Protect the Partrick Wetlands
and our Community

Presentation in Opposition to 22 House Cluster Development on the Partrick Wetlands Presenter: Matthew Mandell Introduction

Larry Weisman said everyone would begin all their speeches making a statement to attain standing, but it doesn't matter he said because everything always changes and that's life. I say, maybe not.

Allow me to read from the Westport Town Plan. "The theme that weaves through all the various individual topical chapters of the 1997 Town Plan of Conservation and Development is that conservation of existing natural and built resources is valued more importantly in Westport than the promotion of new or expanded residential development."

This simply means that those who are already here have more standing and protection than those who are not and who would seek change. What it further means is that no developer should design and propose a development in a vacuum. And that is exactly what ARS has done.

Their design is overly intrusive. It over crowds the available land, is completely oblivious to the environment they will be impacting and is totally contrary to the spirit of an Open Space Residential District.

Tonight, I will speak on four different points regarding this application. Some points will be directly related to their not conforming with Section 17 of the OSRD regulations, some points will be related to Sections 43 and 44 of the Special Permit regulations and still another regarding the Town Plan which this commission must uphold according to Section 44.

Next part of Speech, Character of Neighborhood.