The Waterbury Neighborhood Council has submitted a proposal to the city asking for a six-month hold on developments (Rep-Am, 3/30/06). Given the realities of development, a six-month hold is extremely unlikely to happen. However, I think they make a very good point about what's happening with development in Waterbury. There are new development happening all over the city. In some cases, thriving businesses have been forced to relocate or close in order to make way for bigger fish. In other cases, small parklets and wooded areas have been demolished. There does not seem to be a master plan for development that would enhance the quality of life for city residents. Mayor Jarjura was once quoted as saying that Waterbury has enough open space with existing parks and cemeteries. Anything not currently protected as open space is in danger of being turned into concrete. The city has huge budget problems to resolve, and the new developments are a possible way to increase revenue, although they can also generate more expense for the city.
The outlying areas of Waterbury, left as almost untamed wilderness for decades, are changing rapidly. Change, when it happens so quickly, can be unsettling. Given Waterbury's recent history of corruption, residents are certainly justified in being concerned about what is happening now. I think there is an underlying sense that the quality of life and other concerns of neighborhoods is being ignored by developers, aided by city officials, who are concerned only with benefitting themselves. It's not just happening in Waterbury. Parts of Middlebury are no longer recognizable. Middlebury, once rural, is decidedly suburban now, and the developers aren't done with it yet.
When I drive around the region and see all the developments underway, I keep wondering what the driving force is behind them. Who are the people moving into the new McMansions? What is bringing them here? Why are so many office buildings being constructed? What impact will the new developments have on the city as a whole -- in ten years' time, will Waterbury still be a country city, or will it be a new metropolis?
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