Residents Oppose Apartments At Cochran House

By Andrew Gorosko

Residents at an April 7 Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) public hearing opposed a P&Z proposal to revise the Fairfield Hills Adaptive Reuse (FHAR) zoning regulations to allow Cochran House there to be converted for use as an apartment building.

About 80 people attended the session, at which more than 25 people spoke and nearly 30 people submitted written statements to the P&Z.

Generally, those who voiced opinions at the session opposed allowing housing at the town-owned Fairfield Hills core campus. Specifically, they are against allowing multifamily housing as a permitted use at Cochran House on Mile Hill Road South.

The multistory, 188,000-square-foot Cochran House was used for patient treatment and housing when Fairfield Hills was a state psychiatric hospital in the past. The building was constructed in 1956. It was the last major structure built at the state hospital campus, where construction began in the early 1930s.

The P&Z conducted the public hearing in view of a development firm’s interest in creating multifamily housing in Cochran House. A New York City developer has proposed converting Cochran House into a 160-unit apartment complex, but has not submitted an application for the project because the zoning regulations do not allow such a use there.

The P&Z conducted the public hearing to gauge public sentiment on the multifamily housing proposal. The hearing is slated to resume on May 5.

In the past, the FHAR zoning regulations had allowed various types of housing at Fairfield Hills. But in 2007, the P&Z revised the rules to eliminate housing as a permitted use at Fairfield Hills.

As the P&Z considers the housing issue, the ad hoc Fairfield Hills Master Plan Review Committee is reviewing the town’s master plan for the 190-acre Fairfield Hills core campus, which the town bought from the state for $3.9 million in 2004. At the same time, the Fairfield Hills Authority has been considering the developer’s proposal to convert Cochran House into an apartment building.

P&Z Chairman Lilla Dean told residents at the April 7 hearing that it is unclear whether the P&Z would postpone action on the proposed FHAR zoning rule changes until the master plan review panel issues its recommendations on possibly changing the master plan.

The proposed FHAR zoning rule changes would allow multiple-family dwellings at Cochran House, provided that at least ten percent of such dwellings are designated as “affordable housing,” and that the multiple-family dwellings have public sanitary sewer service and public water service. Also, the proposed FHAR rule changes also would allow the reuse of eight existing single-family houses at Fairfield Hills as affordable housing.

Affordable housing, also known as workforce housing, is designated for moderate- and low-income families.

Jan Brookes of 38 Hundred Acres Road spoke in favor of allowing affordable housing at Fairfield Hills.

But the large majority of speakers opposed housing on the site.

Brian Scobin of 8 Nunnawauk Road told P&Z members he opposes allowing housing at Fairfield Hills.

Mr Scobin, who lives in the vicinity the state’s high-security Garner Correctional Institution at 50 Nunnawauk Road, said that the prison was forced upon residents in the past, in drawing a parallel to the Cochran House conversion proposal. The prison opened in 1992.

There are better uses for the Cochran House site, he said, suggesting that the building be demolished and the site be used for a sports stadium, walking trails, a bowling alley, or an in-ground swimming pool.

Al Cramer of 5 Partridge Lane posed a series of questions about the implications of the proposed zoning rule changes, and asked who would be responsible for making the final decision on whether Cochran House would be converted into an apartment building.

David Steiner of 6 Nunnawauk Road said he opposes allowing an apartment building at Fairfield Hills, adding that the roads in that area could not adequately handle the traffic generated by an apartment building.

Trish Wootton of 24 Mile Hill Road South registered her opposition to the proposed zoning rule changes.

Fred Kelley III, of 12 Nunnawauk Road said, “I’m totally against this plan.”

“They shoved [Garner] down our throat years ago,” he said, adding that the apartment proposal for Cochran House seems similar.

Marc Michaud of 78 Narragansett Trail said, “I absolutely object to any housing going into Fairfield Hills.”

The intersection of Mile Hill Road South and Wasserman Way is very dangerous for motorists exiting Mile Hill Road South to Wasserman Way, he said. Having apartments at Fairfield Hills would result in the need for major road improvements in that area, he said.

Ms Dean said that the need for road improvements would be reviewed by the P&Z as part of any such redevelopment application.

Jane Glander of 17 Pond Brook Road said that the two baseball diamonds at 28 Mile Hill Road South, known as Glander Field #1 and #2, are a community resource. Ms Glander said she opposes creating housing at the adjacent Cochran House.

Merritt Saunders of 2 Pumpkin Lane voiced his opposition to multifamily, or high-density, housing at Cochran House. Mr Saunders said he does not understand enough about the potential public costs stemming from such a development. Such housing could adversely affect town recreation facilities, he said.

Robin Fitzgerald of 24 Old Farm Hill Road said she opposes high-density housing at Fairfield Hills.

James Walsh of 3 North Branch Road said he hopes that the Cochran House site is eventually converted into a public park.

Ruby Johnson of 16 Chestnut Hill Road provided P&Z members with a diagram depicting the future uses she favors at Fairfield Hills. That diagram shows the location that now holds Cochran House containing a parking area and a softball field in the future.

“There’s no room for housing at Fairfield Hills,” she said.

Robert Hall of 5 Nettleton Avenue said, “I am opposed to this [housing] proposal.” Mr Hall, a local land use lawyer, objected to the zoning rule change proposal on procedural grounds.

To change the zoning regulations before an actual construction proposal has been submitted would prevent the P&Z from controlling the development process, he added.

Joe Carrino of 52 Jeremiah Road said, “I am adamantly opposed to this [housing] project.” Mr Carrino said the town should proceed slowly with the redevelopment of Fairfield Hills.

Donna Monteleone Randle of 4 Erin Lane said, “I am totally 100 percent against building any apartments at Fairfield Hills, particularly at Cochran House.” The building should be demolished to create space for a playground, she said. Having apartments in Cochran House would ruin the adjacent Glander Field, she said.

Elizabeth Lincoln of 34 Echo Valley Road told P&Z members she opposes creating housing at Fairfield Hills. “It’s a negative idea,” she said.

Open space at Fairfield Hills there would be of greater value to the town in the future, she said. “[Fairfield Hills is] a treasure that Newtown should protect and should not give up easily,” she said.

Chris Spiro of 12 Grand Place told P&Z members that it is obvious there is strong opposition to the Cochran House apartment proposal. “What part of ‘No’ isn’t understandable?” he asked.

Ms Dean observed, “I think we’ve heard that people don’t want high-density housing at Cochran House.” They would prefer to have the building demolished, she added.

The FHAR zone for Fairfield Hills is intended to permit the conversion and reuse of buildings at the former state psychiatric hospital campus in a manner that is in harmony with the campus and the surrounding neighborhood. The FHAR zoning regulations currently allow dozens of potential uses for the campus, but not the multifamily housing as proposed by the developer for Cochran House.

Under P&Z’s proposal for zoning rule changes, the FHAR regulations would be revised to allow housing through P&Z’s special permit process.