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| First Selectman Rudy Marconi explains the history of the Bennett's Pond property. |
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| A large crowd of Ridgefielders gathered at the East Ridge Middle School Auditorium to hear presentations and offer their opinions on the proposed Town purchase of the Bennett's Pond property. |
Dozens of residents rose to advocate their position before the Board of Selectmen. About 60% of the speakers favored taking the entire property by eminent domain, while the remainder favored a compromise in which some development would be permitted, adding to the town's tax base. Speakers on both sides of the issue praised First Selectman Marconi, and the Board of Selectmen, for providing tonight's forum for the free and open exchange of ideas. This was contrasted sharply to the recent Board of Finance meeting on the issue, which was one of the more citizen-unfriendly meetings in recent town history.
At the end of the hearing, it was announced that the public discussion would be continued at a Special Town Meeting on Wednesday, April 25, at 7:30 PM, at East Ridge Middle School. The Town Meeting will vote on sending the issue to referendum. [Photo: Ridgefielders inspected plans and maps of the property in the lobby outside the East Ridge auditorium.]
[Left] Darwin Ellis spoke in support of preserving the entire Bennett's Pond parcel. He explained that he was filling in for his wife, Ellen Burns, President of ROSA, who, as an accountatnt, has her professional hands full as Tax Day approaches. [Right] Dorothy Franklin spoke in favor of what she described as a balanced approach, suggesting modest development be permitted on the southern part of the property. She said "Ridgefield is my Shangri-La; I love this town."
[Left] Barb Jennes talked about the negative traffic impact of intense development of the site. She said the current developer's proposal calls for 3,251 parking spaces - nearly double the total of all public and privtae parking lots in town today (excluding school and church parking). [Right] Bob Kleinberg, Secretary of ROSA, praised First Selectman Marconi for "setting the tone in your opening remarks for a free, fair and open debate." Kleinberg was one of many who were frustrated by the Board of Finance's refusal to allow public discussion during their recent distastrous meeting on the Bennett's Pond issue. He spoke in favor of the Town's preserving the entire parcel as open space.
[Left] Fred Turpin read a poem he wrote praising the virtues of nature and suggesting preservation of Bennett's Pond. [Right] George Hanlon, who has himself donated open space to the town, suggested a compromise solution: preserving the scenic northern section of the parcel, and developing the southern portion.
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