On Wednes day, March 1, New Fairfield’s Zoning Commission approved a special permit that will allow site work on 302 Ball Pond Road. The approval allows the Town’s Permanent Building Committee to proceed with the Consolidated demolition—the building’s demolition is covered under a separate permit. The site work to be completed also poises the site for a bus lot, if current litigation results in a decision to proceed at this location. The permit reads:

SP-23-001-Special Permit for 302 Ball Pond Road-For the removal of demo debris, filling in of earth material and regrading of the site as a result of the demolition of the Consolidated School. Associated site improvements including grading and storm damage. Section(s) 3.1.2 Special Permit Uses (A&B) & Section 6.4- Excavation, Removal, Filling, and Grading of Earth Material by Special Permit Approval. Applicant-Town of New Fairfield.

Before the permit’s approval, JCJ Architecture’s Ms. Christine O’Hare and Langan Engineer’s Mr. Anthony Gordon gave an overview of what the sitework entails. A couple of changes in the documents i nclude the fact that both parking lots on the site are now slated to remain, as well as the playground and the fencing surrounding it . The special permit primarily involves filling material and regrading the site as a result of the school’s demolition with associated site improvements including grading that will stabilize the site and avoid soil erosion. Consideration was made for the site’s safety with fencing and swing gates. “We also have some associated stormwater infrastructure to collect runoff as it comes down the new slopes,” Gordon explained.

Zoning member Mr. Kevin Van Vlack read a lengthy letter from Town Engineer Mr. Tony Iadarola specifying all matters that Iadorala approved and change requests that he made.

By Sarah Opdahl