Thank you for a great turn out for our March chapter meeting. We would like to keep that momentum going. As we planned our April meeting, the CVTU board became aware of a threat to our mission: protecting our local waters. A proposal for a 170-unit senior living development off Commerce Rd. in Newtown was going before the Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) on March 22. The property borders Deep Brook, one of nine Class 1 wild trout rivers in the state of CT. We have been collecting temperature data from Deep Brook for over 15 years.
This river is already facing challenges from rising water temperatures that can periodically exceed temperature thresholds threatening the native trout of Deep Brook. The board jumped into action employing an environmental expert to support our mission. Our position is to protect the Deep Brook water course, not oppose the development. The goal is to ensure proper storm water run-off safeguards are in place ensuring the water quality of Deep Brook is not further compromised.
The Newtown IWC will hear more testimony relating to the proposed senior development proposal on April 12th. This conflicts with our April 12th monthly chapter meeting. We will not hold our scheduled meeting as several members of the CVTU board will be attending the IWC meeting with our environmental consultant.
If you would like to see CVTU work our mission in a real-life situation, the IWC meeting is open to the public at the Newtown Municipal Center, 3 Primrose St. starting at 7:30 PM. We will resume our monthly chapter meeting again on May 10th.
We will reschedule April’s previously scheduled presenter - Tim Cammisa - for a meeting later in the year so that we can still enjoy his enjoyable and informative presentation.
Thank you for your continued support.
CVTU Board
Links to recent articles on the development:
April 3rd, 2023: https://www.newtownbee.com/04032023/concerns-raised-for-commerce-road-housing-development/
March 21, 2023: https://www.newtownbee.com/03212023/commerce-road-senior-community-proposal-facing-upcoming-hearings/