After due consideration of the entire record, the Commission finds that the applicant’s proposed Zone Map Change, Interchange Special Development District Project Plan, and Aquifer Protection Application are not reasonably likely to have the effect of unreasonably polluting, impairing or destroying the public trust in the air, water or other natural resources of the state. Furthermore, it is the opinion of the Cheshire Planning and zoning Commission that this application meets all of the standards laid out in Section 45.B6 of the Zoning Regulations, and that it may, therefore, be approved by the Commission.

I have been getting A LOT of phone calls about this document. You see, Cheshire is not used to this. Where I am from, the press would have been right on it and published this and questioned this the minute they saw it. But not here.

That is why things are the way they are here. The bottom line: most people don’t care. In fact, I had one woman tell me that if and when they build the Lifestyle Center she will “just avoid the area.”

This document would have been fine, if it were not for the sentence “It is the opinion of the Commission that this proposal meets the requirements of this standard.” Then it would have been a true “findings” document. Then it truly could have been made available to the public to at least follow along while the commission deliberated on it. But is seems someone else made up everyone else’s mind.

Do you all remember that public service announcement a few years ago where the woman goes to the fast food drive in to place her order and just as she is about to say something, a man jumps in front of her and places the order HE WANTS. The woman keeps saying, get out of the way, I did not say that; I did not order that; I don’t want that!!!

Then the voice over says: this is what happens when you don’t vote!!! This is what this “findings” document reminds me of. Someone else putting words in other peoples’ mouths and don’t tell me it isn’t true!!

This last paragraph really makes me wonder. “are not reasonably likely.” What does that mean?  What is reasonable about  pollution? What is reasonable about impairing the public trust?

Can you imagine me going to Peoples Bank for a mortgage and telling them that I reasonably likely will be able to make the mortgage payments? I don’ think I would be getting that mortgage. Either you can or you can’t. There is NO in between.

Imagine having open heart surgery and the surgeon telling you right before the operation that it is reasonably likely that he can perform the surgery correctly? You wouldn’t be having that operation any time soon, I am sure of it.

Oh, this is your pilot speaking–It is reasonably likely that I can land this plane!! Trip canceled.

This document just made a mockery of the public hearing because it is reasonably likely they did not really listen to the people who bothered to show up. “Oh, these people are a pain, they are just standing in the way of progress. They just have an ax to grind. They bitch about everything.”

Oh, do they? Or maybe, the powers that be in this town, that there are SOME people who REALLY CARE about this town. They CARE about the impact this development might have on the rest of the businesses in town and the environment. I know you are sick of hearing from us, but that is too bad. Some of us DO CARE and most of the people I have spoken with are very sincere about this. They don’t want to prevent someone from making money. That is not the point. The point is they care about Cheshire. They moved here because of its small town charm. I realize things must move forward and we must modernize, but there is a price to be paid, and many of the people who seem to be “against everything” actually made a lot of good points about the arch, the animals, the water runoff, the effect this development will have on our already overburdened sewer system; the flooding. And speaking of this arch, it has endured flood after flood for well over 100 years and last year all of a sudden, it became “compromised.” HMM!!

I have re run the photos of the arch that Bob Korten shot last April during the floods. The water was high, but the arch looked pretty damn good to me. They are on the PHOTOS PAGE. CLICK ON THE PHOTO TO ENLARGE AND USE THE BACK ARROW TO RETURN.

Do you think it is easy getting up and leaving your house after a long day of work, commuting in bumper to bumper traffic, gulping down dinner and then going out in the cold to sit at these meetings late into the night—just to bust someones balls? No, this is being done because people care that is why. Now we have just gotten a slap in the face!!

You are going to need to put on a helmet to keep your brains from spilling out after I blow your mind Cheshire!!!