Join the Pound Ridge Open Space Preservation Coalition
Dear Neighbor:Most of us agree that we live in a beautiful town, one that enhances the quality of our life. We’ve chosen Pound Ridge because of its natural beauty, country-like feeling and the privacy it offers.
But this quality of life is now endangered. And if we don’t stop for a moment and seriously consider action, we may lose what we love most about our town.
Oh, it won’t happen quickly, but each time it is changed, nothing can alter that change. Think for a minute of something you may have seen recently that jolted your sense of beauty and tranquility.
It can start with something as simple as a meadow. One day it’s there, the next, almost overnight, houses appear in its place; or a rocky hillside with a wetland becomes a new house set tight up against a rock wall with a stream running beside its front door; or a simple country cross road turns into a busy intersection with stop signs.
Small indications foretell a much bigger problem, a problem no one of us, or the town at large can solve without the joint efforts and cooperation of the people of Pound Ridge.
The Pound Ridge Coalition is a growing group of people who live here and are concerned about the changes in our community and intend to do something about it.
Some of us are involved in the many conservation organizations in town, and some are simply residents who have observed the changes in our town and want to make sure Pound Ridge remains the type of community we moved here to enjoy.
Open space, permanently-preserved undeveloped land that is special from an ecological or esthetic perspective, and often both, is a valuable component of the quality of our lives in Pound Ridge.
Many of us believe some non-conforming lots should never be built upon yet, legally, they can indeed be developed. You cannot take away a person’s right to build, but we think some potential builders can be given viable alternative options. And we intend to explore this.
We also feel that some large sections of highly developable land require that we plan now for a town fund to enable the town to counter major development propositions by purchasing such land outright.
There are other levels on which these challenges can be met and we intend to consider all of them. But we need your help
The neighboring towns of Bedford, Lewisboro and North Salem have already formed coalitions similar to ours.
Please give us your vote of approval by joining us in asking our Town Board for a proposition on the November, 2000 ballot. Then, make sure you vote YES !
Pound Ridge thanks you in advance.
Sincerely,
Ray Smith