Date: Fri 24-Apr-1998

By ANDY GOROSKO

Published: Aug 11, 1999 12:00 am

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

P&Z-Hawleyville-study

Full Text:

P&Z Endorses Hawleyville Development Study

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) members have endorsed an economic

development study of Hawleyville which foresees possible growth in that

lightly developed section of town near Exit 9 of Interstate 84.

In endorsing the "Interstate 84/Exit 9 Hawleyville Transportation and

Development Study" on April 16, P&Z members agreed to make the study and two

accompanying volumes of reference material part of the 1993 Town Plan of

Development. The addenda contain technical transportation and zoning

information.

Elizabeth Stocker, the town's community development director, stressed that

the Hawleyville economic development study will serve the P&Z as a guide in

making land use decisions for that part of town. It is "strictly an advisory

document," she said.

The content of the Hawleyville plan expands upon and refines the 1993 Town

Plan of Development which calls for the "industrialization" of Hawleyville.

The 60-acre site which The Homesteads at Newtown, LLC, has proposed for a

300-unit age-restricted housing complex in Hawleyville is in harmony with the

Hawleyville economic development plan, Ms Stocker said.

At the developer's request, the P&Z recently changed the zoning for the

Homesteads site from Residential to Elderly Housing. To build the proposed

complex, the developer needs approvals from the Conservation Commission and

the P&Z.

P&Z member Lilla Dean, a Hawleyville resident who served as a member of a

committee which oversaw the production of the Hawleyville study, said she

expects that planned improvements to I-84 probably will be made before

proposed improvements are made to other roads in the area.

Resident Thomas Paisley, a former P&Z member who served on the oversight

committee with Ms Dean, strongly endorsed the Hawleyville plan.

P&Z member Heidi Winslow noted there has been much discussion of the

Hawleyville plan in the past. She termed it an integrated study which makes

sense for an area which might otherwise develop "willy nilly."

"It's a real good study," said Daniel Fogliano, the P&Z's acting chairman.

The planning study analyzes Hawleyville's potential for economic development

through the year 2017.

The study, which was prepared for the Housatonic Valley Council of Elected

Officials (HVCEO) by Barakos-Landino, Inc, of Hamden, finds there is an

opportunity for significant economic development, without adversely affecting

the basic character of Hawleyville or overburdening its natural or built

environment. HVCEO members endorsed the study last September, thus making it

HVCEO policy.

Barakos-Landino has studied a 1,200-acre section of Hawleyville focusing on

Exit 9 of Interstate 84. The planners suggest various development

possibilities, including: age-restricted housing, assisted-living facilities,

medical office space, single-family houses, mixed retail uses, corporate

offices, a hotel, conference center, open space land, a village center and

industrial uses. The proposed land uses would be created by private developers

on privately-owned land. The study describes the many road improvements which

would be needed in Hawleyville to facilitate its economic growth. HVCEO, which

oversaw the study's production, serves as the region's transportation planning

agency.

The planning study is based on the types of development which are logically

expected in Hawleyville due to market conditions and the limitations on the

land due to slopes, wetlands, soil types, and floodplains. In suggesting

several development scenarios for Hawleyville, the HVCEO is seeking to balance

the interests of developers, the town, and the region.

The state Department of Transportation (DOT) wants to make the road

improvements described in the study within the coming 15 years.

The Hawleyville study creates a conceptual framework, establishing a hierarchy

of planning policies to foster the controlled growth of that largely

undeveloped section of town.

The study creates a public planning model for future development, in effect,

"setting a tone" for economic growth.

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Well that is some spin. The Democrats have a super majority on the LC and passed the Education Budget without serious consideration of if the voters could afford the multi million dollar increase. "Was the request justified?" rather than "is this needed?" and "can the voters shoulder yet another large increase?" The voters rightly sent it back. Then for some reason all the discussion around reductions to the increase seemed to be coming from the classroom, rather than administration and overhead costs. Is this a coercive tactic to manipulate parents into supporting the budget like tacit threat of cutting freshman sports was two years ago? Who believes the Democrats did not caucus privately before the meeting and came in with a number already worked out? This is the Dems budget, they own it.

Education Cuts: Who Voted For What

I think it is important that we do not villainize every black box seen around a home, business, farm, or municipal property. A black exterior station does not always mean rat poison is being used. These stations can hold a number of different products, including monitoring blocks, snap traps, non-toxic bait, anti-tick bait stations, organic salt- or cornmeal-based control products, and newer fertility-control approaches intended to reduce rodent populations without traditional poisons. The better conversation, in my opinion, is not simply “black boxes are bad,” but rather: what is inside them, who is maintaining them, and whether the rodent issue is being managed responsibly. Exclusion, sanitation, trapping, habitat reduction, and careful monitoring should all be part of a responsible IPM strategy. To be fair, on my own property I do use rodenticides, including Bromethalin and Bromadiolone, in secured bait stations. But that is a choice I make for my property, based on my circumstances and the risk I am trying to manage. I also believe property owners should understand the tradeoffs and be encouraged to use the least harmful effective method whenever possible. I support protecting Newtown’s wildlife. I also support giving residents accurate information and not assuming that every black box represents reckless or unsafe pest control. The goal should be responsible rodent management, not fear of the box itself.

Discusses Policy Against Rodenticides

Debora, thank you! I accidentally doubled the project prices by adding the bond to the appropriation. Thank you so much for catching that and pointing it out. With the corrected numbers, the voters approved a combined $1.32 million for a salt shed ($600k) and library pavement ($720k), while rejecting the $1.12 million replacement turf. Regarding the 80s, I truly respect the hurdle of 14% mortgage rates. My point is simply that the math has shifted: in 1980, while the rates were higher, the price of a home relative to earnings was significantly lower. We are facing a different, but equally crushing, financial wall. Ultimately, it is disheartening that voters who recognized safe sidewalks and parking lots as essential, dismissed a playing field in the exact same condition. The turf has passed its life cycle and is just as much of a liability as the library’s pavement, the only difference is that this safety concern affects thousands of children who, coincidentally, cannot vote. These are apples-to-apples needs. I was hopeful our community would agree that all Newtown residents deserve safe conditions, regardless of which facility they utilize. Again, I would be remiss not to mention that when 82% of residents don’t show up, we have to deal with the interests of those who did. Hopefully, the next referendum will have a bigger turnout.

The ‘Me’ Generation

Thanks for the reply. I meant the numbers you presented in your letter. I found one place where other numbers were listed: https://www.newtownbee.com/04232026/get-out-and-vote-on-the-2026-27-proposed-municipal-and-school-budgets/?q=\\\%22advisory%20questions\\\%22. In that article, the numbers were cited as: Treadwell field: $1,125,000 Library: $720,000 Salt Storage: $600,000 As one who started out in the early 80's when inflation was double digits, my 1985 mortgage rate was 14%, and child care costs were comparable (in present value), I shared your grief but never considered the voters ironic or shameful. PS. I agree college tuition is ridiculous. Thankfully, universities are offering (or considering) waiving all or most tuition for middle class families (upwards of $200,000 incomes). Hopefully, they'll also reconsider their need for those funds in the first place.

Sure! Child care costs: https://www.ffyf.org/2022/10/13/data-child-care-prices-continue-to-rise-ahead-of-midterm-elections-outpacing-inflation/ (also from 2021-2025 we had 2 children in a local daycare in Newtown and it cost us $3200 a month, so that's a number I am very familiar with) Home price / median price vs income source: https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/home-price-income-ratios Tuition increase vs inflation: https://feed.georgetown.edu/access-affordability/noting-a-decline-in-middle-class-students-colleges-provide-more-aid/ Hope this helps :)

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Date: Fri 24-Apr-1998

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