Community Corner

Regional Trust Hears Land Swap Presentation

Opponents of the land deal take their case to the Lower Connecticut & Coastal Region Land Trust Exchange.

Opponents of the Haddam land swap proposal met Wednesday night with members of a regional land trust agency and presented the agency with information on the land proposal.

Citizens for Protection of Public Land made their presentation to the Lower Connecticut & Coastal Region Land Trust Exchange in Old Saybrook. The regional land trust is made up of members from land trusts from numerous towns in the region, including the Haddam Land Trust, Essex Land Trust and Middlesex Land Trust.

Members of some of those land trusts said they invited Citizens for Protection of Public Land to get more information about the land swap proposal so they can decide what their officials stand should be on it.

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“This is an issue that affects us all,” said David Brown, a member of the Middlesex Land Trust.

The land swap opponents gave an overview of their position and showed the land trust members a video that one of opponents of the swap produced. You can view the video here.

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The swap proposal is contained in a land conveyance bill pending in the state senate. The measure calls for trading 17.4 acres in Tylerville that overlook the Connecticut River for 87 acres in Higganum that abut the Cockaponset State Forest.

The swap, which is backed by state Sen. Eileen Daily, D-Westbrook, would be made with the owners of the Riverhouse at Goodspeed Station, who want to use the 17.4 acres for retail development that would complement their banquet facility.

Opponents argue the swap would ruin a picturesque parcel that overlooks the Connecticut River and the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam. They also argue it would dampen future sales and donations of open space to Connecticut.  

What do you think of the land swap proposal?


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