Waterford's Residential Development Is Habitat-Destructive
The Waterford Development Corporation's Phase I (luxury apartments) and Phase II (single family homes) projects have caused extensive deforestation and habitat loss up to and during the summer of 2003, and there will be more of the same in the near future. The land sold by Manchester's two hospitals to Waterford is located directly north/northwest of the Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve. Most of the land undergoing development was heavily forested. It is closely adjacent to unspecialized or specialized wetlands, and formerly served as habitat for beaver, moose, deer, great blue heron, ladies slippers, and numerous other species. It should have been set aside as conservation land, instead of being used for residential development.
Unfortunately, members of the Manchester Planning Board did not even discuss the Sierra Club's proposal for a one-year moratorium on the Waterford project - an interval that could have been used to gather biological data on the land slated for development and to explore ways in which it might instead be protected, or partially protected.
Land clearing for Waterford's luxury apartments - "Waterford Place" - got underway in the summer of 2002. Deer and various smaller mammals fled the activity, which took place north of Countryside Boulevard, and wildlife began to appear in yards of nearby homes. Construction of the 8 building apartment complex has continued throughout the summer, fall and early winter of 2003, with the loss of habitat becoming increasingly obvious.
In the late winter and spring of 2003, Waterford began the second phase of its residential development project - the construction of single family homes at the periphery of the apartment complex. Three "communities" of homes have been planned. Two of these communities will be located north and south of the western end of Countryside Boulevard on Lot 17 and Lot 8.
Construction of the homes community located directly to the north of Countryside Boulevard (on Lot 8) - "Woodland Ponds" - has also continued into the early winter of 2003. The numerous wetlands found here and in the "Waterford Place" apartment area, are easily identified as abandoned or active beaver ponds, and do not resemble the protected, specialized swamps south of the roadway. They are characterized by scummy water and the presence of numerous dead or dying trees known as "snags."
It should be noted that the community to be located south of Countryside Boulevard (on Lot 17) will come perilously close to the headwaters of several swamps located in the Manchester Cedar Swamps Preserve, thus jeopardizing the integrity of the major swamp complex. The community is within the watershed ofthis complex.
go directly to Waterford Development's land clearing within an Atlantic white cedar watershed! Although the wetlands north of the roadway have a strikingly different appearance than Atlantic white cedar, rhododendron or black gum swamps, nevertheless, they are subject to protection by wetlands laws. Yet as Waterford proceeded with the construction of both phases of their development project, there has been a lack of compliance with these requirements. The wetlands violations are especially disturbing since approval of the Waterford projects was granted by the Manchester Planning Board with the stipulation that there would be periodic inspections of the development. This requirement was ignored as land clearing and construction activities got underway and proceeded through the summer and fall of 2003, until the complaints of concerned citizens brought about limited inspections and Waterford was called to task for its violations.
2. Single Family Homes Construction
3. Waterford's Agreements and Assurances Are Poor
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