East Haddam DTC Opposes Land Swap

 To The Editor:

On May 16, at its regular monthly meeting, members of the East Haddam Democratic Town Committee (EHDTC) voted overwhelmingly to oppose the Haddam land swap proposal that would exchange 17.4 acres of conservation land for 87 acres of privately owned woodland. In opposing this land swap, the EHDTC joins the East Haddam Board of Selectmen and a growing number of individuals and organizations in opposing the land swap.

The EHDTC bases its opposition to the swap – and to Section 10 of Senate Bill #1196 - on the precedent that would be set in trading dedicated open space for commercial development, an act that could chill future donations or sales of land to the state for preservation purposes.

In addition to the precedent that would be set by this exchange there are other considerations. As The Gateway Commission suggests, there are existing zoning issues in the Tylerville section of Haddam that need to be addressed and, at present, there is no detailed plan for how the land would be used or what effect developing this parcel would have on the environment, the existing infrastructure, traffic flow or any of the many considerations essential to planning for appropriate, sustainable land use.

Senate Bill # 1196 describes the two parcels of land as of “approximately equal value.”  Not only are they not of equal value either in size or assessment, this bill disregards the last owner’s clear intention that the 17.4 acre property be set aside to be used as open space or as a public park. For these reasons, the East Haddam Democratic Town Committee declares its opposition to Section 10 of the Senate Bill #1196.

Respectfully,

Brad Parker, Chair, East Haddam Democratic Town Committee