PUBLIC HEARING FEBRUARY 10, 2009

A public hearing date of Tuesday, February 10, 2009 (8 PM at the Town Grange Hall) has been set by the Planning and Zoning commission (PZC) to hear public input on the Morgan Estates application. As mentioned elsewhere in this blog, this is an 8-lot subdivision that threatens to fragment and harm sensitive wetland and box turtle habitat, as well as impacting the character of the Landing Hill area. If you live in the Landing Hill area, between the villages of East Haddam and Moodus, or are concerned about the continued suburbanization of our rural community, you are urged to attend the public hearing and speak out.

Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes. The deeper inappropriateness of residential home construction in the midst of the current economic crisis, as well as environmental crisis and emerging peak oil scenario deserves to be aired and considered in a public forum. It is common knowledge that home construction is not real economic development; it does not produce net revenue for the town. Instead, it is an old idea that people that own land should be able to anything they want with it, even if it is bad for the community. The times demand that we rethink this approach to community wellness. Unfortunately, like the Inland Wetlands Commission, the PZC is securely stuck in the old paradigm and will only review the application on its face value and ability to promise to meet current zoning regulations. The ideals needed to steer our town on a better course will not be considered - unless we demand it.

Every time these developments come up for public comment it is an opportunity to speak truth to power where grassroots folks can ask that the town watch out for the best interests of the community and not the profit motive of developers. During the recent motion filed by the town and the developer to dismiss an appeal of the Inland Wetlands Commission decision to allow this development, both the town and the developer were on the same side arguing for a dismissal. Despite that fact that prior rulings established a clear record of case law on the matter, the town and developer joined together to waste tax payer money on a frivolous motion. Rightfully, the motion was dismissed, but not without first creating additional legal bills for all parties including the town.

The scenario in which town and developer, and their respective lawyers, gang up on taxpaying landowners is important to be aware of. The old paradigm does not protect the town or the towns people and it is up to us to demand change. Yet still we see these commissions succumbing to old ideas about perceived but false revenue generation and land rights. It is imperative that the rights of the land itself and the other creatures living on the land be acknowledged by our actions - through the execution of properly constructed regulations.

As described in our experience with the Wetlands Commission, despite reasonable regulations, the process to implement and enforce them is woefully inadequate. We should not let this practice continue - the PZC public hearing on the 10th is a great place to have your voice heard!