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Opposition to Slate School Voiced at PZC Meeting

Local residents have voiced their opposition to the establishment of a proposed independent, non-profit school at 124 Mansfield Road, citing concerns about road safety and increased traffic.

Those residents spoke during the Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) meeting on Sept. 11. The Slate School was on the PZC agenda following an initial presentation by the school’s applicant and supporters in August.

Attorney John Lambert, representing residents of the Blue Hills Neighborhood Association (BHNA), claimed that the information before the PZC is inadequate and that the proposed location is unsafe, as Mansfield Road is too narrow. He said additional traffic may increase the risk of accidents.

BHNA President Ken Henrici said he believes the proposed location of the school intrudes on a rural area in North Haven, and that residents walk and ride bikes along the Mansfield Road, which will not sustain additional traffic. Several other area residents echoed the concerns of increased traffic and road safety at the meeting.

Ross Lanius, a retired civil engineer, presented images of locations including 100 to 101 Mansfield Road and the intersection of Mansfield Road and Woodmere Circle, which are an estimated 16 and 17 feet wide, respectively. He noted that the driving sections of the road becomes narrower during winter conditions.

Area resident Lana Ives backed these claims with video footage of cars passing closely with little space. Ives also expressed concerns about the lack of space for the school’s proposed off-street parking.

Lambert raised a previous decision by the PZC in 1975 that approved a subdivision on Kings Highway in North Haven and listed 124 Mansfield Road as “other property” of the applicant. Conditions of that approved subdivision included a road that is 50 feet wide to allow future development to access 124 Mansfield Road, he said. The 1975 decision also requires that public water must be brought in through Kings Highway, Lambert said.

The current application for Slate School proposes water provision through Mansfield Road. Lambert said the 1975 decision must be abided and claimed that bringing in city water via Kings Highway would benefit more North Haven residents than the Slate School’s proposal.

Lambert also stated that applicants of the school have proposed a driveway that is 24 feet wide, as per town regulations, and when asked at a recent Inland Wetlands Commission meeting if it was possible to narrow it, they said that a driveway under this width would be unsafe.

The Slate School’s application for a special exemption was also a topic of debate. The applicant has filed under subsection (a) Section 2.1.1.5 of the town’s zoning regulations, which governs “schools and colleges operated by a governmental unit or nonprofit corporation.” However, Attorney Anthony DeChello, who represents the owner of 100 Mansfield Road, argued that Slate School should in fact seek exemption under subsection (b) encompassing “Private schools, including nursery schools or day care centers, for pupils below high school grades, whether operated for profit or not.”

DeChello raised concerns that there are no provisions in place to stop the PZC from changing the use of the school building in the future or to prevent the number of students from exceeding 70. He also said that the traffic reports didn’t take into account added traffic for proposed school events and activities.

Attorney Timothy Lee, who represents the Slate School applicants, stated that his clients would agree to a conservation easement and to stipulations that Quinnipiac University would not use the land and that housing would not be developed on the site. Following the meeting, Lee told the Courier that he believes all issues raised can be addressed by his team.

PZC Chairman Vern Carlson said that Lee and Lambert will both have an opportunity to present their cases at the commission meeting on Monday, Oct. 2. He said it is likely the PZC will not deliberate on the special exception at that meeting, with time needed to review the information, but stated that the public hearing will be closed.