March 11, 2007 6:53 pm

Norwalk: Hart Peninsula Easement

While the wind whipped up a bit of a chill, a healthy sized crowd turned out Sunday afternoon for the announcemnet discussing the proposed easement of the Hart Peninsula, a 10 acre city owned site, to the Norwalk Land Trust.
Mayor Richard Moccia-R and Common Council President Michael Coffey were on hand, along with Common Council members, Rick McQuaid-R, Fred Bondi-D, Nick Kydes-R, Herb Grant-D, and Doug Hempstead-R.

Common Council President Coffey outlined the efforts made to bring the easement resolution to fruition and thanked the council members for their support. He noted that preserving open space was important for the city of Norwalk and that future generations will enjoy. Mayor Moccia thanked the Common Council members for working quickly to make the easement possible. The full Common Council will be voting on this on Tuesday night. Moccia, singled out Coffey and Bondi for the efforts behind the initiative as well as President of the Norwalk Land Trust, and former Conservation Commissioner, Marny Smith.
Smith spoke briefly thanking the council members and noting that except for special field trips of school children this was the largest crowd to walk the property.

The Hart peninsula consists of an undeveloped island, that has according to a Yale survey, not been touched by human development since before European settlement. It is purported to be one of the last two remaining properties in pristine condition left in Connecticut.

The Norwalk Land Trust plans to purchase an additional 2 acre property that currently consists of an old stone barn and house overlooking the wetlands. They are hoping to raise $4 million to purchase the property, and have been granted $125K from the Sixth Taxing District.

anonymous

Kudos to the Common Council for working in a bipartisan manner for achieving such a great thing for the city and preservation of open space. The leadership of the COuncil is to be commended for making this happen so fast.

Mike Coffey and Fred Bondi did a great job in shepherding this so quickly. I was at the Land Trust’s annual meeting when the Council President and Mayor spoke about making this a reality. It is refreshing to see some politicians putting their money where their mouths are and actually accomplishing something while reaching across party lines to put the interests of the resident’s and our future first.
anon

I agree #1! Finally we have a council that works together in a bi-partisan fashion. I think Mr. Coffey works well across party lines. Unfortunately, that is not the usual statis quo with partisan politics. I wonder if Mr. Coffey will be supported by his party in the upcoming election.
anonymous

I agree with number 2. Mr. Coffey, no pun intended, would be the best democratic party mayoral hopeful against Mr. Moccia. As a republican, I hope they don’t wise up and let him out of the doghouse. He would be a formidable challenger. Maybe he will run on a third party ticket, I think he was the only elected to do so last time and would probably garner alot of support.
anonymous

As a member of the Land Trust, I am so happy that the Common Council and Mayor were able to achieve this so quickly. This is a great day for open space preservation in Fairfield County.
anonymous

This is a great day for open space in the city. Let’s keep it up.
anonymous

This has nothing to do with anything but I have to say how annoying it is that legislators feel the need to insinuate themselves into the relationship between private employer and employee. What’s with this proposed “use it or lose it” vacation law? Stop screwing around with business!
turfgrrl

anonymous #6: It’s is because legislators don’t want to tackle the big issue items, like property tax reform, streamlining governmental operations and incenting urban job growth.
connecticut political novice

Right on turfie. As someone who is rather involved in the process and sees firsthand how little our state legislators actually do, other than take up space, they should be ashamed of themselves. What they have done:
Perone: bill for infertility, which is nice, but does not effect the day to day lives of over 99% of his ocnstituents
Duff: .25 cent per resident in Home Depot settlement, staging press releases at massage parlors, useless
Morris:double dip and have no accountability, another Donnie Sellers in the making
Ryan: absolutely nothing except test our DWI laws, a total zero
Boucher:absolutely nothing
Cafero:almost lost to a person who moved into the district to run against him, need we say more
They are a truly ineffective state delegation for the residents of Norwalk.
turfgrrl

connecticut political novice: I was meaning more the legislature as a whole rather than picking on our Norwalk delegation. But, you are omitting some great things our reps have done, off hand I would cite the Storm Drainage and storm shutter work that Perone has pused, the $1.25 million for the Maritime Aquarium that Colin McEnroe now faults Cafero for delivering, and more. Even Boucher, whom I fault for her position on Super 7, is technically delivering for her constituents by opposing it. Where I’ll be critical of them as a whole is that they don’t seem to work together for Norwalk as a whole.

Why are there 3 different bills about Affordable Housing by these guys? How about getting together and consolidating into the Norwalk position? Which leads into I think your point, which is they would have greater power tackling the Norwalk regional issues together instead of working in parallel directions.
Anonymous

Please vote to approve this tonight.