Enfield Things

Enfield Square, June 2022 The owners of Enfield Square are preparing to present a redevelopment plan for the mall.  There are three "concepts" being considered by the town and the mall's owner, the Namdar Realty Group, according to the Enfield Economic Development Commission (EDC). These concepts aren't public. That something is in the works for Enfield Square came to light in January when the town surveyed residents for their opinions on the mall redevelopment. The ideas in this survey ranged from strip malls and big-box plazas to concepts that combined retail, residential, and entertainment. They also included high-density development, with parking garages and buildings as high as eight stories.  The EDC's minutes from May reveal this:  -- The "concept plan" for the mall was expected to be submitted in early June, and a progress meeting with the state and mall owner was set for around that time. -- The Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) will appro...

Ban gun purchases for people under 21 is something Congress should act on. That's one big step since teens are responsible for a disproportionate share of school shootings. Until then, any 18 year who buys an AR-15 and a load of ammunition ought to be an automatic red flag. Unfortunately, the median age of school shooters is 16. That might make a case for requiring gun owners to store their weapons securely. The U.S. Secret Service studied school shootings and what it found in 25 attacks that involved firearms: "Nineteen attackers (76%) acquired a firearm from the home of a parent or another close relative. In half of the firearms cases (n = 12, 48%), evidence indicates the firearm was either readily accessible, or it was not secured in a meaningful way." You combine immature and mentally ill kids who have easy access to firearms, and you have a problem. Requiring secure storage, and raising the purchase age, might help. Responsible gun owners already secure their weapon...

  The Felician Sisters have proposed converting their Enfield Street convent into housing. They will create about 334 units, a mix of senior and family housing, in a combination of affordable and market-rate units. This convent has been on Enfield Street for nearly 90 years. Through the Catholic schools, the nuns have educated thousands of the town’s children and have helped our town in more ways than anyone can imagine. They have been a great blessing. But their numbers have declined from 400 to 24, and this complex is too large to support. The housing plan creates a sense of “community,” a goal of the Felician Sisters. This non-profit project will have a community kitchen and other shared spaces. It represents a continuation of their ministry and mission and will be a huge benefit to this town, but it has a chance of being denied by the Enfield Planning and Zoning Commission. It needs a zone change to support the housing density. At a recent hearing, commissioners seemed to be as...

The hearing on this legislation is Monday, March 15. Here is my submitted testimony:  Dear Sen. Cassano, and Rep. McCarthy Vahey, and members of the Planning and Development Committee. I'm writing concerning bill S.B. 1024 , specifically its provision to increase density around transit and middle housing. I fully support these provisions. Thank you for the opportunity to comment. We are in the early stages of catastrophic climate change. We see rising temperatures, storms of enormous power, unusual weather generally, drying conditions that fuel fires, rising seas, and other climate-related problems. Over the coming decades, climate changes will prompt a northern migration. It may well be the most significant driver of growth in our state in the next 50 years. Climate change is our problem as well. Our average temperature has increased 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit from 1970-2018. (See Climate Central April 2019, Earth Day report). Along with Rhode Island, Connecticut is one of the faste...

Signs on Hazard Ave. near the Eastern intersection of Middle Road. The "Love will always win" sign speaks to the Enfield's socially liberal values, which may way heavily against Trump this time around.  Voting lines are long, with an hour-long wait at polling places, say social media reports. Connecticut will vote for Joe Biden in this race, as it did for Hillary Clinton in 2016. But Trump won Enfield in 2016, 9,238 to 8,548 . Will Trump repeat his 2016 Enfield victory? It's possible. There is one big local issue in play: Defense spending. Connecticut  ranks 7th in the nation  on defense spending. Trump increased defense spending, as promised, and Connecticut has benefited from the increases. Residents here are aware that many jobs are defense-related. But if Trump loses in Enfield, it might be around social and character issues. The town carries the New England traditions of live and let live tolerance, for all its conservative leanings. Enfield is generally social...

In my bicycle travels, I've come across a few of these signs. I love them.  Climate change is especially problematic, and "Science is Real" hits home. The message here is about climate change.  In the most recent debate, Joe Biden talked about how climate change is an "existential threat" to humankind. He was honest with Americans.  Now, let's talk about Connecticut.  Connecticut is in a hot zone -- one of the hottest in the lower 48 states. (All figures are in Fahrenheit) Since 1970, Connecticut's average temperature has increased by 2.84°F, the nation's 10th highest state, according to  data by Climate Central . Rhode Island is 9th, and Vermont, 8th, all with similar temperature rises.  A Washington Post  analysis of temperature changes  since 1895 reported that Hartford County's temperature increased by 3°F.  New London County temperature has increased by 3.6°F over this same period. Rhode Island's Washington County, which abuts New Londo...

Thompsonville will never be a commercial center for Enfield.  Improving Enfield is going to take creative thinking and course corrections. The town has focused its development in the wrong places, namely Thompsonville. It has pinned its hopes on the wrong things, namely the train station. And the town has neglected the most important part of this community: the Enfield Mall area. Here are suggestions for making Enfield a better place. (1) Redevelop the mall area into high-density residential, office and shopping complexes. Create smaller affordable living units in high rise buildings. Move the library and town hall to the mall area. That will bring foot traffic and help anchor the commercial businesses. Create shared office spaces. Develop a new town green there. The shopping area is our town center and it's time to recognize that. Acknowledge that the town's laissez-fair approach to the mall area has failed. (2) Stop spending money to develop Thompsonville as a commercial cent...