Residents Outline Their Vision for Trumbull

Trumbull residents at Sept. 24's Plan of Conservation and Development forum ranked development as their top concern, followed by infrastructure and conservation, respectively.

The town has pockets of development and pockets of residential, which need to be better organized, speakers said. Planimetrics officials, who are helping the town with the plan's revision, conducted the forum at Madison Middle School. It was also an official Planning and Zoning Commission meeting.

"Trumbull is very confused," according to one speaker.

Asked to rate areas of town they were proud of and areas they disliked, residents said they liked:

• The rails-to-trails system
• Open space
• Golf course, pools, playgrounds, tennis courts and Tashua Knolls
• Westfield Trumbull Mall improvements, with the resulting commercial tax base increase
• The Town Hall and the Library
• Schools, including the Agriscience school
• Pinewood Lake

The "sorry" spots were:

• The Westfield Trumbull Mall
• Congestion on Main St.
• Trumbull Center shopping plaza
• Cell phone coverage in Trumbull Center
• White Plains Road widening, safety
• The Long Hill Green mixed use project
• Crossing Route 111 to follow the Rails to Trails

Regarding community facilities, residents asked for a community center and more parking at the Library, among other things. They also wondered about public usage of the new Trumbull High School auditorium.

Philosophically, the question was, does Trumbull want to be a little Bridgeport or a little Easton?

More speakers reinforced the village concept, such as avoiding more housing in the Long Hill Green Area and keeping structures there colonial in appearance. Residents said they wanted to see "residential stay residential," rather than apartments or condos.

While many appreciated the parks, they did not like the parking sticker requirement. One resident who recently moved here said she could not bring friends into the park.

Presenter and Planimetrics official Heidi Samokar asked the audience, "Who is the town for?"

"Do we want to bring in people from outside?" Then, she added, "We also have to look at the next generation."

Finally, residents recalled past firework events and community spirit activities. They said more spirit will also improve the town.

A final speaker asked that Trumbull High School host a college fair.

The planning process can be followed at www.Plan-Trumbull.com.