Date: Fri 23-May-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Amaral-property-selectmen

Full Text:

Amaral Property Purchase Gets Selectmen's Backing

B Y S TEVE B IGHAM

Dickinson Park may soon grow by more than 13 acres.

The Board of Selectmen this week voted in favor of purchasing the Amaral

property off Elm Drive at a price of $400,000. The land, expected to be used

for ballfields, would be paid for from a fund of $455,000 in open space grants

from the Iroquois Gas Transmission System, according to First Selectman Bob

Cascella.

Mr Cascella was joined by Selectman Jim Mooney in voting to buy the land,

though Mr Mooney said he thought the price was too high. Selectman Gary Fetzer

voted against the deal, saying the Iroquois money should be used to purchase

passive open space.

The Legislative Council will have the final say on the purchase of the 13-acre

property. It has forwarded the issue to its finance committee for further

study.

Daniel and Marcus Amaral, owners of the property, put the former farm land on

the market back in March, giving right-of-first-refusal to the town.

The property lies directly north of the Dickinson Park tennis courts.

Buying the property received the support of many residents, including Parks &

Recreation Commission Chairman Larry Haskel.

"It is rare that we ever get the opportunity like this to expand a park, in

this case Dickinson Park. We will not get this opportunity again," he said.

Newtown's shortage of ballfields has been a big issue in recent years. As the

population continues to grow, more and more kids are participating in

recreational activities, Mr Haskel said.

"We need more fields," he said.

Also speaking in favor of buying the land was Tom Eigen, president of the

Newtown Slo-Pitch Sunday Softball League, who pointed out that a woman's

softball league was starting up soon.

Others favoring the purchase were Frank Rocca, president of the Babe Ruth

League, and Tom D'Agostino, vice president of Newtown Lacrosse.

There are about 25 fields in Newtown that are available to the town, according

to Parks & Recreation Director Barbara Kasbarian. However, most of those

fields are on school property, which often causes scheduling problems.

"As the town grows, we're impacted even more than the schools," Mrs Kasbarian

explained. "The Board of Education is getting additions, but we're not getting

any more fields. That's why we need this land."

Bill Honan, a former member of the Parks & Recreation Commission, said the

town will need the property in the future.

But is the property really worth $400,000?

Mr Cascella said a handful of appraisers have compared the land to several

similar parcels in the area valued at around $300,000. Despite Mr Cascella's

efforts, the Amarals have refused to lower their asking price, saying they

have already received offers from developers looking to build homes there.

Mrs Kasbarian said the land looks to be big enough for at least two

ballfields, though an in-depth professional study needs to be done first.

Mr Mooney voted in favor of buying the land, though he questioned the asking

price.

"The property lies in a flood plain, part of it is wetlands and Deep Brook

runs through it. I question how many houses can be built on it," he said. "But

I think we've got to pay even though it kills me."

Mr Fetzer pointed out that the Greenways Committee had been counting on

Iroquois open space funds as "seed money" to kick start its plan to create a

continuous trail system through Newtown, connecting all of the town's major

open spaces. He said the pipeline money was critical to acquiring easements

and other small pieces of land.

"What I'm telling you is this is going to kill it," Mr Fetzer said.

The first selectman said the Greenways trail system is a perpetual project

that will continue for years to come. He expects Greenways to receive funding

from the town again in the future. One of the conditions set forth by Iroquois

for allowing the purchase of the Amaral property was that the town set up a

preservation fund.

Mr Cascella is also considering the idea of putting a surcharge on large P&Z

applications to raise revenue. (See related story.)

Funding from Iroquois was originally designated for the purchase of passive,

open space, but because the town intends to use part of the land for

recreational use, the pipeline company was asked to stray from its policy.