Via Email, Monday, May 9, 2005

Dear Mr. Voelker:

	We are writing to you in lieu of attending tonight's Planning Commission Meeting on the proposed Ethel Walker development plans. 

	Walker's preliminary development plans have been outlined to  its adjoining neighbors in the Woodhaven/Merrywood and Long View neighborhoods, and we understand that they will be presented to the Planning Commission tonight. We hear that you prefer not to have neighborhood groups attend tonight's meeting in overwhelming numbers.  Thank you for passing on your email address to Mrs. Bauer, so that we may express our concerns about the development in this way, although we are sure that the concerns we express will not be at all new or surprising to you.  

	1.  We are very highly concerned with the impact of the proposed development on the Woodhaven/Merrywood well systems and water supply, as well as the town's water supply, since the aquifer situated behind us serves us all.  Some of us already have problems with low pressure, and others have had water problems develop in unexpected places on our home sites when minor construction was performed.  This is a concern shared by most or all of our neighbors.

	2.  We are also concerned with the issue of Walker's access to the new development (during the construction phase, and beyond (other than emergency access, such as for fire trucks, etc.)), and the possibility that Woodhaven Drive would be used for access.  We understand that Walker does not intend such a use at this time, but plans do change,  and the possibility that our road could be used for broader access troubles us very much.  Woodhaven is a narrow road which includes a fairly steep hill, and some curves where visibility is limited.  Even our neighbors have trouble complying with the existing 25 mile per hour speed limit, either on the way up the hill, or on the way down it.  Our kids walk, run, exercise our dogs, and ride their bikes on this road as a matter of course.  Several of our neighbors' driveways are on an incline, so that kids come into the road quickly on bicycles, or while chasing balls rolling downhill. Woodhaven was developed in the 70s' and the fact that it is not a through road is an essential feature of the neighborhood.  This is also a concern shared by most or all of our neighbors.

	3.  We are also saddened by the potential loss of interior forest and other wildlife habitat.  We have bear, fox, coyote, flying squirrels, little red squirrels, turkeys, barred owls, thrushes, pleated woodpeckers, warblers, many different frog species, and countless other bird and animal species, some of which rely on the interior forests for breeding and nesting.  In addition, the 450-acre Walker woods are bordered on several sides by tracts of Town-owned and State-owned land and Town Forest park, with open space and woodland wildlife corridors extending to Tulmeadow farm and beyond to McLean, which is itself contiguous with the large protected tracts on the Town's West ridge.  We appreciate that Walker currently intends to minimize environmental impact by limiting tree clearing and grading for the development.  However, the proposed development plans provide for roads creeping throughout the entire 450-acre woodland, leaving only fragmented areas of open space between the development's roadways, which is of questionable value as wildlife habitat.   We also question whether clearing restrictions currently intended by Walker can be maintained and enforced throughout the development process and beyond.

	4.   With respect to the many wetland areas, vernal pools, streams, marshy and boggy spots throughout the low-lying areas of the Walker woods, and the amphibians who inhabit these areas, we are concerned with the impact of runoff from the roads and  driveways, and pesticides from the lawns which are part of the development, which again, is planned to spread throughout the forest. 

	5.   	We have saved for last a point which we believe is especially important.  The Walker woods are an incredible recreational resource that are used and enjoyed by many Town residents of all ages.  There are miles of horse trails and walking paths already laid out that network all of the Walker woodland, and connect it on all sides to Town-owned wetlands, open space and fields, Town Forest Park, Woodhaven Drive, Beaverbrook Drive, West Mountain Road, Stratton Brook Road, and on from Town Forest Road to Stratton Brook Park.  A bike riding family can use the Walker woods to ride from Woodhaven Drive in the southern part of Simsbury all the way to the downtown pizza and ice cream shops and the Iron Horse Blvd recreation trail, while crossing only 2 -3 roads, and without riding directly on any road other than Town Forest.   This really is an asset that makes our Town special, and it is heartbreaking to think that in a few years, what we may have instead is yet another development of high-end homes.  We understand that Walker's plans include retaining some existing trails and creating some new ones to wend throughout the development.  We truly appreciate Walker's efforts to keep some public access features for their land,  but again, we question whether these intentions can be enforced throughout the development process and beyond, and we note that a housing development with walking paths encircling its edges and wending among the roadways differs vastly from the resource we currently have in this property.

	We'd like to say in closing that Walker has been a good neighbor to all of us for many years, and a good resident of this Town.  The School has been exceedingly generous in granting the public access to its beautiful property, and has thus significantly added to our quality of life for many years.  We understand that Walker has trustee obligations that must be met, and that the School's nonperforming assets should be utilized.  We also believe from  listening to Walker's neighborhood presentations that the School has made an effort to address some of our concerns in the initial development planning.   Although we do appreciate this effort, we have to question how these initial plans will be followed through once the Walker property is in the development process.  We would like the Town to do everything possible to be sure that Walker's initial good intentions become binding agreements.  Most of all, we just sincerely hope that we can all find another way to preserve the magnificent asset we have in the Walker property,  for ourselves and for future generations.  

	Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Karen Brand and Ed Cox