Bethel Voters Approve Purchase Of 108 Acres For Open Space

BETHEL, CT — Bethel voters overwhelmingly approved the town's proposed purchase of roughly 108 acres off Codfish Hill Road, clearing the way for one of the community's largest remaining privately owned parcels to be preserved as open space.

The Menegay property purchase passed by a vote of 1,507 to 120 in Tuesday's referendum, according to unofficial results released by the town. About 93 percent of ballots cast supported the purchase

The proposal carried every voting district. District 1 voted 383-32 in favor, District 3 voted 749-39, and the combined Districts 2 and 4 voted 317-46. Absentee ballots broke 58-3 in favor of the purchase.

The results remain unofficial until they are certified by the registrar, according to the town.

The Bethel Land Trust celebrated the result Tuesday night, calling it a "huge step toward protecting this remarkable 108-acre property for generations to come."

The referendum was the final public vote required for the proposed acquisition to move forward. Residents previously voted during an Aug. 19 special town meeting to send the purchase to referendum.

The Bethel Land Trust has described the property as one of the last two large parcels of unprotected land remaining in private hands in town.

The property is surrounded by existing protected open space and could connect the roughly 96-acre Wolfpits Preserve with the approximately 1,000-acre Collis P. Huntington State Park. Supporters have said preserving the land could help create an interconnected network of about 20 miles of trails.

Potential uses for the property include hiking, mountain biking, agriculture, wildlife viewing and a community garden. The town has also said it plans to work with the Land Trust to pursue grants to help fund the purchase.