To the Editor:

What does a homeowner do when the land use boards who should be protecting property rights are merely a rubber stamp for greedy developers?

Take our example. Our home lies 30-40 feet from a greedy developer’s 12-unit build. No consideration for a rock ridge — to be blasted or heavy machinery used to remove it.

What protections can be provided for our home, cars and the property? No one can guarantee where debris will go after blasting has started. How do we make a living working from home with all of the noise? Do we have a right to make a living?

Secondly, There are many tall trees, 100 feet plus within 50 feet of our home. Who can guarantee where the trees will fall even if every precaution is taken? The risk(s) of damage to our property is extreme throughout the building process. We are deeply concerned for the damage that can be done to our land and home. If just one of these tall trees fall the wrong way, we lose our roof.

Third, we are extremely concerned about lighting issues with this 12-unit build. From what we can ascertain from the building plans, there is heavy lighting in the back of these units that would project light pollution into our kitchen and living room all night, every night. I ask the land use commissions for advice for what color and thickness of blankets are best to stuff into our windows so we can watch TV?

Since none of our objections were addressed by these commissions, what protections do we have when things go wrong? The developer was given everything he wanted and stands to make thousands of dollars a month after the 12 units and commercial unit are built — at the cost of our personal safety, property value, free use of the property and resale value at fair market rates. If you’re a well-known developer in Brookfield, they’ll give everything you want at the property owner’s expense.

Way to go rubber stamp!

Kevin Gallagher

47 Old Route 7, Brookfield March 12, 2021