The purpose of this zone is to permit the conversion and reuse of the former Fairfield Hills Hospital campus in a manner that is in harmony with the character of the existing campus and surrounding neighborhood. The zone is designed to allow the economic reuse of the site so as to contribute to the wellbeing of the community while at the same time encourage the conservation of the overall site design and cohesive layout of the main campus. The zone encourages the maintenance of the historic integrity of the campus and existing structures located there.
The intent of the FHAR zone is to focus on a campus setting and encourage use of the property, existing buildings and new structures that will reinforce and contribute to the overall cohesiveness of the area. A campus setting is typically characterized by an integrated site design with complementary land uses that work together as a whole. The property has a unique central location in the community and Fairfield Hills Hospital played a major role in Newtown's overall development and history. The property is environmentally sensitive and has areas located within the aquifer protection district. The reuse of the property should be planned, new structures should blend in with existing historic structures, and the environmental integrity of the site should be maintained.
The Fairfield Hills site possesses unique circumstances that shall require multiple steps and approvals for the reuse of the campus as outlined herein.
6.03.210 
The first step involves the creation of a master planned development proposal for the entire campus and the submission of such plan to the Commission for its consideration and action.
6.03.211 
A master planned development proposal shall provide the following information and studies as set forth below.
(a) 
An overall development scenario, a description of the project phasing, potential impact on historic factors and natural resources and the capacity of the infrastructure.
(b) 
An environmental impact study concerning the effect the master planned development will have upon the environment in general, the aquifer, and the campus character.
(c) 
A plan for vehicular and pedestrian circulation patterns and parking areas. The plan shall be designed to demonstrate a harmonious integration of traffic and parking within the campus and the area immediately surrounding the campus. Shared parking areas are desirable and encouraged.
(d) 
A landscaping plan.
6.03.212 
Following receipt of a master plan, or subsequent modifications, the Commission may hold a public hearing. If a public hearing is held, it shall commence within 65 days following receipt. The Commission shall take action to approve, modify and approve or disapprove the master planned development proposal within 65 days following the close of a public hearing should one be held.
6.03.213 
The Commission may refer the master plan, for review and comment, to any other appropriate agency as deemed necessary.
6.03.214 
In making its decision, the Commission shall consider the suitability of the particular uses and general layout of the campus plan. The master plan, and any subsequent modifications to the plan, shall be approved by the Commission upon its finding that the plan:
(a) 
Is consistent with the FHAR, CA and APD zones, as applicable;
(b) 
Will not cause unacceptable congestion or traffic hazards on neighboring streets;
(c) 
Will not substantially impair property values in the neighborhood;
(d) 
Will not create a health or safety hazard to persons or property on or off the campus;
(e) 
Is consistent with the Newtown Plan of Conservation and Development.
6.03.220 
Subsequent to the Commission's approval of a master plan or any modifications thereof, development shall be subject to obtaining a site development plan approval in accordance with Article X hereof, if so required, or in lieu thereof, when such development in located in the aquifer protection district, then subject to obtaining a special exception in accordance with the standards, criteria, conditions, and procedures as set forth in Article XI hereof and the additional standards, criteria, conditions and procedures set forth in Section 595-2.01.600. Uses shall be consistent with the approved master plan and all applicable sections of these regulations.
6.03.221 
No site development plan application shall be approved if the Commission finds that it is not consistent with the approved master plan for the Fairfield Hills Campus.
6.03.222 
Notwithstanding Section 595-10.01.200 hereof, the development of outdoor recreational or sport fields shall require site development plan approval in accordance with Article X hereof or in lieu thereof, when such development in located in the aquifer protection district, then subject to obtaining a special exception in accordance with the standards, criteria, conditions, and procedures as set forth in Article XI hereof and the additional standards, criteria, conditions and procedures set forth in Section 595-2.01.600.
6.03.223 
Interior renovations and adaptive reuse of existing buildings consistent with the approved master plan shall not be subjected to site development plan approval.
6.03.230 
Amendments to the approved master plan may be considered by the Commission upon application by the Town of Newtown or its authorized representatives. Any such amendments and subsequent uses shall be subjected to the same procedures, standards, and criteria set forth in Sections 595-6.03.200 through 595-6.03.223 herein.
The following principal and accessory uses and structures are permitted. Uses that are not listed as permitted shall not be permitted by variance.
(a) 
Recreational or sport facilities and fields, indoor or outdoor.
(b) 
Museums, art galleries, cultural centers.
(c) 
Performing art theatres.
(d) 
Public library.
(e) 
Senior center.
(f) 
Teen center.
(g) 
Municipal Town Hall complex and government uses but not, including dumps, incinerators, recycling centers, transfer stations and other garbage disposal or handling areas, municipal garages or public works storage yards.
(h) 
Educational facility, including accessory housing and sport facilities.
(i) 
Shops and stores for retail sales, limited to no more than 10,000 square feet per tenant.
(j) 
Shops where personal services are offered, including, beauty salon or barber shop, day spa, dry cleaning services that do not conduct on-site cleaning, gymnastics, fitness centers, shoe repair, tailoring or dressmaking, photographic studio, copy center, rental services, counseling services.
(k) 
Restaurants, including outside service, but excluding drive-thru facilities.
(l) 
Banks, financial institutions.
(m) 
General, professional, governmental, Town and Board of Education offices.
(n) 
Medical, dental offices.
(o) 
Research and development facilities dedicated to the development and/or testing of products or specimens.
(p) 
Corporate headquarters for one or more corporations.
(q) 
Publishing establishments.
(r) 
Hospitals.
(s) 
Conference center or meeting halls.
(t) 
Child day-care centers.
(u) 
Elderly day-care centers.
(v) 
Nursery, greenhouse, provided that such is clearly incidental to a permitted use.
(w) 
Crop farming in open space areas.
(x) 
Structured parking, providing that such parking is clearly incidental to a principal permitted use.
(y) 
Multi-specialty veterinary hospital providing, but not limited to, surgical, emergency, medical and oncology treatments for animals referred by outside veterinarians. Such a hospital does not provide routine or general veterinary services (i.e. vaccines, boarding or grooming). No outdoor runs are permitted and such a hospital shall be connected to public sewer.
[Added effective 10-14-2008]
(z) 
Farmer's market. A Certified Farmer's Market as defined by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture in C.G.S.§ 22-6r and in compliance with the Newtown Zoning Farmer's Market definition, to be located at a site designated by the Fairfield Hills Authority. A banner sign of 30 square feet in front of the Fairfield Hills Campus, and two sandwich signs on Wasserman Way will be allowed as temporary advertisement from the Friday before the event to the market on Tuesday. Exact locations of signs to be determined by the Zoning Enforcement Officer.
[Added effective 7-26-2010]
(aa) 
A community activity such as a fair, concert or similar type event conducted by nonprofit Town organizations or National charities with local affiliations, in off-street areas, with no permanent structures allowed.
[Added effective 08/13/2012]
The event can include, sporting events, amusements, nonprofit sales of merchandise/ food and for-profit vendors that are affiliated with and donate all or a portion of the sale profits to the sponsoring nonprofit organization. The donation can also be in the form of a space rental fee paid by the for-profit business to the sponsoring nonprofit organization.
Said permit will not be issued until the applicant has made provision for adequate parking as determined by the Zoning Enforcement Officer, nor will such permit be issued until the approval of such Town Boards, Departments or Agencies as is required by other Town ordinances or regulations is obtained.
The application shall be submitted 21 working days, but not more than six months prior to the event. Said permit shall be effective for a period of not more than 10 days.
(bb) 
Brew pubs and distilleries.
[Added effective 10-12-2017]
The following principal uses and structures are permitted in the FHAR subject to obtaining a special exception permit in accordance with the standards, criteria, conditions, and procedures set forth in Article XI:
A. 
Rental Residential Housing shall be allowed in up to two of the existing Fairfield Hills Campus Buildings. Residential housing may include assisted living, 55 and older, affordable and market rate units, with the following conditions:
1. 
A Lease agreement negotiated with the Board of Selectmen and Fairfield Hills Authority shall be submitted prior to and shall be contingent upon the special exception approval.
2. 
For-profit, taxable entities and uses and nonprofit entities and uses will be considered. The for-profit projects shall not be exempt from real estate taxes, personal property taxes or sewer and water use fees. The nonprofit projects shall negotiate a pay in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with the Board of Selectmen. Other variations of municipal revenue sources can be considered by the Board of Selectmen.
3. 
Rental projects shall include a rental plan with a Management Officer or an independent Management Company to administer rental applications and agreements. The rental plan shall be in effect for the duration of the Lease, filed with the Town, and updated as necessary.
4. 
Leases shall include at a minimum the following conditions:
a. 
Residential and commercial unit rental agreements shall contain a notification of Parks and Recreation activities, daily public use, other leased entity/tenant uses and special events held at the Fairfield Hills Campus.
b. 
Parking agreement.
c. 
Common area maintenance (CAM) charges.
5. 
Existing historic exterior architecture shall be restored.
6. 
Apartments shall be limited to one and two bedroom units.
7. 
A commercial component shall be included in any project proposal.
8. 
Adequate campus parking shall be proposed utilizing newly constructed parking spaces in compliance with Section 595-8.03.600, Schedule of minimum parking requirements. Any potential parking structures must be in harmony with the character of the campus.
[Added effective 2-13-2021]
Article VII of these regulations and the following limitations shall apply:
6.03.410 
Minimum lot area. The minimum lot area shall be at least 150 acres of contiguous land owned or controlled by the applicant. Town roads located in the Fairfield Hills campus shall not divide the property into separate lots.
6.03.420 
Minimum setbacks. Any structure shall be setback 100 feet from the street line or 125 feet from the centerline of the street, whichever is greater. Minimum setbacks shall only apply to Wasserman Way, Nunnawauk Road and Mile Hill Road South. All structures shall be setback 100 feet from the nearest property line. The right of way for the roads within the campus streets shall not be considered property lines.
6.03.430 
Number of stories. All structures shall be limited to three stories.
6.03.440 
Building height. Building height shall comply with Article VII, Section 595-7.03.155, of these regulations. The conversion of existing structures shall be encouraged. If any existing structures in the zone now exceed or breach the requirements of Article VII, the nonconformity shall not be expanded but may be altered to facilitate the reuse of existing buildings.
6.03.450 
Maximum structural coverage. The maximum building coverage shall be 10% of the entire lot. The maximum building, storage loading, paved areas, parking, roadways, driveways and sidewalk coverage shall be 20% of the entire lot.
6.03.500 
Parking and pedestrian walkways. Sections 595-8.03.320, 595-8.03.430, 595-8.03.600 and 595-8.03.720 of these regulations concerning parking shall apply. The placement of parking areas and pedestrian walkways shall allow convenient passage for motor vehicles and pedestrians upon the campus. Parking areas, whether structured parking areas or not, shall be landscaped to buffer the parking from the sight of neighboring properties. Parking areas shall be located so as to maintain the main campus character but to allow for expansive lawn and planted areas to be incorporated into the design.
All applicable provisions of the sign regulations as set forth in Article VIII Section 1, shall apply with the following exception:
Wasserman Way, Nunnawauk Road and Mile Hill Road South are the only public streets that shall be used in applying the sign setback provisions. Sign setbacks within the interior campus street system are exempt.
6.03.610 
Permitted signs. The permitted signs as set forth in Article VIII, Section 1, may be externally illuminated signs. A uniform sign plan shall be utilized to address all permitted signs located upon the campus. Such plan shall provide for a consistent design theme for all of the signs located upon the lot and upon the buildings in terms of standardized location, lighting, generalized design features etc. The signage plan shall be tasteful, complementary to the architecture of the buildings and shall have consistent details that tie the various elements of the campus together to complement the overall design of the campus. Only those signs listed in Article VIII, Section 1, shall be permitted. The size is the maximum area.