This Week’s Letters to the Editor

Editor’s Note: The Letters to the Editor section in the Woodbridge Town Chronicle is a place where community voices can be shared and heard. In the print newspapers of years past, letters to the editor were often the liveliest section, where readers spoke directly to one another, the broader community, and its leaders. To submit a letter for consideration please refer to the submission guidelines.

Neighbors raise trust and process concerns over Acorn Hill ballfield lights proposal

To the editor,

We object to the proposed installation of an array of 60-foot LED-lights at the Acorn Hill baseball fields due to serious concerns about increased noise, traffic, light pollution, and impacts on the environment. In 1995, creation of the fields was contingent upon securing neighborhood support through clear commitments to restrict lighting, loudspeakers, and ATVs.

The Town has not reached out directly to the residents of Acorn Hill who would be most impacted by the proposal. Rather, a member of the Woodbridge Recreation Commission, under pretext of gathering community input, has circulated what is effectively a petition supporting the lights, while the Recreation Commission Chair, on May 11th, denied having knowledge of that effort. The Commission on the Use of Publicly Owned Property Chair, on May 18th, stated that the town's previous commitments to Acorn Hill were not legally binding. That statement does not absolve the Town of responsibility.

These actions and statements by Town commissions suggest indifference, at best, toward the views of immediate neighbors. Ignoring these prior commitments, and excluding the residents whose consent enabled the fields, would represent a breach of trust and a failure of government accountability.

If such commitments can be set aside here, they cannot be relied upon anywhere, on any issue. The 1995 agreement stands as a model of compromise and effective, community-based governance. We have an opportunity to uphold that standard.

Currently, the noise and danger from speeding cars from the fields, the transfer station, and the Industrial Park are at least confined to daylight hours. We welcome baseball, cycling, and running in our neighborhood. However, our representative bodies should treat the neighborhood with honesty and integrity, protecting agreements that allow both residents and visitors to enjoy our neighborhood.

Honoring the neighborhood’s voice in matters that directly affect us should be a baseline.

— David Driscoll and Anoka Faruqee

The writers are residents of Acorn Hill Road in Woodbridge.

Editor’s Note: Letters reflect the perspectives of their authors. They are published to foster dialogue about issues of local concern, including questions of governance, transparency, and accountability, as well as topics such as highlighting upcoming or past events from community groups. To submit a letter for consideration please refer to the submission guidelines.