4.10
Coastal Land Acquisitions
As discussed in previous sections, the Guilford coastal area has historically been a
more publicly accessible and less physically impacted place. In fact, during the
time of the Native Americans and early colonists it was considered a shared
resource. All had access to the important natural resources it provided and the
transportation corridors it provided. That resource has largely become private and
many more burdens from intense development have been placed on it. Therefore,
the Municipal Coastal program update addresses land acquisition for both
ecological protection and human use.
Coastal land conservation values include lands with ecological significance,
existing potential coastal recreation opportunities, and areas of exceptional or
unique coastal conservation value. These properties should be evaluated in terms
of their ecological significance as a result of their high quality or scarcity in the
region or State.
Critical land conservation areas include important habitat areas, important coastal
systems, and/or are an outstanding statewide system. Important considerations
are also the proximity to other protected lands and providing areas for sea level
rise and tidal wetlands migration. Sites may include areas such as undeveloped
islands, intact areas of tidal marsh, undeveloped tidally influenced riverine
systems (i.e. East River tidal areas), coastal woodlands, bird habitat areas
(especially waterfowl areas), anadramous and diadramous fish run areas, and sites
that have been shown to have habitat for Federal or State listed threatened,
endangered, or species of special concern.
Coastal recreation access areas considered for purchase should include the
following considerations: enhancement of public access to coastal resource based
recreation; provision of access to shellfishing areas that currently have insufficient
public access as deemed by the Guilford Shellfishing Commission and Land
Acquisition Commission; other fishing, crabbing and hunting access; access to
areas suitable for boating, including canoe and kayak areas; access to swimming;
and scenic overlooks including wildlife observation areas.
It is recognized that the Town has a significant amount of land already protected
in the coastal area. However, it is also recognized that much of that land has been
haphazardly acquired and may not represent the most ecologically important areas
or the areas best for coastal access. While many of the properties are underutilized, there may be adjacent properties that would allow for easier and more
appropriate access or make important additions to current open space. Likewise,
there are parcels that are in-holdings in lands currently owned by the Town,
Guilford Land Conservation Trust, or the State of Connecticut that should be
purchased.
Recommendations for open space acquisitions in the coastal management area
were received from members of the public, neighborhood associations, the
Audubon Society, the Guilford Land Conservation Trust, the Guilford
Preservation Alliance, and the Committee to Save the Guilford Shoreline. In
addition, the following were reviewed:
Draft Connecticut Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program Plan
(October 2007)
State Plan of Conservation & Development (2005-2010)
Natural Resource Inventory and Assessment (January 2005)
Plan for Open Space and Municipal Land Needs developed by the Guilford
Land Acquisition Committee.
These resources provide a framework for prioritizing coastal land acquisitions.
These acquisitions should continue with appropriate consideration given to the
reasons for each acquisition.