To the Editor:
There is some discussion in town regarding the status of Irwin Park. The purpose of this letter is to clarify its status—it is a park.
The only authority in town government that may designate park land is the Town Council. At its regularly scheduled meeting of Oct. 13, 2004, the Town Council did just that—by a 7-5 vote, it designated that portion of the Irwin property that was not deed restricted as park land. The deed restriction protects that portion of the property to which the restriction applies. So between the deed restriction and the Town Council designation, the Irwin property became Irwin Park.
The only authority in town government that may define zones is the Planning and Zoning Commission. That P&Z has not yet placed Irwin Park within a park zone does not void, nullify, alter or in any manner affect that designation by the Town Council.
I believe the confusion stems from Mr. Papp's statement at the League of Women Voters panel discussion on Nov. 12 that Irwin Park is not in a park zone—an accurate statement. That was interpreted by many as meaning that it does not have parkland designation—an incorrect interpretation.
A few individuals took advantage of that confusion to alarm the community into falsely believing that the property is unprotected and therefore in imminent danger of being bulldozed into a steel and concrete something or other—an obvious scare tactic disseminated by those that oppose a specific conceptual project also being discussed in town.
If there needs to any further discussion on this subject, let it be based on fact and not on misinterpretations or scare tactics.
Sincerely,
Kenneth Campbell, Town Council member
