Date: Fri 25-Aug-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Exposition-Hawleyvill-Brewster

Full Text:

Hearing On Expo Hall Draws Crticism and Some Support

B Y A NDREW G OROSKO

Hawleyville residents turned out in force for a public hearing August 17 to

register strong opposition to the proposed construction of a large exposition

hall in Hawleyville.

About 200 people attended the Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) session in

the filled-to-capacity Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall.

P&Z conducted three public hearings on Connecticut Expo Development's proposal

to build the Connecticut Exposition and Performing Events Center (CEPEC), a

more than 100,000-square-foot hall envisioned for an 80-acre parcel across

Route 25 from the Hawleyville Post Office. The complex would be used for trade

shows, public shows, public events and recreational sports. The commission

took no action on the exposition hall proposal.

Attorney Paul Jaber representing the applicants, said the zoning for the 80

acres should be changed from "residential" to "industrial" to implement the

town's 1993 plan of development, which calls for industrial development in the

Hawleyville area. The proposed exposition hall would increase the town's tax

base and provide new jobs for the area, he said.

Gregory White, of Noetic Engineering, representing the developer, said the

site proposed for construction is visually well-hidden from Route 25. It's

estimated that 20 to 25 acres of the site is buildable land.

Traffic studies done for the developer indicate that approximately 70 percent

of the traffic coming to an exposition hall would approach on I-84 from the

west, with the remainder coming from I-84 from the east.

P&Z member John DeFilippe asked Mr Jaber how an exposition hall would affect

Hawleyville area property values. The developers haven't had such a property

value study performed, Mr Jaber responded.

Strong Opposition

Judging by the duration and intensity of the applause which her remarks

received, Old Hawleyville Road resident Jennifer Wolbach's sentiments on the

proposal apparently mirror those of many people in the Hawleyville area.

Ms Wolbach told P&Z members that although the town's plan of development

targets Hawleyville for future industrial growth, the state views the area as

one that should be conserved and kept rural in nature. Ms Wolbach objected to

the developers' proposal to rezone 80 acres from "residential" to "industrial"

to allow an exposition hall to be built. Neither public water supplies nor

public sewer lines exist in the area to serve a large hall, she said. She

asked whether the proposed hall would become a venue for rock and roll

concerts.

"Where will it all end?..Is this a missile out of control,?" Ms Wolbach said

of the construction proposal.

The many toilets and sinks and the food preparation facilities proposed by the

developers would require much water and could cause water shortages in

Hawleyville due to depleted underground water supplies, she said.

Ms Wolbach said a building large as CEPEC would require a small-scale sewage

treatment facility, adding that she's unsure of the reliability of such

equipment. Ms Wolbach said building CEPEC would be in direct conflict with the

core values of a residential area. She suggested that existing local unused

industrially-zoned property be used for facilities such as CEPEC.

She added that CEPEC "would create major traffic congestion during operating

hours," asking how the town would deal with the magnitude of traffic flows

resulting from the presence of such a facility.

Ms Wolbach urged the P&Z to reject the exposition hall proposal.

The audience followed her comments with loud, sustained applause.

Alexander Clark of Obtuse Road, the owner of land adjacent to the 80-acre site

proposed for development, questioned the economic viability of the CEPEC

project. He asked to see a business plan for the development proposal to gauge

its merits. He also raised environmental concerns.

On The Otherhand...

However, some residents like what they see in the CEPEC proposal.

Thomas Kloss of 17 Pocono Road spoke in favor of a zone change from

residential to industrial for the project. He said he wants to see Hawleyville

grow economically and building an exposition hall is one way to have that

happen. Mr Kloss's remarks drew scattered applause.

Michael Snyder of 8 Megans Circle said he supports changing the zoning in the

area to allow either CEPEC or some other industrial project there. Mr Snyder

said that as a former selectman he worked hard to have Northeast Utilities

build its regional service center in Hawleyville. Mr Snyder said the CEPEC

proposal requires that environmental concerns be addressed. The town should

work to increase its tax base through industrial development, he noted.

Mr Snyder criticized the authors of an anonymous handbill circulated in

Hawleyville recently which, he said, employed "scare tactics" in a campaign

against CEPEC.

Ed Baumer of 23 Main Street noted that the state's Fairfield Hills Hospital is

closing as the state merges its psychiatric facilities. The Fairfield Hills

property conatins a vast array of empty buildings on 700 acres, plus public

utilities and a road network, he said. Mr Baumer recommended that the

Fairfield Hills property be explored for a use such as the CEPEC exposition

hall. His comments drew audience applause.

Traffic Hazards

Steven Miller of 46 Butterfield Road spoke against the exhibition hall

proposal for Hawleyville. Existing industrially-zoned land should be used for

such a purpose, he said. Mr Miller asked how firefighters would respond to a

CEPEC emergency.

Jamie Miller, of the same address, said the presence of CEPEC would mean heavy

traffic in the area. She also said such a large facility could deplete area

water supplies. She questioned whether events such as dog shows could

financially support the operation of a hall, saying CEPEC could become a

"white elephant." Ms Miller urged P&Z members to use common sense and reject

the proposal. Heavy applause followed her comments.

Lyndon Thomas of 22 Juniper Road said the 80 acres in Hawleyville should be

rezoned from residential to industrial. Mr Thomas heads the town's Economic

Development Commission.

Bill Farrell, chief of the Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company, warned that

traffic accidents in Hawleyville will increase if traffic increases due to the

presence of an exposition hall. Heavy traffic will slow down fire department

reponses to emergencies, he said. Hawleyville fire trucks carry fire ladders

24 feet long while the CEPEC hall would be twice that tall, he warned.

Although the Newtown Hook and Ladder has taller ladders, heavy traffic in

Hawleyville would delay that fire company's responses to CEPEC emergencies, he

noted.

Michael Sanchez of 137 Currituck Road said that that road would get heavier

traffic if an exposition hall is built. "Development of this magnitude is

completely out of character with what Newtown is today. It seems nonsensical,"

he said.

John DeFlumeri of 25 Georges Hill Road said he and his family moved to Newtown

several years ago because of its rural quaility.

"If I wanted to live near the civic center, I'd move to Hartford," he said.

Building CEPEC in Hawleyville would result in decreased property values there,

he said. Mr DeFlumeri urged P&Z members to keep residents' interests in mind

and reject the CEPEC proposal.

Besides the public hearing held on the primary request to rezone 80 acres from

residential to industrial land, the P&Z conducted two other public hearings on

the developers' requests. These hearings concerned allowing an exhibition hall

as a permitted land use in an industrial zone, and allowing such halls to be

as tall as 50 feet.

At the hearing on the first of these two issues, John Fox, a marketing

consultant for the developers, said a market exists for the proposed hall

containing approximately 90,000 square feet of "clear space." The proposal's

assets are its location, good accessibility and its design, he said. The

proposed facility has a potential market of 60 to 70 shows per year, he said.

The maximum number of people who would attend a given show would be 10,000,

but they would not all be at the show at the same time, he said.

Joy Brewster, the managing partner of Connecticut Expo Development, told P&Z

members there's a lack of suitable exposition facilities in the Northeast. The

Hawleyville site "appears to be the perfect location for an events center,"

she said.

An exhibition hall would pay more than $135,000 in local property taxes

annually, she said.

CEPEC would create an estimated 50 to 100 part-time jobs during exhibition

days, plus 12 full-time jobs, she said. The facility would create an economic

stimulus for local businesses, tradesmen and service businesses.

"CEPEC is an innovative and positive project...Please open your minds and

listen...CEPEC will not harm the environment...This is a privately-funded

project which will make it 'Nicer in Newtown' for all of us," Ms Brewster told

P&Z members.

The marathon P&Z meeting lasted for about five and one-half hours, from 8 pm

on Thursday until about 1:30 am on Friday.