Rocky Hill board chairwoman to quit over housing talks

Criticizes closed-door council negotiations over development of 15-acre Schafer tract.

By: Kara Fitzpatrick
   ROCKY HILL — Citing a loss of "confidence and trust" in the Borough Council, Planning Board Chairwoman Susan Bristol announced Tuesday that she will leave the board at the end of the year.
   A five-year veteran of the board, Ms. Bristol said her decision is "definitely related to the goings-on with the Schafer Tract."
   Ms. Bristol said she lost confidence and trust in the governing body as a result of the closed negotiations that took place in order for the borough and David Schafer to resolve differences over the development of his 15-acre tract of land.
   Faced with possible litigation from Mr. Schafer, the council introduced an ordinance last month that creates a new age-restricted zoning district for the property.
   Following revisions to the Master Plan reflecting the change, the ordinance was endorsed Tuesday by the Planning Board by a 6-3 vote. Ms. Bristol, Tom Roshetar and Jeanette Muser voted against the ordinance. The ordinance will go before the Borough Council on Monday.
   The controversy over the tract, which began in 2003, stems from the Planning Board’s proposed rezoning of those 15 acres. That rezoning would have reduced the number of units permitted for construction on the property.
   In March, the Planning Board approved an ordinance giving Mr. Schafer three zoning options. The options were allowing approximately 13 units, all built on the back portion of the property; three farmettes with a minimum of 4 acres each; or zoning with a density bonus for up to 26 units, with about half being age-restricted or affordable housing. Mr. Schafer said those options presented terms that were different from his original contract with the borough in 1996.
   In April, the Borough Council vote on the ordinance was delayed because of a public notification question and later that month the ordinance was tabled after Mr. Schafer and the borough entered negotiations.
   After months of consultation and discussion, the new ordinance approved by the Planning Board would allow Mr. Schafer to develop a maximum of 17 two-family buildings of age-restricted housing — allowing 34 units on the tract. To be classified as age-restricted housing, a home must be occupied by at least one individual who is a minimum of 55 years old. The residence cannot house anyone under 18.
   "Because of the way this negotiation occurred, I don’t think that these big compromises should have been made that way out of the public realm," said Ms. Bristol.
   On Tuesday, Mayor Brian Nolan thanked Ms. Bristol for her service. "Her service has been terrific," said the mayor. "It appears she disagreed in regards to the age-restricted housing. That’s her opinion. We didn’t agree," said Mayor Nolan, adding he holds "no resentment."
   Ms. Bristol said that although she is not against senior housing in general, the decision to restrict minors in this case was "discriminatory zoning."
   "I don’t believe that it is correct for our community," she said. "I don’t believe it’s an appropriate way to zone."
   In addition, the two-unit buildings — slated to be about 7,000 square feet each, said Ms. Bristol — are "absurd" in scale, given they will be next to an historic zone.
   Ms. Muser said she was completely shocked to learn of Ms. Bristol’s departure. "It’s been a very difficult year for Planning Board members," she said.
   Board member Philip Hayden will also be stepping down from the board at the end of the calendar year for reasons that he said are "entirely personal" and have "absolutely nothing to do with either past or current matters before the board or the Borough Council."
   A successor to the Planning Board chair is expected to be chosen during the council’s reorganization meeting next month.