Klopfer had hoped if the little white house were knocked down it could have helped put a stop to flooding. In his Klopfer’s view, the town has failed for the past 50 years in its promise to compensate for this damp disarray. Empty promises have resulted in inundated cellars and agitated home owners for dozens of years.
Vanessa Wood, a fervent member of Save Darien’s Wetlands or as Wood refers to it as the “flood watchdog group”, is also perturbed by the town’s lack of motivation to settle this timely quandary. Wood passionately said, “It is our [Save Darien’s Wetlands] opinion that the town of Darien has been slow to action and has chosen a path that is ineffective and fiscally irresponsible.”
According to Wood, the town’s stance is they are not allowed to enter private property to eradicate dams, fallen retaining walls, and silt. Woods says she believes the town is incorrect in its belief it is the property owners responsibility to make repairs to rectify a faulty draining system.
Wetlands stretch across our entire town’s premises. According to Wood, Darien is an extremely developed environment that has refused to make accommodation for these wetlands.
For example, Woods cites the refusal to purchase the 305 Middlesex property for open space to maintain the wetlands. Wood says this is in defiance of the 2006 Town Plan that allocates the protection of wetlands to address flooding issues and open space.
Robert Maslan, the attorney that represents VR Associates disagrees. “The part of the property that is being built on is not wetlands, and besides, you can build on wetland as well.” Mr Maslin is right that a person can opt to build on wetland if granted permission by the Inland Wetlands Agency.
According to Richard Jacobson, an agent for the Darien Wetland Agency, the Darien Wetland Agency does not purchase land. Jacobson said the decision would have had to come from the Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance. Jacob also said engineering experts have determined that purchasing 305 Middlesex Road would not provide any meaningful flood storage benefit.
Wood isn’t letting the failed purchase of 305 Middlesex stop her campaign. She encourages the community to get involved. “I’m sorry; there is no easy fix for this problem. You can’t recycle more to make it go away. We can’t plant more trees.” In Wood’s opinion resolution will only be attained by demanding emails, calls, and letters being sent to town officials.
305 Middlesex will not be a part of the flooding solution. VR Associates applied for a permit in January to tear down the little house and put up a new structure.
After more than 100 years the property’s next chapter will not involve becoming part of a possible solution to the flooding problems. The land will be used for a purpose more in keeping with our modern McMansion era.
Little White House In Deep Water
305 Middlesex Road abandoned property faces trouble
McKinley Stauffer - 10/05
More by McKinley Stauffer
he unprecedented catastrophe that blindly struck Fairfield County on March 13 served as a rude awakening for this comfortable town. Citizens watched helplessly as a storm with hurricane-like winds ruthlessly clawed its way through the streets, dishing no mercy on any being, creature, or structure that dared to inhibit its course. The little white house at 305 Middlesex Road was not spared its ire.
In the words of Louis Klopfer, a concerned property owner, “This needs to stop!” Townspeople are appalled by Darien’s lack of prepartion for this torrential downpour.
One may wish to believe the tragedy induced by a squall that left hundreds lacking electricity and caused an immense amount of flooding was a freak accident: this heartless tempest was the inevitable whim of Mother Nature. However, many residents say it is not inevitable. Rather it is willful disregard by the town to Darien’s drainage system crisis.
The abandoned house at 305 Middlesex Road sits in the middle of this ongoing problem. According to petitioner signer for the appeal entitled “Buy 305 Middlesex for Water Detention”, Klopfer, flooding is a recurrent controversial issue in Darien. Klopfer’s house that he rents on Cherry Street is struck with repeated water damage from flooding tidal flows that commence on Stony Brook.
Although this homey, white house located on Middlesex Road is one of the remaining relics to provide the area with a look into the 1800s in Darien, it is marked as a thorny thistle that degrades the town’s luscious beauty. (Don’t miss the complete story on the history this home in the May print issue of Neirad )
The home was built in 1880 and has survived more than 100 years in the flood zone. The petition to purchase 305 Middlesex Road for water detention was created in hopes the town would buy 305 Middlesex when former owner Gladys Stevens put the house on the market in 2003. The petitioners wanted the one-acre plot of land used as a receptacle for water overflow. Instead, developer VR Associates of Stamford purchased the land for $535,000 in 2003.
A detention basin is a storm water facility established or contiguous to streams, rivers, or lakes. Detention basins offer universal flood fortification and can also oppress extreme water flow. Some detention ponds are also "wet ponds"; because they are devised in order to enduringly retain some volume of water day by day. The water receptacle is mainly used to manage water quantity and prevent excess water from flooding property. The 305 Middlesex Road petitioner signers were hopeful the ramshackle home would be bulldozed then the land could be turned into a detention basin to protect other properties from probable overflows.
