Your voice matters

Elections are only one element of our participatory democracy.

by Greg Wolff, Cheshire Town Councilor.

In Cheshire we take pride in the character of our town. We care to maintain the connection to our history and what that represents today. All of us want Cheshire to continue to feel like a small New England town, with all its charm and personality. Everyone who drives in and around our town is starkly aware that we are not living in the Cheshire of 1974 or 2016, but of Cheshire in 2024. Today’s Cheshire poses challenges that all of us deal with. Traffic is a daily nuisance, noise is ever present, and odors of all sorts travel far freer from place to place than do our vehicles. Although we all wish for the ability to wave our magic town manager wands and fix these problems, we cannot. The decisions of the past cannot be changed. Today Cheshire must rely on the best judgment of our current elected officials and town staff. 

The regulatory agency in Cheshire for land use policy is the Planning and Zoning Commission. The Planning and Zoning Commission, or PZC, is comprised of 9 sitting members and 3 alternates. The PZC is tasked with determining appropriateness of new construction, development in town and establishing boundaries for what is considered appropriate uses for land. The PZC commissioners are elected officials and serve our community, adhering to our town’s municipal regulations. 

Recently one role of the PZC was highlighted in a decision which maintained the current legal use of a parcel of land in town. There are several types of uses for property in our town which are determined by the PZC. Most of our town is designated as residential, meaning the only appropriate use of the land is various types of residential dwellings. We also have designated commercial and industrial use zones. The PZC has determined that some areas are better suited to the noise and smells of industry, some are viable for commerce and some for quiet suburban living. If someone is interested in changing how a property is zoned, they must petition the PZC to change that. The petitioner must present their argument to the commission as well as to the public. Although the PZC makes the final decision of whether a change is feasible and appropriate, a critical component of this process is public input. For every proposed change that comes before the PZC, the public has the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns. This is what makes representative democracy great: the voice of the people. 

Every citizen of our town has the right to voice their opinion on how our town is shaped. Everyone has the right to vote for who they want to represent their interests. In addition to voting, we all have the right to voice our opinions on how this town grows. In the recent decision by Planning and Zoning, there were public hearings where the developer, the commissioners, and the public all were able to express their views in an open forum. Several issues were raised by the public as to whether this proposal warranted a change from the current commercially zoned property to a residential zone allowing for the construction of a large apartment building. 

Concerns were raised about losing scarce undeveloped commercial property as well as the safety of this busy intersection. The decision was made to not approve the zone change, and the public input into how this change would affect their town was acknowledged as a major component in how the commission voted. Public engagement matters in deciding how our town changes. Everyone’s voice matters, the land developers have their say and so do the citizens of Cheshire. 

Every ten years each town in Connecticut is tasked with updating what is called their Plan of Conservation and Development, or POCD. This document is a guide to how our town grows and how our character is maintained. Cheshire’s Planning and Zoning Commission is currently working on updating the POCD. Soon there will be opportunity for the public to become engaged in this process by offering their input at a public hearing. I encourage participation in this process. Everyone has the ability to affect change in town. 

In addition to the opportunity for the public to voice their opinion at Planning and Zoning meetings, every month during Town Council meetings there is a public comment space on the agenda. This is a way for members of the electorate to come and have their voices heard in a public forum. What is said during these meetings matters. As a Council we value the public’s input. It truly is critical in our decision-making process. All of Cheshire’s elected officials work on behalf of the residents. Bringing your concerns and wishes to our attention is key in the implementation of the will of the people.  Cheshire will be rolling out a new town website hopefully before the end of 2024. One of the new features will be the ability to sign up and be notified of future public hearings and other means of public participation. I would encourage everyone to sign up and become engaged in what they feel strongly about when the time comes. The recent vote made by the Planning and Zoning Commission is evidence that your elected officials care about what the public brings to the decision-making process. Let your voice be heard! I look forward to seeing new faces and hearing new perspectives at a meeting soon.

To keep up with upcoming Planning and Zoning meetings and public hearings please keep your eye on their schedule at https://www.cheshirect.org/government/council_boards_commissions_and_committees/planning_and_zoning_commission

And for any other upcoming meetings of the Town Council or any other of the town’s boards and commissions please check our town website regularly https://www.cheshirect.org