To: Norwalk Common Council, Oak Hills Park Authority, Norwalk's other governing bodies, and Harry Rilling, Mayor
Protect Oak Hills Woodlands as Permanent Open Space
We call upon Norwalk's Mayor, Common Council, Oak Hills Park Authority, and other governing bodies to designate the woodlands in Oak Hills Park as permanent open space, to preserved, conserved, and protected from development in perpetuity.
Why is this important?
Oak Hills Park is a city park in Norwalk, CT occupied primarily by an 18-hole golf course. Approximately 7-10 acres of natural woodlands are located within the park's boundaries behind the restaurant parking lot.
The Oak Hills woodlands comprise hundreds of mature trees and are situated on a steep slope including a rock ledge and bordered by a wetland, forming habitat for many species of wildlife. In 1999 and again in 2012-2013, the woodlands were threatened by Oak Hills Park Authority's plan to construct a golf driving range on this site. At its August 15, 2013 meeting, Oak Hills Park Authority voted unanimously to *NOT* pursue the driving range proposal in this location, and to work instead with a developer proposing a driving range on existing golf course acreage near the first tee.
While we applaud Oak Hills Park Authority's decision not to destroy the woodlands at this time, we don't want to have to fight this fight again. Therefore we call upon Norwalk's Mayor, Common Council, Oak Hills Park Authority, and other governing bodies to designate the woodlands in Oak Hills Park as permanent open space, to preserved, conserved, and protected from development in perpetuity.
The League of Women Voters of Norwalk voted on September 16 to advocate protecting the woodlands as permanent open space. This position is in accord with the LWVUSA position on land use and open space.
The Oak Hills woodlands comprise hundreds of mature trees and are situated on a steep slope including a rock ledge and bordered by a wetland, forming habitat for many species of wildlife. In 1999 and again in 2012-2013, the woodlands were threatened by Oak Hills Park Authority's plan to construct a golf driving range on this site. At its August 15, 2013 meeting, Oak Hills Park Authority voted unanimously to *NOT* pursue the driving range proposal in this location, and to work instead with a developer proposing a driving range on existing golf course acreage near the first tee.
While we applaud Oak Hills Park Authority's decision not to destroy the woodlands at this time, we don't want to have to fight this fight again. Therefore we call upon Norwalk's Mayor, Common Council, Oak Hills Park Authority, and other governing bodies to designate the woodlands in Oak Hills Park as permanent open space, to preserved, conserved, and protected from development in perpetuity.
The League of Women Voters of Norwalk voted on September 16 to advocate protecting the woodlands as permanent open space. This position is in accord with the LWVUSA position on land use and open space.