A review our past and current achievements to acquire, create, safeguard and maintain open spaces throughout West Haven:
80, 90 and 100 Plainfield Avenue extending to Forest Road – The Land Trust advised and promoted the City’s purchase of United Illuminating and Ciarleglio farmland, totaling 42 acres of open space overlooking Forest Road and a view of New Haven in the distance.
The land is to be kept as undisturbed natural habitat. CT State grant funds, endorsed by the Land Trust defrayed the purchase cost of the property.
185 Platt Avenue bordering the head of the Cove River – About 14 acres, the Land Trust recommended its purchase by the City for open space as natural habitat and public school educational purposes. It has become a protected State registered Native American archeological site, with artifacts unearthed that date back 4,000 years. It will be kept for qualified excavations and preserved open-space.
Waterman Property bordering Oldfield Creek – Almost 4 acres of undeveloped land along Oldfield Creek between Beach and Blohm Streets, as an open-space buffer to the large expanse of City marshlands and playing fields on the opposite side of the creek. Acquired by the City on recommendation of the Land Trust that heirs of the property would donate it to the City for a waiver of unpaid back taxes. A conservation easement with the Land Trust is in process of preparation, for preservation as natural habitat.
410 Savin Avenue – Bordering on Savin Avenue but mainly along Attwood and Basset Streets. About 3 acres of rising and rock ledge land planned for 6 house lots by a developer, was bought by the City to be kept as open-space. A conservation easement has been signed with the Land Trust to prevent future development, and to be kept as natural habitat.
Chestnut Street and Park Terrace – Accessible from Chestnut Street, about three-plus acres of rising high rock ledge heavily wooded, purchased by the City from a developer, now to be kept as natural habitat open-space.
Savin Rock-Bradley Point Shorefront – 39 acres of City owned public shorefront running along Long Island Sound is protected from development with a September 2007 conservation easement with the Land Trust. It culminated a forty-year effort begun by prior conservation groups, “SOS” and “Impact, of which some Land Trust founders were members.
A constant watch is necessary to maintain the easement and prevent encroachment on the public’s passive recreational use and quiet enjoyment of this scenic gem. Use of the Conference Center site, which isn’t included in the easement, for a proposed carousel is opposed by the Land Trust for its intrusive disturbance of the public’s quiet enjoyment of the shorefront and the possible need for parking on the preserved open-space.
Jimmie’s Restaurant Property – Their land has sufficient space for more commercial development such as recent plans to put up a 6-story multi-family building, and possibly another future similar structure. Their plans were publicly opposed by the Land Trust and eventually were not approved by the City Planning and Development Commission.
Jaffrey Street Playground Park – Approximately 3 acres of undeveloped land at the northern end of Jaffrey Street is being studied by the Land Trust and the City’s Conservation and Open Space Commission for a playground park to remedy the lack of one in that section of Allingtown.
United Illuminating Company’s Abandoned Transmission Line Right of Way – A narrow strip of land, originally for a trolley line crossing into Milford, running about 1,500 feet from Jones Hill Road to the Oyster River in Baybrook. It borders and looks down and out on large pristine marshlands teeming with bird life and animals. The Land Trust has an interest in seeing it preserved as an open-space habitat and buffer between the marshlands and adjacent public housing project.
Public funds and grants to buy open-space land are not easily available in these economic times. The Land Trust is still alert for unique open-space land that would justify extensive efforts to obtain funds for their purchase, especially to deter growing residential development and municipal density, with its increasing tax burden.
We have high hopes for our presently developing web site, furnishing information about our organization and activities, and fostering active communication with our members and the general public. It will soon be openly publicized for full use.
The Land Trust Poetry Post stands alongside the main paved promenade, between the bocce courts and the Park Department’s Public Facilities Building and is maintained by the diligent care of our curator Dolores Libow. It continues to display poetry and artwork generally related to the shorefront and nature, created by local poets and artists. Submission of works from the public are always welcomed and considered for display. With two surrounding park benches it is a convenient stopping place to pause, rest and review its displayed works. It has become a special feature of the Savin Rock promenade.
In closing, membership in the Land Trust is vital to its growth and continuity into the future, as a strong vibrant organization able to defend and preserve open space throughout West Haven. Help us to increase our membership by recruiting your relatives, friends and neighbors to join us.