FAIRFIELD — Fearing more traffic and reduced safety in their neighborhood, 175 residents are fighting plans for a road through a proposed upscale subdivision.

        Developers of the 60-acre parcel off Muskopf Road want to rezone the land from agricultural to single-family residential. Plans show about 70-75 homes that would sell from $200,000 to $275,000 are slotted for the area.

        The chief issue for neighbors is a road to be built connecting their street, Lake Michigan Drive, to nearby Sherry Lane to create an artery to the heart of downtown Fairfield.

        Some citizens also have drainage concerns because the area is prone to standing water after heavy rainfall.

        Dozens of neighbors complained to City Council on Monday that extending Lake Michigan Drive, which has a problem with speeders, would put their children at greater risk and interject a city feeling into their calmer, suburban way of life.

        To underscore their stance, they filed a petition with 175 signatures of residents against the road extension.

        “High-speed traffic is already a legitimate concern on Lake Michigan Drive,” reads a flier neighbors circulated to each other to raise awareness on the issue. “We fear that an extension would only escalate the existing problem.”

        Other neighbors complained that vandals run rampant through the area, stealing flags, breaking mailboxes and drag racing in the wee hours of the morning. If Lake Michigan Drive is connected to Sherry Lane, they said, they fear the problems will worsen.

        Jeff Hayes of Welsh Development Co., the project's developer, has said he is willing to alter the road plan. But a May 1992 city-adopted thoroughfare plan approves Lake Michigan Drive being extended through the Muskopf property to Sherry Lane, according to Tim Bachman, city planning director.

        Without rezoning, the company can still build 62 homes on larger lots, Mr. Hayes said.

        But by rezoning, he can preserve an area of the land that is hilly and otherwise would be given to the city as an addition to nearby Harbin Park.

        The engineer on the project, Keith “Sandy” Becker of Bayer Becker Engineers, said the water problems would be solved by a pipe planned to move water to a detention basin in the northwest corner of the property.

        He also said he did not predict increased traffic other than residential because Lake Michigan Drive is winding with many sharp turns.

        But some neighbors scoffed at that remark.

        “I have seen many cars driving down Lake Michigan at speeds well over 45 miles per hour,” Nancy Krumm Richardson told City Council. “This is unacceptable in a residential neighborhood.” Councilman Steve Miller, who represents the area, agrees with the residents.

        “I strongly do not want to see that road cut through,” Mr. Miller said. “It doesn't enhance the neighborhood.”

        The issue returns today at the 6 p.m. Planning Commission meeting in the municipal building.

        The commission has 30 days to make its recommendation on the rezoning request to council, which will vote in September.

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