The Brookfield Connecticut Community Network: Conservation Commission
"The Voice Of Brookfield"
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The Brookfield Connecticut Community Network: Conservation Commission "The Voice Of Brookfield" |
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Members Add Info Here Letters To The Editor Nature
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ugust 19, 1998
Letter to the Editor:
It has been reported that Brookfield has as much as 30% open space,
this is
only true using a
definition that includes: "areas of totally
undeveloped land, whether publicly or privately held including wetlands,
active recreational land, parks, bodies of water, and excess acreage
beyond
that required to satisfy the minimum lot requirements".
Most would not
consider Candlewood Lake, or any grass area immediately in between
and
around a private residence or a warehouse (in excess of the lot
requirement) to be open space land, yet, in these reports, it apparently
does. The Conservation Commission reports that we only have 5%
town-owned
land that is protected from development. This is not enough.
These two properties may be the last two really nice parcels left in
town.
It would be a real shame to allow either to be developed into a sprawling
housing complex or to be developed by the town into a
complex of
parking lots, chain linked fences, lighting towers and hot dog stands.
There are other parcels in town that would be far better suited for
these
purposes.
Under a new state grant program (PA-98-157) Brookfield can purchase
"protected open space", and if selected, get 50% reimbursed by the
state.
Additionally, Happy Landings Farm may qualify as a Class I or II watershed
area with 65% reimbursement because of the 4 community wells
it supports.
With either of these grants, the town would not lose ownership of the
land.
Please come to the town meeting scheduled for Thursday, Aug 27th and
let
your town officials know that you want the option of acquiring these
farms
as "protected open space" and not merely as town owned land,
this wording
needs to appear on the November 3rd ballot. Failure to participate
may
cause consequences that Brookfield will regret now and forever.
Thank You,
Fred C. Ball
As Chairman of the Brookfield Conservation Commission, I wanted to clarify
some points regarding the proposed purchases of Happy Landings Farm
and the
Burr Farm. Both are valuable properties which should be protected
from
development to preserve their current natural beauty. The only way
to
do
this is for the town purchase them as "protected open space land",
and not
merely as town owned land.
There are several definitions of "open space land". Depending on which
definition you choose the statistics that are arrived at can
vary greatly
and thus change impression of the true state of affairs. It has
been
reported that Brookfield has as much as 30% open space, this
may true
using a certain broad definition, and it is important that people
understand that this definition includes: "areas of totally undeveloped
land, whether publicly or privately held including wetlands,
active
recreational land, parks, bodies of water, and excess acreage beyond
that
required to satisfy the minimum lot requirements". Most
people probably
do not consider Candlewood Lake, and any grass area immediately in
between
and around a private residence or a warehouse parking lot (in excess
of the
lot requirement) to be open space land , yet, in these reports, it
apparently does.
The fact of the matter remains that Brookfield has far too little
"Protected Open Space".
If the land is not officially designated "Protected Open Space" then
it can
be developed at anytime. In deciding whether the town should
purchase
these farm properties, you would want to consider how much land do
we
currently have that is designated "protected open space", versus how
much
do we want to have? The Conservation Commission estimates that we have
3 to
7% town owned land that is officially and permanently protected
from
development. We feel that this is not enough.
These two properties may be the last two really nice parcels left in
town.
It would be a real shame to allow Happy Landings Farm to be developed
into
a giant housing complex or to be developed by the town into a complex
of
parking lots, chain link fences, lighting towers and hot dog stands.
There
are other parcels in town that would be perfectly suited for these
uses.
I also wanted clarify some state grant questions, there is a new program
available to towns for the purchase of "protected open space", generally
at
a 50% reimbursement rate. The town does not lose ownership of the land.
Plus, Happy Landings Farm is in the middle of the Greenridge Tax District,
which supports 4 community drinking water wells. If this land qualifies
as
Class I or Class II watershed area, then the town could get as much
as 65%
reimbursement back from the state for the purchase without giving up
ownership of the land. The only stipulation is that the land must remain
in
it's current natural state as protected open space. Under either grant,
the
land could remain for agricultural use as it is now and it would allow
for
gardens, hiking trails and wildlife habitat restoration area.
There is a perception by your elected officials that the citizens of
Brookfield will not support the town purchase
of protected open space.
This is probably not the case as the town hasn't bought any protected
open
space thru a referendum vote in a long, long time.
I urge citizens of Brookfield to let their elected officials know that
they
will support the purchase of these properties as "protected
open space"
and to come to the town meeting scheduled for Thursday Aug 27th to
add the
option of acquiring this land as "protected open space" to the
November
3rd ballot so it can be decided on by the voters.
Thank You,
Fred C. Ball
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