Security Concerns Will Limit Access To Westport's Community Gardens

WESTPORT, CT — A request to modify access to Westport's Community Gardens at Long Lots School was shot down by the Representative Town Meeting, Westport Journal reported.

Access to the gardens, following a recommendation by Westport police, have been limited to before school or after school. Put another way, people not directly associated with the school cannot access the gardens or school grounds between 7:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

Officials have said that allowing access to the gardens, or the grounds of the town's schools, during school hours is a security concern.

The request to modify the schedule was made in a petition to the RTM by resident Toni Simonetti and others, who sought to allow people to access the gardens during the day.

On the RTM agenda, the item was worded as such:

To take such action as the meeting may determine, upon the petition request of at least 20 Westport electors, to review, discuss and reject the new Parks & Recreation regulation, or modify it in order to preserve the gardening hours at the Westport Community Garden to their prior hours during school days (i.e. no gardening between 8-9 a.m. and 3-4 p.m.).

In the end, Tuesday's RTM vote was not close, with 29 members voting to keep the 7:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. schedule, and only four members voting to modify it.

Read the Westport Journal story.