The Advocate profiles an article on how the fund raising for Farm Creek is going. $1.2 million is a start, but the window of opportunity may be closing. I wonder about the grant that the the state gave Norwalk for the purchase of the White Barn property. The grant was for $450,000 and since the White Barn property was sold to a private developer who plans to build a school there, what happens to the grant money? Maybe there’s a mechanism to reapply funds for other open space projects.
source: Advocate, Million dollar marsh: Donations sought to protect Farm Creek, by James Lomuscio, September 2, 2007
You should really do some research on a topic before posting on the subject. The developer who purchased the WBT property is not planning on building a school, he is planning on building about 15 homes on the property. However, he is willing to sell the property to an existing school that will build a “green” school building on the land. The grant from the state of CT is specifically for the WBT property and cannot be transferred to another parcel of land. Also, the grant (450k) would obviously not cover the cost of the entire property, but the school that is trying to raise funds to buy the land & build the building has been working with the Norwalk Land Trust and the City of Norwalk to put a portion of the land into a conservation easement which would be paid for by that grant. I feel that zoning in Norwalk has become increasingly irresponsible over the years and our open space is disappearing at an alarming rate, I hope that both the school and the Farm Creek projects are successful and perhaps the State of CT would be able to provide an additional grant to the Farm Creek Preserve.
islander: I appreciate you insights, however I think I know what transpired before zoning on this property quite well. I don’t think a state grant can be applied towards a private purchase even if its targeted towards a conservation easement.
As I said before you should probably do some research before posting, you might not know as much as you think you do.
http://www.housegop.ct.gov/%5Cpressrel%5CCaferoL142%5C2007%5C20070420_CaferoL142_01.htm
islander: Um yeah, I think I do. I voted for the project.
islander: Of course I based my read of what the grants can be used for on this:
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2007/ACT/PA/2007PA-00131-R00HB-07275-PA.htm
TURFGRRL: #5 “islander: Um yeah, I think I do. I voted for the project.”
Are you politically involved in NOrwalk? Maybe you should disclose this information to your readers. YOur agenda has become that much more apparent to me.
just a thought.
http://www.norwalklandtrust.org/farmcreek.html
HUH?: I sit on the zoning commission. I periodically remind readers of this when appropriate. Does that make me politically involved? Maybe. Do I write about politics? Sure, all the time. That would make me extremely involved and engaged politically. Also I’m extremely opinionated which makes me utterly and completely biased. In addition to those political details I am a centrist, fiscal conservative and social liberal. This means that at any given point at least half of the readers here will disagree with my opinions. It makes for rather lively conversation.
The Advocate article focuses on Tammy Langalis. Tammy continues to be very involved in her community and is now also running for 6th Taxing District Commissioner on the Republican line. Tammy’s running unopposed which is traditionally the way things are done in Rowayton.
turfgrrl, I thank you for what you do on here, if it was not for this blog, I would not know anything that is really going on in this place – I understand that there are always going to be different opinions, but at least we get to know about the situations on here. As far as biased goes, look to The Hour – though most of what they do is simply not report the whole story or both sides of it.
Thank you again!