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Yvonne Zeisler wanted to be clear Tuesday night: Its not that she dislikes the idea of a softball field in her neighborhood. She just wants to make sure that building one does not damage the habitats of birds and other wildlife.
This proposal has the potential to cause severe irrevocable harm to the extensive habitat already established and to the valuable habitat that is located on the property itself, said Yvonne, a Hoydens Lane resident.
Yvonne, along with the Hoydens Hill Environmental Trust and the Hoydens Hill Neighborhood Association, made a plea as interveners in the towns plan to build a girls softball field on Hoydens Lane at the second public hearing on the plan before the Plan and Zoning Commission on Tuesday night. The neighbors asked two experts to offer testimony.
Steven Danzer, a soil scientist, spoke about the unique nature of the 9-acre lot where the field will be built. He said the area combines forested area and open meadows in a way that is increasingly rare in Connecticut. He was concerned that moving soils from one graded area to the center of the lot to create a level surface to build the field would be too invasive to this ecosystem.
Ornithologist Michael Parks went over wildlife studies done in the Hoydens Hill area. Parks said those past studies spotted many birds on the states endangered species list, or its conservation concern" list, such as the brown thrasher and the blue-winged warbler. Though he said he could not be sure that the field is a breeding or feeding ground for the birds, he recommended doing a more in-depth study before changing the land.
In his rebuttal, John Nuff, the attorney representing the town for the project, said the proposal gained the approval of the town Conservation Commission in August, even though town law did not require it. He also said that it was not the Plan and Zoning Commissions purview to make decisions based on environmental issues.
There has been no evidence of any kind, certainly not sufficient, that has been provided by the intervener to show me a reason why this field should not go in, Nuff said.
Fairfields Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and Representative Town Meeting approved $350,000 in bonding to construct the field last summer. The Plan and Zoning Commission will make its final decision at its next meeting April 12. If approved, the field will be ready by the 2012 season.
What do you think of the environmental concerns of the Hoydens Lane neighbors? Share your opinion in the comments below.
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