Date: Fri 16-Aug-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Coalition-McGarvey-land-use

Full Text:

Coalition Proposes A Long List Of Land Use Rule Changes

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

The Newtown Neighborhoods Coalition, which wants to slow the residential

growth rate, has submitted to the town a series of proposed new development

regulations intended to strictly limit residential growth.

In a letter to Stephen Adams, Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) chairman,

the coalition's regulations subcommittee states the growth rate has degraded

and could destroy the social, economic, and environmental health and welfare

of the town.

The coalition claims the town's current development rules are inadequate, so

the it is proposing new rules to better address development applications.

The coalition lists several issues its membership considers needing quick

attention. These are: escalating taxes; overcrowded schools; a strained town

infrastructure; strained town services; depressed property values on existing

houses; a stagnating market for existing houses; a lack of adherence to the

town plan of development; a loss of the town's rural character; and domestic

water well problems and groundwater pollution stemming from an increasing

population density.

The proposed new regulations would significantly slow the growth rate,

according to the coalition's regulations subcommittee. Kurt Gillis is the

subcommittee chairman.

The subcommittee proposes the following:

That rear house lots be banned in areas with two-acre and three-acre

residential zoning. P&Z members recently banned rear lots in areas with

one-acre residential zoning.

That current rules which allow 15 houses on a dead end street be changed to

allow only four houses on a dead end street.

That road grades be limited to a maximum seven percent slope, with special

permission required for ten percent slopes, to prevent deep earth cuts or

extensive filling.

That driveway grades be limited to five percent maximum slopes for the first

25 feet of the driveway and a 12 percent maximum slope for the remainder of

the driveway.

That areas with R-1 zoning be "upzoned" to R-2, and areas with R-2 zoning be

upzoned to R-3. Such rules would greatly increase the minimum building lot

sizes in current R-1 and R-2 zones.

That the P&Z require that developers donate 15 percent of the area of

subdivisions as open space instead of requesting that they donate 10 percent

of the land. Open space wouldn't include wetlands and unbuildable areas under

the coalition's proposal.

That the P&Z be empowered to greatly increase its power to fine developers for

violations of town land use regulations.

Also, the coalition is seeking a rule change which would require the P&Z to

conduct public hearings on all subdivision proposals. Although, the P&Z now

customarily conducts public hearings on all subdivision proposals, this has

not always been the case.

Affordable/Elderly

The coalition is proposing some changes to the land use regulations concerning

affordable housing and elderly housing.

It proposes that current rules allowing a maximum six units of affordable

housing per acre be changed to allow a maximum of three units per acre. The

coalition seeks to limit the maximum number of units per project to 12 units.

The group proposes that affordable housing not be allowed on contiguous lots.

It also proposes that one extra building lot be granted to a developer for an

affordable housing unit in a subdivision, provided there are at least 10

houses in the development. The extra lot would be created from designated open

space in the development.

In the area of elderly housing, the coalition proposes that the current

10-acre minimum size for an elderly housing complex be considered a maximum

size for future elderly housing projects. The group also wants a rule

specifying that no contiguous lots be developed for elderly housing.

In the area of construction density, the coalition wants to reduce the maximum

number of elderly housing units per acre from the current 5 to 3.

The coalition wants the maximum number of units allowed per elderly housing

development lowered from the current 250 to 15.

"These regulations are quite conservative," said Jack McGarvey of the

coalition.

Coalition members are optimistic that some of the proposed rules will be

adopted, but some proposals will be controversial, he said.

Limiting maximum road grades to a seven percent slope would serve to eliminate

proposed subdivisions like Whispering Pines in Sandy Hook, Mr McGarvey said.

Coalition members are willing to work on any development regulation committee

appointed by the P&Z, he said.

Of the series of proposed rules, he said "This is only our first batch. We

have others."

In future rule proposals, the coalition plans to redefine the term "building

lot," he said.

The coalition also is proposing that the Planning and Zoning Commission be

divided into a separate planning commission and a zoning commission, he said.

The coalition also wants the town to be able to assess developers a special

fee to be used to perform an independent environmental review of development

proposals.

"We want to be assimilated into the government," Mr McGarvey said. "We want

our concerns to be their concerns."