By Sarah Opdahl

At the New Fairfield Zoning Commission (Zoning) meeting on Wednesday, October 7, there was a continuance on the Special Permit for Hoover Place and Coolidge Street. The 24-home development is undergoing the approvals process under 8-30g, Connecticut’s  Affordable  Housing  Land  Use Appeals law.

Mr. Ward Mazzucco, a lawyer representing Nejame Development was apprehensive when a continuance was requested, as the project has lingered for a few months and they are hoping to close the hearing and have Zoning render a decision, but First Selectman Ms. Pat Del Monaco graciously explained, with recent staffing changes, the process was unavoidably slowed. The current delay will be resolved when Town Engineer Mr. Tony Iadarola is able to review final changes.

There was a lengthy discussion about the traffic implications of the development’s creation. Mazzucco said, “You’ve received a report from a professional engineer who’s a traffic engineering specialist…traffic generated to the houses and by the houses will be adequately and safely accommodated by the adjacent roadways and intersections. The traffic impact of the development will be limited.” There is the possibility of the State adding a traffic light or a turning lane in the future.

Mazzucco went on to address previous concerns about the site, saying that any concerns about the community water supply was resolved. He said a hydrogeologist concluded that “the statistical data suggests that there is a moderate to high probability that the bedrock aquifer in the study area has sufficient yield to meet the project demand requirements.” Her report says, “to supply the new system, a minimum of two wells would be developed, each with a safe yield capacity of at least 8.52 gallons per minute, the geologic assessment and inventory of nearby wells support that bedrock drilled on the project site can likely achieve these yields without significant adverse effects to the bedrock aquifer.” Mazzucco explained that following drilling, “well yield tests would be conducted on them to document their safe yield capacity, and as part of that testing, other nearby existing wells whose owners have granted permission to access them would be measured to assess potential aquifer drawdown effects from pumping the new wells.”

Questions about emergency personnel traffic into the narrow-street neighborhood were also resolved, with Iadarola signing off on plans after conferring with the Town’s Fire Marshal Mr. Chris Alward and Fire Chief Mr. Nick Conway.

The next regular New Fairfield Zoning Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 4, 7:30 p.m.