Please Save Our Neighborhood

To the Editor:

It is very sad that once again another neighborhood is being directly affected by a possible high-density condominium development. We have owned almost 160 acres on Alberts Hill Road in Sandy Hook since the early 1940s. Over the years we have turned our once dilapidated farmhouse, barns, and surrounding acreage into a sanctuary for our family, neighbors, bald eagles, red-tailed hawks, blue herons, coyotes, fox, woodpeckers, and owls. We have opened our property to the public and operate a small winery and vineyard to help offset the expense of owning and maintaining a large tract of land. We have become part of Al’s Trail, allowing and encouraging public access to hiking trails that cross through our property. Some of our direct neighbors are the Nature Conservancy, Northeast Utilities, Newtown Forest Association, and a couple of single-family homeowners. We are raising three small boys in an 1835 farmhouse and are committed to preserving our farm for future generations.

Over the last couple of months it has come public that an adjacent 20-acre parcel to our farm might become home to 56 age-restricted condos. This site doesn’t have access to public water or public sewer and borders property owned by Northeast Utilities (home to some 40 bald eagles and other wildlife). We are very concerned that this type of development not only threatens our quality of life but also the quality of life of our natural resources. If the developer’s request for a zone change is approved the likelihood is great for similar developments to pop up around town. No longer will open land be valued per two-acre building lot for a single-family house. Land values (not home values) could increase seven fold and even those who thought they would never sell out to developers might rethink their options and choose to move to a community that values its natural resources, open space, and family-owned farms.

Morgen McLaughlin & Nathaniel Smith

Grehson, Hayden, & Mason Smith

As well as our parents, aunt, uncle, and cousins.

14 Alberts Hill Road, Sandy Hook                            October 31, 2005