Environmental “wish list” for Middletown to be discussed this Wednesday

This Wednesday, December 10 at 7pm in City Hall Middletown residents have a chance to support a giant environmental “wish list” for ourselves and our City. In a public hearing that is part of an ongoing revision process, the Planning and Zoning Commission will be taking comments on the two environmental chapters of the City’s most important planning document, the Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD)

It may be hard for some to muster interest in environmental issues during these hard economic times. One of the best things about the POCD is that it’s cheap and durable. It’s a vision of what we want our City to do and be in the future, independent of our budget or political will. It won’t need updating for at least another 10 years, and the effects of implementing its recommendations can last much, much longer.

That’s good news for the over 2,200 species of plants, bugs, birds etc. that last year’s one day BioBlitz found living here. It’s also good news for the diverse citizenry that share the City with them. Environmental protection benefits us humans by reducing environmental toxins, improving our quality of life, and keeping our municipal budget in check.

For example, the payback for investment in open space is priceless – free passive recreation opportunities, pollution buffers, land for future use, maintenance of ecological processes such as watershed protection, and control of development and sprawl that might otherwise overburden city services. The City’s efforts to protect open space to date have been impressive – and popular. This revision expands the number of properties eligible for protection, with special emphasis on farms and the purchase of development rights. This will help protect our agricultural base – an important component of our economy and our landscape.

There’s no doubt that the state of our environment is linked to human health. For example, air pollution from vehicles is associated with respiratory ailments and heart disease. Middletown’s asthma hospitalization rates are higher than most other contiguous towns, and we are in a non-compliance area for ozone. Recommendations in the new Air Quality section recognize that our planning practices impact our air, and include a number of actions to address the problem.

There’s a lot in these revisions. In holiday terms they’re a bulging Christmas stocking, an overflowing plate of latkes… you get the idea. Here are some highlights:

Chapter 7 – “Protecting Natural Resources and Preserving Rural Character”.
In addition to the open space map, this chapter describes forward thinking steps such as:
- Rural subdivision and road standards that will help minimize development footprints and maximize open space
- Better ground and surface water protection through measures including improved stormwater control
- Establishment and protection of a Coginchaug River Greenway Corridor
- Air quality recommendations including steps to assess new sources of air pollution and make long term plans for improvement

Chapter 10 – “Maromas, Middletown’s last frontier”. Containing 38% of Middletown’s land, 5% of the population, and a big chunk of the tax base this area is environmentally significant – both locally and nationally - for its large tracts of forest, river frontage, vernal pools and tidal wetlands, state “listed” species, and connections to protected areas and significant habitats. Recommendations include:
- A focus on open space protection including transfer of State land, preservation of the blue trail, and conveyance or purchase of NU owned land
- Promoting access to the Connecticut River
- Consideration of a “conservation overlay” to aid in development decisions
- Protection of vulnerable areas such as ridgelines and wetlands

Wednesday will be the only public hearing dedicated to these chapters. Public presence at the hearing can ensure that the P&Z adopt the revisions and may even provide some momentum for implementing recommendations. While you can voice your support electronically, there’s still nothing quite so impressive as being there. Come, sit, listen and be counted. Bring a friend. Make an ad lib comment of support, or prepare a statement. This is your chance to voice your opinion. No one I know would call a public hearing exactly fun…but it’s satisfying to participate in democracy, no matter how messy.

Revision chapters are accessible at the City’s new conservation blogspot (http://midconcom.blogspot.com/) which also has links to the Middletown Trail Guide and Environmental Buying Guide.