OPINION: Protect Our Kids, Oppose Spot-Zoning FSI Enfield Campus

ENFIELD, CT — We, the parents, alumni, neighbors, and friends of Enfield Montessori School (EMS), are firmly opposed to PH# 3017MA, the proposed zone change of the property on which our school is situated (1325 Enfield St., Enfield, CT; Map 46/Lot 2; HR-33 Zone), from HR-33 (One Family Residence District ) to SDD (Special Development District ).

This spot-zoning would allow for changes in how the property is currently used. The property redevelopment proposal includes approximately 330 new residential units to be located within some of the existing buildings as well as approximately twelve new buildings, supported by increased parking areas and community resources.

As members of the EMS community, we have a vested interest in this property and the safety of its students. EMS enrolls 179 children, comprising toddlers through grade nine, and the safety of each child is of our utmost concern. The proposed rezoning would allow the redevelopment project to move forward, exposing these children to unvetted residents and their guests, staff, solicitors, service providers, etc. (current school safety protocols require that EVERY adult that comes in contact with students receives child safety training and certification through the Archdiocese of Hartford), which significantly increases the risk of danger to our children. EMS faculty and staff is meticulously careful and intentional with its charge of our children’s safety. The additional campus density would make this nearly impossible to manage, especially without significant expense to the school for added resources.

If spot-zoned SDD, a second proposed change is to relocate student outdoor activity (recess, nature observations, p.e. class, outdoor events) to the West side of the property, adjacent to Enfield Street (children currently primarily utilize the East side of the property). This is another major safety concern. The traffic traveling through this stretch of Route 5 moves too fast to allow adequate reaction time to children playing near the open road, and often vehicles exceed the posted speed limit. This could easily lead to tragedy, especially for our younger students and toddlers, who can sometimes behave unpredictably.

Yet another safety concern if this property is rezoned and allowed to redevelop, would be on-campus traffic. Traffic flow on campus is already a safety concern. Children, parents, and elderly and disabled residents occasionally have a need to cross the campus roadways and parking lots. Despite speed limits in place, we see visitors speed through campus. EMS has no resources in place to police this. Higher density would exacerbate the issue exponentially, and expose our children to dramatically more risk of injury.

In addition to our primary concerns around the safety of the school children and residents already using the property, other major concerns include the overtaxation of safety resources, increased potential for crime, increased traffic congestion on both Enfield Street and South Road, debasement of an historic district, depreciation of adjacent and neighboring residential properties, and loss of wildlife habitat. As well as the fact that redevelopment would irreversibly alter the bucolic Felician campus as it stands today.

In closing, we would like to stress the urgency of this issue, and respectfully urge all Enfield planning and zoning commissioners to vote no on PH# 3017MA for the safety of our community.

Why is this important?

If the proposed zone change is approved, the safety of our children, and that of current residents of the property will be put at risk. Significant safety risks include exposure to outside/unknown adults, dangerous relocation of children's activities to within close proximity to very busy Enfield Street, and increased on-campus traffic. Additional concerns include the overtaxation of safety resources, increased potential for crime, increased traffic congestion on both Enfield Street and South Road, debasement of an historic district, depreciation of adjacent and neighboring residential properties, and loss of wildlife habitat. Please join us in opposing the proposal to rezone the Felician Sisters property at 1297 Enfield Street from HR-33 to SDD.

This column was written by Enfield Montessori School parent Jonathan Wyse, and is published here with permission.

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