About 200 people came out to a special town meeting in Bethel Tuesday night and authorized funding for a parcel of land to be preserved.  More than 7.5 acres on Shelley Road that had once been proposed as the site of a controversial housing development will become open space.  The parcel borders both Bethel’s Franc Preserve and Newtown Forest Association’s Brunot Preserve.  Bethel residents signed off on spending up to $300,000 from the General Fund, with an additional $200,000 coming form the Planning and Zoning’s open space fund.  Bethel will also apply for grants to help offset the costs.