To the Editor:

As Chairman of the Conservation Commission in the Town of Killingworth, I would like to publicly voice the Commission's support of the Town's acquisition of the Wettish Property. A town meeting regarding this property is scheduled for Tuesday, February 7, and I encourage all residents who are concerned about open space and preserving the rural character of Killingworth to attend that meeting and express their support for acquisition.

While it is understood that a portion of the property is under consideration for playing fields, this is an appropriate use that addresses a town need, and would only affect a small portion of the 140-acre property. Most of this acreage would be protected for wildlife, and available to the town for passive recreation. Immediately east of the Wettish property is 5500 acres of Cockaponset State Forest (with an additional 5000 acres close by), and land to the north is more than 90 acres of privately-owned land protected by a conservation easement.

And while Killingworth is blessed to have a fair amount of open space already protected, consider the statistics from the U.S. Census of 2000. From 1990 - 2000, Killingworth's population grew 25%, the 4th highest increase in the entire state. And in that same time frame, Middlesex County was the fastest growing county in the state. The fastest growing town in the fastest growing county? Killingworth.

Available data and easy to understand maps from the University of Connecticut's Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR: http://clear.uconn.edu/) show exactly statewide development patterns, including changes in 5 year increments from 1985 to the present. Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook and Old Saybrook are heavily developed, and these high densities continue to expand north from the I-95 corridor.

Killingworth will continue to grow and wise land-use planning will ensure our Town retains its rural character as the population and numbers of houses increase. This is fine.

Supporting the acquisition of the Wettish property by the Town of Killingworth is not a negative vote against development; it is a positive vote affirming open space protection, and taking advantage of an opportunity we are fortunate to have before us. Ask yourself a simple question: if we have the foresight to protect the Wettish property, what will Killingworth residents 50 years from now think of that?

Sincerely,

David Gumbart, Chairman
Conservation Commission