More Objections by Neighbors Surface and the Manchester BMA Considers the Prison Situation

As the details of the proposed prison surfaced, Manchester residents of the Hackett Hill region began to organize opposition to the plans.

Ironically, strong opposition to the prison was expressed by developer Robert Shapiro, Executive Vice President of the Waterford Development Corporation. Waterford was responsible for extensive residential development north/northwest of The Nature Conservancy's Manchester Cedar Swamp Preserve.

The balance of the development occurred during 2000-2005 on land purchased by Waterford from Alliance Resources - a coalition of Manchester's two hospitals. The development was strongly opposed by the NH Sierra Club. Houses, apartment buildings and condos replaced extensive open space dotted with wetlands that were habitat to numerous plants and animals. No preliminary studies were done to see how the natural history of the area would be changed, and no alteratives to development were considered.

In Waterford's "Woodland Pond" Community, home building even took place on a lot that extended well into the watersheds of a TNC swamp complex. In another instance, the construction of "The Neighbors At Woodland Pond Community", a valuable animal corridor was destroyed that connected undeveloped land in Hooksett with the TNC Preserve. Not only the NH Sierra Club, but NH Audubon, and the Region 1 EPA felt that this area should be protected, rather than developed.

No consideration was given to the extensive deforestation that occurred, despite the fact that the trees destroyed had served as "carbon sinks" to prevent global warming.

Although the residential development project had slowed down in recently years, it has now resumed, with an extension of the "Neighbors at Woodland Pond" area. Extensive blasting has occurred - an undertaking that furnished the truckloads of rocks that were hauled onto the Danais property during the summer of 2011.

Details of the widespread development can be obtained by reading Archive A1 - "Residential overdevelopment in the Hackett Hill area - 2000-2007".

It is "poetic justice" that Waterford now apparently feels threatened with property devaluation from another development project!

It should also be pointed out that there is only a single entrance and exit point for the entire residential area - the point where Countryside Boulevard ends at Hackett Hill Road (see map on this website's home page) and a fire station with a single fire engine serves the entire area.

A petition expressing opposition to the prison was signed by 155 residents of the Countryside Boulevard area and presented to the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen at the January 17 BMA meeting. Also, about 25 residents spoke out against the prison in the public session that preceded the BMA meeting.

Among the points made besides property devaluation were: the prison would cause safety issues, people would be less likely to visit the TNC Preserve, and that the property owned by Danais could be used for companies with greater economic promise.

When the topic was eventually discussed by the aldermanic board, Planning and Community Development Director Leon LaFreniere proposed a zoning change that would limit correctional institutions (half-way houses and prisons) in Manchester to industrial zones - either the airport region or the East Industrial Drive region.

The proposal was referred to the Bills on Second Readings Committee for consideration.