On Tuesday, an abbreviated three-member Windsor Planning Commission reviewed conceptual plans for the annexation and development of between 240 and 250 homes on 58 acres of vineyards north of Jensen Lane at the western edge of Windsor.
Many members of our community expressed varying concerns with the request to add this acreage to our town for the purpose of another typical housing subdvision.
At our last Town Council meeting, it was suggested council members and planning commissioners attend planning conferences in order to better understand planning principles and not dumb down in planning our town’s future. I have attended more than my share of planning conferences and I agree they are important and I fully support the council and commission’s attendance.
My concern is the 58-acre Jensen Lane project is quite simply urban sprawl into prime planted and productive agricultural land in a location that will create traffic and drainage impacts that cannot be sustainably and adequately mitigated. I have to question why this project is moving forward.
This is currently a vineyard where flooding occurs but it’s not apparent as a result of the agricultural use. I understand our school district has moved their attention from this Jensen Lane area to north of Arata Lane where development makes more sense. As this project moves through our approval process, I have to agree with Deb Fudge, we could be a lot smarter in the way we plan for Windsor’s future. The question is will we be?
Sam Salmon is a member of the Windsor Town Council.
