Hampden Council takes aim at recreation area vandalism

HAMPDEN — In the musty old Kiwanis Hall, Town Council discussion focused on vandalism at the town’s recreation areas, and proposed revisions to zoning language in multi-family residential districts here Monday night.

Councilor Donald Muth expressed concern over destruction and misuse of recreation areas and suggested that town officials work with the police department in patroling and preserving such town assets.

“I get the feeling that in some cases we’re powerless to do anything about this,” Muth told the council and others in attendance.

The councilor said the recreation area on Papermill Road, Dorothea Dix Park, and the tennis courts have fallen victims to vandalism. A padlocked-gate blocks the entrance to the recreation area on Papermill Road, and vandals have damaged the park and the tennis courts, he said.

Greg Nash, public works director, attended the meeting and said, “The monetary damage isn’t hurting; it’s the aggravation of vandalism, damage to public property.”

Muth said he would like to see the gate at the recreation area opened during certain hours and asked Hampden Police Chief Joseph Rogers, also in attendance, if officers could be responsible for locking the gate and closing the park.

Rogers responded by saying that stopping by the park during a patrol would not pose a problem. He could not guarantee, however, that the gate would be shut exactly at closing hour. Officers could clear the park and lock the gate within a reasonable time after closing, he said.

The council recommended the recreation committee review the issue, particularly the opening and closing hours.

In regard to the multi-family residential district zoning language, the council moved to hold a public hearing on short-term, interim language revisions to the zoning ordinance for such districts, despite one councilor’s request to table the item.

“These things are very complicated,” said Muth, “and we continually find this is a very complicated thing to work with.” He asked that the item be tabled, but Chairwoman Marcy Summers’s vote in the 3-3 tie blocked passage.

According to Town Planner David Gould the interim language is the result of moratorium deadline pressure, which will be lifted July 27. The town council and planning board agreed last August Hampden needed a moratorium on development downtown. A number of issues had arisen that town officials had not previously considered, such as sewer lines, traffic, and pedestrians.

The Four Mile Square Committee was formed and charged with the task of devising some innovative language revisions to the existing zoning ordinance for those multi-family residental districts.

Gould said that once the moratorium is lifted the current zoning language will be upheld. If the short-term amendment passes, the language will go into effect 30 days later — Sept. 6. In the meantime, Gould said, the committee will continue to work on revisions to the existing zoning ordinance’s conditions and regulations.

Town Attorney Thomas Russell advised the council not to pass a sunset ordinance, whereby councilors predetermine a date to terminate the interim language. Russell recommended that the council pass the short-term revisions and then repeal them when it