Still Fighting for Our Neighborhood

I am a resident of Farmington River Turnpike in New Hartford. It is so beautiful here living along the Farmington River. Our lives are blessed every day as we are able to live in pristine, natural beauty and tranquility along the banks of the Farmington River. This is truly God's country where many walkers, fishermen, and recreationists from all over the northwest hills come to enjoy the scenic Farmington River Turnpike and bask in the ambiance of this majestic landscape. We have made many new friends who frequent the Farmington River on any given day and our community multiplies with many smiling faces and warm greetings.

Yet a cloud has been hanging over our river valley for almost two years now. A sand and gravel operation is proposed in our tranquil community and we fear for our Farmington River and for our quality of lives for possibly a decade or more. We thought we were saved when the New Hartford Planning and Zoning Board denied the application for a special exception by a 4-to-1 vote in 2001. However, the applicant sued the town, and now the district court has remanded the case back to Planning and Zoning on a technicality: tape recorder malfunction. I ask you, what kind of system is this? Our lives are not technicalities. Would you like someone to view your life with the same impersonal status? The wrecking ball of this proposal for a huge sand and gravel operation has been swinging for too long, yet we remain steadfast in our desire to save our Farmington River valley.

Now it appears that political pressure from our Board of Selectmen is lurching like bad campaign ads, only underground, against its own residents for the benefit of the applicant. Canton Village Construction Co. (the developer in question) has asked the Metropolitan District Commission to approve the egress of 73,000-pound tri-axle trucks over the MDC's water distribution pipes along the river. (This would address one of the concerns cited by Planning and Zoning in their denial of the special exception, by eliminating the need for two-way truck traffic on Farmington River Turnpike.) A September 25 letter to the MDC from John H. Bahre of Canton Village Construction Co. indicates that "Mr. Baxter, the New Hartford First Selectman, asked to talk with MDC about access over MDC lands to see if something could be done." Thus it seems that at least one of our selectmen is lobbying on behalf of an applicant who sued the town. Is this part of the new plan for economic development in the tranquil residential neighborhoods of New Hartford?

This landmark case is so important because it says this loud and clear: if you are a developer you can sue the town, which then might eventually help you get what you want. Why do we have zoning regulations if our town government won't support decisions made by the Planning and Zoning Commission? If Planning and Zoning reverses its original decision due to political influence, what neighborhood will be safe from inappropriate land use?

On Wednesday, November 20, our Farmington River valley and our quality of life will be up for grabs when Planning and Zoning re-hears this case at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Hall in New Hartford. Will you be complacent, or will you attend and be united with your community? Please come and show your support for New Hartford's neighborhoods and our Farmington River valley, and send the message that we, the residents and protectors of our neighborhoods, will not give up the cause.