Politics & Government
Vote Yes on 10! Separate the Inland Wetlands Board in Ridgefield
Shall the Town Charter be amended to separate the Inland Wetlands Board from the Planning and Zoning Commission?
On November 6, election day in Ridgefield, vote YES on Question 10 on the town Ballot.
"Shall the Town Charter be amended to separate the Inland Wetlands Board from the Planning and Zoning Commission and provide that members of the Inland Wetlands Board be elected?"
Who doesn’t want clean water? The quality of our drinking water and the health of our wetlands and watercourses are far too critical to be entrusted to people whose main concern is overseeing development. In Ridgefield, the Inland Wetlands Board is COMBINED with the Planning and Zoning Commission.
96% of municipalities in CT have made the wise decision to have separate boards. Ridgefield is one of only seven that has not.
Too much power is concentrated in the current combined board. Many of the Planning and Zoning Commission members are involved in building and real estate, with very little experience in wetland issues. We need a dedicated group of people with expertise and focused commitment on the Inland Wetlands Board.
Towns that have recently separated Inland Wetlands from Planning and Zoning Commission reported that no additional costs were incurred by the town, and better decisions have been made.
State environmental agencies recommend that, when possible, the Inland Wetlands Board should not be combined with a Planning and Zoning board. There is no valid reason for a town like Ridgefield not to follow this recommendation.
Currently, a candidate with direct wetlands experience cannot serve on the Inland Wetlands without also running for Planning & Zoning. This makes no sense.
Increase in frequency and intensity of rain events and increase in the intensity and complexity of new development require more specialized knowledge to protect the future safety and health of our town. An independent Inland Wetlands Board will have this knowledge to protect the town (Planning and Zoning does not).
