Jones PDR CtPost letter to editor

Sent the following dated MonOct30, it was published in CtPost on WedNov1 along with another letter to the editor which was from Alderman Jack Finn.

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Voters will have little excuse to not understand any candidate’s position for the upcoming election at both the Federal and State level. However, in Shelton there will be a referendum question that has received little attention and deserves explanation.

The City of Shelton has served as a model for Open Space planning to the State of Connecticut. Planning documents identified Greenway Corridors before anyone else used the concept, class 3 watershed lands were purchased from the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company before the State of Ct. followed a similar path with the Aquarian Water Co., and resident’s dollars have gone further by using Purchase of Development Rights and grants from the State and Federal governments to partner toward the cost of preservation in expensive Fairfield County. I am not writing to give praise to any particular administration or party, because my concern is not about resting on our laurels, it’s about the future.

The Means Brook Greenway Corridor is primarily agricultural land in Shelton. Partners both federal, state and private have succeeded in keeping the Water Co. lands, Stockmal Farm, Nicholdale Farm, Beardsley Organic Farm, Shelton Family Farm, and part of the Jones Family Farms (Pumpkinseed Hill and Valley Farms) forever as farm or forests. Collectively, this allows the agricultural activities to function and be buffered from, rather than be in conflict with, new residential development. A major opportunity is before the voters to participate in adding to those past successes.

The Jones Family Farms have submitted their last major unprotected property to our City’s Farm and Forest Protection Program. Soil studies were done, appraisals made, historical inventory, agricultural worth and many other factors collected that all went into a grant application to the USDA to help partner in the cost of preserving 130 acres of land forever as agriculture. The USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service agreed, and awarded the City a grant toward the Purchase of Development Rights.

The Conservation Commission, Planning & Zoning Commission, Board of Alderman and Mayor have done their part in following our planning documents and processes to bring it this far. The residents are being asked to affirm that direction in bonding and expenditure. Simply put, should the City contribute $4.3 million of its funds to help preserve 130 acres forever from development as agricultural lands.

I would hope that the residents of Shelton will vote yes on this referendum question and send a strong endorsing statement to our leadership, an encouraging statement to farmers who may be considering similar protection, and another example to surrounding communities on a worthwhile plan to follow.