Letter: League of Women Voters opposes driving range

By League of Women Voters of Norwalk

Steering Committee

To The Editor:

NORWALK – At its July 15th meeting, the steering committee of the League of Women Voters of Norwalk voted to oppose the destruction of the 7 to 10 acres of city-owned pristine woodlands inside Oak Hills Park east of the Oak Hills restaurant parking lot. In particular, we oppose the building of a golf driving range that would destroy these acres of mature trees and native undergrowth including rock ledge and a wetland with a stream and pond. We call upon the City of Norwalk to designate the woodlands area of Oak Hills Park as permanent open space, never to be developed for any purpose.

This is in accord with the public policy position of the League of Women Voters of the United States, which supports “land use planning that reflects conservation and wise management of resources, management of land as a finite resource not as a commodity, since land ownership, whether public or private, carries responsibility for stewardship; and … regulation of areas of critical concern: fragile or historical lands, where development could result in irreversible damage… rare or valuable ecosystems and geological formations; significant wildlife habitats; unique scenic or historic areas; wetlands.”

Oak Hills Park Authority will meet Thursday, July 18, and we will announce our position at that meeting.

Sincerely,

Members of the League of Women Voters of Norwalk Steering Committee

Missy Conrad

Jennifer Kalmanides

Diane Keefe

Rosaria Konstatin

Jacqueline M Lubell

Elsa Peterson Obuchowski

Mary Oster