I grew up in an area north of Boston where you couldn’t swim in local rivers and oceans because they were so polluted.  People kept their windows closed because of the air pollution and traffic congestion.  Walking was something that you did to get to the bus stop and train station (and back).

When family and friends from the Boston area come out to visit me in Greenfield, they find it funny that I’ve become someone who tries to get them to go out on hikes in the woods.  I plunk down a folding chair right into the river water and enjoy being able to see to the bottom.  Several years ago, I started learning about native plants and have been planting them into my garden and the area in front of my house.

I’ve grown to love Greenfield’s proximity to nature and the Connecticut River.  That is why I’m writing to ask the Zoning Board of Appeals to consider not granting exceptions but to hold firm and enforce the zoning regulations governing the building of a condominium complex near Stone Farm Lane in Greenfield. 

At a board meeting this week, the architect promised that the project would be built in an ecologically aware manner by clustering units together and landscaping native plants.  Supporters of the project emphasize Greenfield’s need for more available housing that is more varied than big single-family homes framed by lawns.

As a local resident, I oppose any construction that would negatively impact the fragile environment of the Connecticut River bank, where there are wildlife corridors used by many different species of wildlife, as well as vernal pools and nature trails. 

We need an independently funded wildlife study to document the impact of building this condo complex so close to the Connecticut River.  An independent and objective environmental firm could demonstrate the importance of this land to local wildlife.  These animals and fish obviously do not have human voices that they could use to raise their concerns this proposal.

The developer of this condo complex presented an informal traffic count that was done in 2006 — yes that’s right, 20 years ago. 

Greenfield needs more housing, and new residents will make vital contributions to our town.  However, the desirability of additional housing and new residents still does not address why this site and this plan should be passed by the Zoning Board of Appeals.

In my opinion, we need to build on less environmentally critical sites and provide a greater buffer zone between the river and new developments.

What will be the impact of this proposed condo complex on the people who currently fish and hike in that area?  What happens when you introduce so many more human beings into such a quiet natural area?  What happens when you flood dark woodlands with the light pollution caused by exterior lighting?  What happens when you put additional demands on existing infrastructure without fully understanding what those demands are and how they might be exacerbated by climate events like a 100-year flood?  What happens when so many residents have communicated their environmental and infrastructure concerns, but feel that those concerns have not satisfactorily been addressed by the developers?

I appreciate that the developers of the Stone Farm Lane condo complex want to plant native plants as a proactive measure. This hits home for me. Over the past hundreds of years, humans have intentionally and unintentionally spread many invasive species.  Communities within our entire region need to find ways to support and encourage the removal of invasive species such as Tree of Heaven, Knotweed, English Ivy, and Bittersweet.  The more we can restore native plants that have been in this area for thousands of years, the more we help to preserve the river and its environment. 

At the same time, local city government needs to think long term not only about the need to create additional housing and attract new residents to the area, but also how to best protect the delicate ecosystem of the Connecticut River.  As I’ve seen in my lifetime, once environmental damage is done, it can take a very long time to reverse.

The developers stated that each unit in the proposed condo community would cost $350,000. We need to be clear that this is not “low-income housing.”  We can build affordable housing in a less sensitive area — and we should.

Debra White-Stanley lives in Greenfield.