Opinion: Preserving the Rural Character of Goshen in the Face of Development - Planned Municipal Building on CT Rte. 4 Sparks Many Unanswered Questions
As I travel up the hill from Litchfield, my thoughts begin to wander, as scenery of stately historic homes built during the 18th century, a time where the rugged craftmanship and elegant simplicity, characteristic of early American homes, dotted the landscape. Rolling fields and forest catch my eye, as I arrive at the center of a small town called Goshen.
This town is home to roughly 3,200 people, a number which does not capture the many others who own property, visit, or are passing through. Each day, thousands of people enjoy the rural, bucolic, safe and peaceful community, which is the Town of Goshen.
As I drive through the meager center of this town, I think about what it will be like 20 years from now, with no strategic plan or vision, which considers the most important characteristics of this town and protects them. Will it become like many other places in CT and other states, with miles of strip-mall developments and ill-placed, low-quality structures, replacing the former natural beauty of this rural landscape?
These are questions I ask myself regularly, and I ask you to consider, as we are faced with a development proposal for a 12,000 sq foot building and solar field, that threatens the very essence of our rural town, and calls into question existing town policy.
I have lived in Goshen for 12 years. Since the age of 15, my dream of owning a piece of land of my own had me regularly working three to four jobs at a time, maintaining a historic property, mowing lawns, plowing public facilities, working at an animal shelter, gardening, cooking for hundreds of students at a private school, and more, all while attending college and starting a career. My first year of college, I needed to find rides, as I did not have money for a reliable vehicle. I know what it’s like to work hard and to spend money wisely, because that is what I had to do to make my dream come true. After securing a career with a large military engineering organization, I was finally able to purchase the land I had hoped for all my life.
In 2011, I decided to purchase an historic home in Goshen, on CT RT 4, because of the rural beauty of this town, and because it was adjacent to Land Trust property, which I had hoped would limit development.
One day before the town’s special meeting, regarding the purchase of the CT RT 4 property, owned by Alfred E. Wright and Peter Fay, held on May 9th, I discovered that the vacant land adjacent to Land Trust property, behind the wetland on my property, was in peril. The town had been negotiating the purchase of this land for over 200K, and was planning to install a 12,000sq foot municipal building and solar field. I questioned how this could be; I hadn’t even been notified as an adjacent property owner.
I wondered how many others were unaware of the proposal, or did not have the proper time, nor information necessary to make informed decisions on a proposal which would negatively impact rural character, an endangered species, the town budget, and property taxes.
Equally, I discovered that the special town meeting was held within only 5 days of the approval of the Finance Committee meeting, at 8pm at night, a time that is almost impossible for those with small children and the elderly to attend.
Where was the transparency that was, and is desperately needed and expected from this town in its proceedings? What is our current conflict of interest policy and how do town meetings work?
One might assume that all regulatory time-frames were met under current requirements, yet does that mean that the intent of a fair, open and transparent process without an unbiased action had transpired? After speaking with many adjacent property owners, including Land Trust, I verified that no adjacent property owners were notified of the proposed development, one that would undoubtedly de-value their properties and negatively impact protected resources.
Lack of transparency in our Town government, is not acceptable. How many others who would have voted, never received the information on the proposal prior to the special meeting, and did not even know the proposal existed?
A lack of transparency can happen sometimes, and can be understood in limited circumstances, yet what distinguishes true leaders apart from others, is the acknowledgement that they perhaps acted in haste, and to make the situation right.
Will a true leader step up to the plate to make this happen?
This lack of transparency is why I created a petition to raise awareness titled “Preserve the rural character of Goshen, no development adjacent to Land Trust on CT RT 4”, urging property owners to vote NO to this land acquisition for development.
The petition received 125 signatures and was still receiving signatures after the meeting happened. Sadly, with such a limited showing of concerned citizens at the 8pm meeting, the decision was made to proceed with the 200K purchase of the land for development.
The petition talks about preserving our landscape and the natural beauty and rural charm of Goshen.
Equally, it talks about the desire to preserve wetland resources, which include habitat for wildlife and an endangered species, the Common nighthawk (not so common anymore), which currently uses this property and adjacent Land Trust property.
I’ve watched the nighthawks for 12 years, majestically roaming the skies and making their characteristic calls and then suddenly diving to the ground. These birds have nested on the ground on these properties, and an ideal spot is the gravel roadway which is now slated for development. I think about what it will be like to not hear them anymore.
A million species are at risk of extinction this century, each unique and irreplaceable. The leading cause is habitat destruction. The solution is to expand protected areas, not destroy them.
Our natural landscapes are places that heal the soul. I want our children to know these places. I think about what it will mean to not have that landscape any longer.
As I drive many of our roads, in this town and others, I see more and more of these natural places disappearing, lost to developments which seem to follow no strategic plan and lack vision.
I don’t want this to be our town.
As a member of this town, I urge you to express your concern and the sentiment that we need to do better.
Preserving our rural character and viewscapes and preserving wetland resources and endangered species is a necessity, but it is also our duty.
During the special meeting, I shared my experience with engineering, site plans and construction, contracting and sustainable infrastructure, including solar. Having a master’s degree in biology, I have worked with wildlife all my life. I serve and have served on many non-profit boards and commissions; one that helps locate missing persons and another that helps preserve native landscapes in Northwest CT. When I look at any proposal, a set of criteria needs to be met in my rigorous evaluation – these include need, engineering feasibility, cost and economic impact, but the primary goal I always strive for is a win/win.
It is clear that this town needs to maintain and protect its investments, and that includes protecting existing assets and equipment. It is also clear that the Fire Department needs a new or revamped, state-of-the-art facility, so that they can do their jobs, access their equipment quickly and continue to save lives and property. These things are a necessity and our duty.
Yet, the current proposal does not allow for a win/win. The site chosen has many engineering constraints, making it ill-suited for development. This site contains a vibrant wetland resource, which will be negatively impacted, both during development & after, with additional runoff, which will impact a Federally designated Wild and Scenic River. This wetland has water levels that fluctuate regularly, again making it ill-suited for development. The property will require exceptions from the State DOT, as well as Zoning and Inland Wetland Commission exceptions. Further, it will require special structures to make a septic system function properly. It will require hardscaping for installation of solar panels, so that they are properly anchored during storm events. The proposal is for a 12,000 sq foot building, that is equivalent to 6, 2000 sq ft houses, which is a significant footprint on less than 14 acres.
Development here will ruin our natural views, it will negatively impact an endangered species, and it will cost exponentially more to develop this site, than to locate the needed facilities and upgrades on an alternate property; a property with an already existing footprint, such as the existing Goshen Fire Department building. We have heard the argument that the Fire Department building is also unsuitable, due to adjacent wetlands, however, existing footprints are almost always viewed as preferable to new site construction, and it is likely an approval for expansion at the existing facility would be granted.
At the town meeting, we asked for data on alternative sites, estimated cost comparisons etc., but none of that information had been presented, leaving countless unanswered questions and concerns. The purchase of the land does not even include the cost of the actual facilities and infrastructure that will be placed on the property.
When examining return on investment, I am seeing exponential cost and little return. This property does not make sound fiscal sense, but most importantly, it does not create a win/win.
CREATING A DIFFERENT NARRATIVE THROUGH PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
What does create a win/win? It is preservation of this valuable natural and scenic resource for public enjoyment and protection of an endangered species; it is protection of our viewscapes; it is a state-of-the-art Fire Department with additional municipal storage space to protect our critical assets. All of these things can happen together, but not with the current proposal to develop this land.
We need to strive for a win/win, not a win/lose.
Though the Town is pushing rapidly for this development to happen, I urge each person in this town to contact their Representatives and the Town of Goshen First Selectman and ask that he enable the town and it’s residents to consider strategic alternatives to the development of the property adjacent to Land Trust; alternatives that will meet the long term needs of our public facilities and preservation of the rural character of our town. Ask him to pause on his plan to develop this land, as we have not been given adequate information, adequate representation, or full transparency of the proposal.
Please do not settle for an “After-thought storage building” to house equipment that ended up being too large for current storage, when what is needed is a truly updated Fire Department and Public Works building on an existing footprint, for the strategic future of this town. Equally, do not trust blindly, without first having all the facts needed to make an informed decision.
The Goshen Land Trust has expressed interest in the newly purchased town property, and there are many in this town who are willing to assist in acquiring the land with them, if the Town will consider alternatives. I am confident that as a town, we can find a suitable location for the town building (perhaps in the already existing footprint of the Fire Department), which will save taxpayers and this town significant amounts of money.
Why not put money that would be spent on an unsuitable site with significant wetland resources toward higher quality, more advanced, and strategically planned, assets for our town in an existing footprint, to meet the needs of our future and keep our taxes low?
Let’s re-think this plan and create a win/win!
Thank you.
Marissa Wright
Town of Goshen Resident
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author and are not necessarily those of The Goshen News or Goshen News, Inc..
