Easton bought 30 acres (the South Park property) in 2008 to prevent a high-density housing development that would have broken our zoning.
The town sold 20 acres of this land to the Aspetuck Land Trust to preserve it.
10 acres remain.
There is new proposal to put high density housing on the remaining 10 acres.
In reaction to this development proposal, the Town voted in May 2022 to instruct the Selectmen to put a preservation restriction on the 10 acres.
The Selectmen responded that they needed to create votable language. The Selectmen have come back with votable language.
The Town will vote on the LANGUAGE Tuesday 12/13 at Staples School from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday 12/5 there will be a Town Meeting @ 7p.m. at Staples School to discuss the LANGUAGE.
Come to the Town Meeting Monday in person 12/5 @ 7p.m. @ Samuel Staples to voice your opinion or listen remotely using the links below.
I do not think you will be able to comment if you view remotely.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88967294889?pwd=TWhFQnU3VjlXZmJaTnhKQi9DM0Q0Zz09
Meeting ID: 889 6729 4889
Passcode: 06612
One tap mobile
+16465588656,88967294889# *06612#
Join Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/events/3380865842169463/
Kristi Sogofsky, serving Republican selectman, made important points in a recent note. I paraphrase her words:
A vote against the language placing the conservation restriction on the remaining South Park land is not a vote against the concept of placing a conservation restriction on the land. The selectmen have been instructed in a binding town vote to place a restriction on the land to protect it from development. We are voting on the language only, and if the proposition fails to pass, the selectmen will have to come back to the town with new implementation language to be voted on.
Here is the proposed language you will vote on 12/13/2022.
“Should the Town of Easton restrict the use of a town-owned, 10.9-acre parcel of property located at 18-22 South Park Ave., as set forth in the proposed ‘Conservation Restriction’ on file in the Town Clerk’s office and published on the town website?”
The question will not be decided at the Special Town Meeting but will be adjourned to a machine vote on Tuesday, December 13th. It’s a referendum at SSES with voting open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Dana Benson
Easton
