A Few Things

by: commonweal

Thu May 31, 2007 at 09:19:49 AM EDT

1.  Please take the time to sign the petition at Stop Griswold Overdevelopment.  This virtual petition is to stop the development of land adjacent to Hammonassett State Park and protect the salt marshes, tidal rivers and Long Island Sound. The biological health and diversity of the state's coastal region affects us all.  This public land is threatened with irreparable harm by real estate developers from New York.  They propose to build a densely packed development of 127 residential units, mostly row houses and apartment buildings, directly adjacent to these sensitive tidal wetlands.

2.  As reported a few days ago, a consultant from Dover-Kohl was hired to tour the site of the planned River Oaks project in Simsbury.  As report in this morning's Courant,Victor Dover presented his report after his tour.  His recommendations should be heeded by all towns:

The current draft of the town's 2007 plan of conservation and development fails to provide the framework that would help a developer devise a proposal consistent with what town leaders want for the town.

He likened regulations to DNA.

"If you have good DNA, you get good growth," Dover told commission members and the crowd of about 100 residents. "With bad DNA, you get cancer."

None of the projects cited by Dover as examples of good mixed-use development at the more than two-hour meeting Wednesday included big-box stores, which Dover said don't promote the sense of community and walkability that new urbanist design strives to promote.

Dover said, residents and land-use boards should address how the project would fit into their larger vision for the town. "River Oaks has everybody exercised right now, but one way or another River Oaks will get resolved and another [project proposal] will come along," Dover said.

"Waiting until after the applicant shows up is a really bad way to do this," he said. "What you really need to ask yourself is what will you be when you grow up."

What's happening in your town?