Striking A Balance Between

Deep Brook And Development

By Kendra Bobowick

Location, location, location…

“The controversy is because of the location,” said Economic Development Commission member Kim Danziger regarding a proposed technology park site. The current draft design depicts buildings, lots, and roadways alongside Deep Brook — one of Newtown’s most environmentally sensitive areas.

The park, comprised of roughly 34 acres of open space and 42 acres slated for development, sits directly beside the brook, and environmentalists keeping a protective watch on the waterway glimpsed the shadow of development looming over its banks several years ago, said resident James Belden, president of both the Candlewood Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited and Pootatuck Watershed Association.

“This could ruin all the work we have done down at Deep Brook so far if it’s done wrong,” he said. Work includes bank restoration and invasive species removal in the effort to preserve the water quality and trout environment.

Mr Belden acknowledged that the EDC has taken Deep Brook into consideration, but the overall project, which is situated partially over the aquifer and water recharge areas, must also enter the discussion. At risk are the stream, the aquifer, water quality, “a majority of issues,” he said.

Mr Danziger said, “We’ll do what we can to protect the brook and hopefully we’ll placate those particular issues.” He is aware that environmental worries potentially harming the brook include the volume of rain water, sediment, and water temperature.

In past weeks, the economic development commissioners have presented plans to a series of boards, most recently to the Conservation Commission, which met Tuesday, all in a “search for input,” as Mr Danziger explained.

This week, as Mr Danziger made his presentation to the Conservation Commission, plans revealed a bio-remediation swale — a large water catch area built into the landscape in an open space portion of the park proposals, rough drafts at this stage — to prevent run-off and filter the water. The feature raised red flags for the commissioners and also potentially conflict with open space regulations on a state level (see related story).

Mr Danziger had previously said, “We could have put in a mechanical water control system, but that’s not the best way. So, reading the zoning regulations carefully, there is no limitation to use open space land for the purpose of treating water…so I thought let’s be really creative with a bio-swale.”

In a separate interview Conservation Commissioner Marj Cramer had argued that the swale contradicts the spirit of open space. “Open space is land that is not developed, but put aside for passive recreation, and putting in water retention basin — that’s developing the land.” Further arguing against the basin, she said, “You would never, never need it to be there without development. It’s clearly part of the development. You wouldn’t need it unless you’re putting in pavement and need to catch water and run-off so it doesn’t go into the water and kill the fish.”

First Selectman Herb Rosenthal seeks to align economic interests with the stream’s integrity. He said, “We don’t want to do anything to harm Deep Brook or the environment.”

He is aware of general environmental sentiments and ongoing preservation initiatives at the Class I trout stream, he said.

Ultimately any final decisions regarding the tech park plans are the town’s, as proposals become formal, the plans must pass approval with authoritative boards including Planning and Zoning Commission, and the Board of Selectmen.

About Deep Brook

Deep Brook is only one of nine Class 1 Trout Management Areas in the state, according to the state of Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Natural Resources Inland Fisheries Division, Class 1 refers to an area possessing abundant trout, that does not require stocking. Fishing is catch-and-release only.

Locally the Trout Unlimited Candlewood Valley chapter has continuous effort aimed at stream bank restoration and aquatic life and habitat preservation. Embrace-A-Stream grants have funded a variety of projects already, and plans at bolstering other sections of Deep Brook are planned for coming months. A project aimed at measuring the amount of macroinvertibrates has been delayed, and a portion of a native tree planting projects will take place May 5.