Opposition to Longbrook Park tree removal plan has some Stratford officials stumped – CTPost

STRATFORD — Opposition to a metropolis plan to take away a quantity of timber from Longbrook Park to make method for a scheduled renovation of the park’s tennis courtrooms has acquired some metropolis officers stumped.

After the Parks Division introduced on Dec. 20 that eight timber Shall be reduce down On the park, A gaggle of residents And metropolis Council member Kaitlyn Shake started voicing opposition.

Shake said she was upset as a Outcome of eradverticating the timber she said, would alter the look and environment of the park.

“That utterly modifications the environmental influence of the park itself,” Shake said. “It modifications the aesthetics of the park,” Shake said.

The timber are slated to be take awayd as An factor of a $700,000 enterprise to renovate the park’s tennis courtrooms Which have fallen into disrepair.

Shake said what was most egregious was the the metropolis authorities’s lack of communication over What quantity of timber have been Alleged to be reduce down. The distinctive plan referred to as for the eradverticating Of 5 timber, however in a November 8 council meeting, she said, that quantity elevated to eight.

Completely different residents voiced their displeasure over the deliberate tree eradverticating on the Longbrook Park Group Discussion board Fb Website.

However the metropolis’s Chief of Staff Michael Downes wrote in a current e-mail to metropolis council members that Shake’s claims the metropolis wasn’t talking with the fee and residents Is simply not true.

“The assertion thOn the Town has provided poor communication or assist to the Longbrook Park Commission Might not be Farther from The fact,” Downes wrote. “A consider of the minutes On the Longbrook Park Commission reveal thOn the tennis courtroom enterprise in question was talked about at no fewer than 5 conferences. Regrettably, the Commission Did not fulfill Because of A scarmetropolis of quorum in August when Chairwoman Shake Did not current, and as quickly as as quickly as extra in November.”

Downes advertded thOn the metropolis Isn’t required to submit bulletins for tree eradverticatings as An factor of deliberate enchancment tasks and did so out of courtroomesy to residents.

But On the Nov. 8 council meeting, Shake said she was not Aware of The current plans to take away eight timber. She was The one council member current who voted as quickly as extrast the proposal, which handed 9-1.

“For the doc, Once we Got The currentation on this enterprise, it was, I think about, a guarantee of No Greater than 5 timber and even that madverte the fee considerably uncomfortable as a Outcome of It is going to change what that An factor of the park appears like,” Shake said.

Council Chair Chris Pia confirmed Downes’ account of the metropolis’s communication.

“For anyone to say, collectively with Councilman Shake, thOn there has not been advertequate information put forth by the metropolis is utterly ridiculous,” Pia said.

Shake said the fee hadvert accredited a draft copy of the plan at its June 2 meeting, with some timber explicitly slated to be take awayd. But that’s not The identical as approving the plan, she said.

But Regardless of which mannequin of the plan the fee accredited, Downes and Pia said the fee acts in an advertvisory performance and that final choice rests with the council.

“As of proper now, the council has alreadverty voted to approve this,” Pia said.