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NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE FAIRFIELD COMMUNITY
Impact on Wetlands and Wildlife
The proposed development will disrupt and significantly negatively impact: wildlife habitats, wildlife travel corridors, an ecologically sensitive Vernal Pool, wetland swamp and watercourses due to the following:
- The elimination of a large amount of wooded area will negatively impact soil shading and stabilization and impact run-off, which will in turn harm the wetlands, watershed, area wildlife and their habitats & travel corridors.
- Re-grading the ridge of the hill above a sensitive wetland (from 152' down to 145') will alter runoff and divert contaminants into the existing watershed.
- All run-off and contaminants from this development will flow into the Cricker Brook watershed, leading into the already fragile Samp Mortar Lake which is struggling to maintain healthy, swimmable water quality levels.
These are woodland areas which will be destroyed or damaged by the construction of the proposed development.
 
Size
This massive, 3-story development is simply too big for this residentially zoned area as well as for the small, wooded parcel on which it is to be built:
- At 95,000 sq. ft., the new mega-structure will be over THREE times the size of BRCC's current facility. Other buildings of this size include: the Palms Casino in Las Vegas; the BIG Arena in Bethlehem NY (which houses two ice skating rinks); and convention centers such as the Pennsylvania Expo Center and the Austin Texas Community Events Center.
- The new BRCC parking lot will have close to 550 parking spaces -- as many as that of a typical Home Depot or Super Target store.
- The seating capacity of BRCC will be increased from 550 to almost 1,300 - the same as that of the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway in NYC.
- The new building's footprint will be about the size of a football field.
- The enormous new facility, sited much closer to the road, in an entirely residential neighborhood will stand out like a "sore thumb"
- In 2001, a much smaller development project (only 54,000 s.f.) proposed for this same site by Sunrise Assisted Living was vehemently opposed by the community and ultimately denied by the Conservation Commission due to its size and proximity to sensitive wetlands and vernal pools.
Blasting
Blasting of a significant amount of ledge on the parcel will be necessary to build the BRCC facility into the existing rocky hill and to accomplish the extensive re-grading required for this project.
- Blasting could change the sub-surface drainage patterns in the hill, especially near the Vernal Pools, which are extremely sensitive to changes in flow patterns due to their small size
- Blasting will also scare away the nesting birds and other area wildlife, and may cause damage to area homes
An example of rocky ledge on the site to be developed
Traffic
Project will significantly increase traffic on an already congested Black Rock Turnpike
- The dramatic increase in parking spaces and facility seating will more than double the capacity of the worship center
- The vast majority of BRCC parishioners are NOT Fairfield residents yet it is our roads which must withstand the tremendous increased traffic flow that is to occur in this already heavily congested area
 
Reduction of Area Property Values
The project will reduce the property values of homes in all surrounding residential areas due to:
- Elimination of natural beauty of current wooded area
- Destruction of natural resources such as wetland areas, watershed, and wildlife
- Long construction period of 2+ years (not taking into account phases II or III of the project)
- The enormous new 3-story facility, situated on a 50 foot high hill (3 times closer to Black Rock Turnpike than the existing church), will be an eyesore in this residential community
- Two new access roads to be built to BRCC from adjacent, quiet cul-de-sacs will destroy the privacy and quality of life currently enjoyed by residents of these roads and the surrounding neighborhoods (Lakewood Drive will be utilized for access to garbage dumpsters and HVAC equipment, etc., while additional access to the main parking lot will come from Lindamir Lane)
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