Developer's Suggestion

Norwalk real estate developer Carmine Renzulli said Tuesday that he opposes

donating 10 percent of quality land in a subdivision as open space to the

town.

Mr Renzulli suggests that the town hold a binding referendum on whether a 10

percent donation of good land should be made to the town by developers. People

owning real estate in Newtown would be eligible to vote in such a referendum,

he said. If the vote is affirmative, then members of the Newtown Neighborhoods

Coalition would be required to donate an amount of money equal to 10 percent

of the assessed value of their real estate to the town for an open space

acquisition fund, he said.

Earlier this year, coalition members pressed the P&Z to place a six-month

moratorium on accepting new residential development applications for review.

To emphasize public backing for the idea, coalition members presented the P&Z

with more than 1,400 petition signatures endorsing the moratorium proposal.

P&Z members, however, opted against a moratorium, questioning its legality.

The coalition's proposed rule changes come in lieu of a moratorium.

According to coalition members, rapid residential development leads to: rising

taxes, crowded public schools, endangered drinking water supplies, heavy

traffic, strained municipal services, decreased market values for existing

houses, and a loss of local rural character.

Busy Meeting

At the P&Z's business meeting scheduled to start at 7:30 pm, the commission is

slated to take action on:

The P&Z's proposal to cut the size and construction density that town land use

regulations allow in affordable housing developments. The maximum number of

units would be cut from 200 to 100. Also, the proposed changes would cut: the

size of buildings; number of housing units allowed per building; and number of

housing units allowed per acre.

Cavaliere & Sons, Inc's, proposal for Camelot, a 42-lot subdivision on 110

acres northwest of the intersection of Hattertown Road and Purdy Station Road.

M&E Land Group's proposal for Wedgewood, a 15-lot subdivision on 27 acres off

Taunton Hill Road.

Bennetts Farm Associates for Bennetts Farm, Section Five, a 36-lot subdivision

on 84 acres on Charter Ridge Road.