SimsburyInfo4U
User
Senior Board Member
| Posts: 18 |   |
|
Re:Ethel Walker land - 2006/08/27 09:00
It's important for all of Simsbury to be educated on this issue and aware of issues that go beyond the economics of buying land, bond issues, etc. This land seems to have more issues associated with it than just preventing more McMansions to be built or flooding our schools with another couple hundred kids. For lots of good information, go to:
http://www.keepthewoods.org/
All of the obvious reasons for preserving open space aside (wildlife, forests, rural character etc), this land is located on top of one of the town's most important aquifers (the Stratton Brook Aquifer) which provides 73% of the water for the 14,000 Aquarion customers in Simsbury, Granby, and East Granby. It also provides 100% of the water to many residents on private wells (some quotes from the following link). The potential for pollution of this water source is, to me, the greatest issue.
http://www.keepthewoods.org/water.php
I have heard discussions by some people about passing ordinances that prohibit lawn fertilizer and pesticides on any homes built on this land, etc. But I think this is silly. You can't effectively legislate and enforce effectively how people use their own land/property in this way. What if someone parked their car in their driveway and for some reason their car had an oil leak? Or their gas tank leaked? Or the oil delivery man spilled oil during a delivery? You can't have people living on land they own and have them feel like they are living on environmental eggshells.
I think the water issues are very critical and important to consider. There are far too many homes in this area who depend on clean and safe drinking water from their wells - and clean and safe drinking water from a water company goes without saying.
If this aquifer becomes polluted, I don't know how something like that can be remedied. But I do think that we all need to understand that land isn't just what we see with our eyes but it's also what's below it, above it, and around it. The issues are sometimes far more complex than who pays taxes, how much something costs, or what some private school needs to help their endowment.
***END OF POST***
|
Specter (1116)
