GOSA has successfully encouraged the state to acquire the 57 acres of undisturbed land, called the O and G and Briggs properties, located adjacent to Haley Farm State Park and Fitch Senior High School. GOSA lobbied for 32 years for protection of this land.

GOSA has asked the Town Council and Conservation Commission to devise a fiscal plan, which enables the town to acquire open space land. GOSA suggested a line item budget of $1 million to start a fund designated for the purpose of purchasing open space land. GOSA stresses the need for a financial mechanism, which would enable the town to purchase desirable open space land as it becomes available. The Conservation Commission has submitted a list of priority sites for purchase, as part of the Groton Town Plan of Conservation and Development.

GOSA has lobbied the town agencies to take advantage of a state grant, worth 65% of an appraised land value, available to Groton, for use in the acquisition of open space land.

GOSA has cited studies that show that residential land development costs more to the town in the form of services and schools than it receives in tax revenues.

GOSA has been active in testifying at public hearings before the Inland Wetlands Agency and the Planning Commission. Vigilance is still required to watch for hearings for another subdivision application on the Watrous property, located north of Route 1, west of Noank Ledyard Road.

A denial was issued by the Inland Wetlands Agency for a project known as Peppervine, but a new conceptual study is under review. The Conservation Commission listed this property as one worthy for acquisition by the town. It contains two outstanding vernal pools, extensive wetlands, the headwaters of Eccleston Brook, and forests with an understory of mountain laurel. It is contiguous to other large open space areas, thereby increasing its importance as wildlife habitat. Groton is truly fortunate to have such a special parcel. GOSA encourages the community to act to protect it.

GOSA has spent more than two years testifying at public hearings regarding the Mystic Estates subdivision proposal, located south of Route 1, between Groton Long Point Road and Fishtown Road. We were successful in achieving denial of a 50 foot wide road crossing of a stream tributary to Eccleston Brook. We also achieved a 600 foot vernal pool buffer and 100 foot wetland buffers and conservation easements. The proposal was reduced from 79 to 48 house lots. GOSA continues to hold that the proposed subdivision is too intensive a use for the site, and that there is too high a risk to downstream waters.

GOSA thanks the many individuals who supported us in our testimony about Mystic Estates before the town commissions:

Scott Warren: professor of botany at Connecticut College, who testified about the effects of nitrogen runoff into Palmer Cove.
Maggie Jones: executive director of Pequotsepos Nature Preserve, for her testimony documenting local birds, including the red shouldered hawk, a species of concern, and the impact extensive development will have in reducing forest species.
David Carroll: artist, author and turtle specialist, for his testimony about habitat and turtles found, downstream from Mystic Estates, in Eccleston Brook.
Sigrun Gadwa: biologist and soil scientist on habitat, wildlife and runoff issues.
Duncan Schweitzer: civil engineer.
Tom Jannke: oysterman with concerns in Palmer Cove.
Ron Chappell: shellfish Commissioner, Town of Groton.
Nicholas Bellantoni: state archaeologist, who identified important archaeological sites, and provided recommendations for their protection.