Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Friends of the Hoppers press council to protect preserve land amid developer interest
Loading...
Summary
Friends of the Hoppers asked city leaders to explore negotiations or grants to protect land adjacent to the Hoppers Nature Preserve, citing endangered pitch‑pine habitat and rare glacial formations.
Michelle Rudy, representing Friends of the Hoppers, told the council the Hoppers Nature Preserve contains regionally significant ecological and geological features, including roughly 10–12 acres of endangered pitch‑pine forest and rare undisturbed glacial kame and kettle formations. She asked whether the council had discussed the group’s letter requesting negotiations to protect privately owned land adjacent to the preserve and invited council members to attend stewardship events and site tours.
Rudy said the preserve supports at‑risk flora and fauna and noted weekly hikes and educational programming that build public support for preservation. She encouraged the council to be proactive because developer interest in nearby parcels is strong.
Mayor Jeff Cajano and city planner Robert Flanagan responded that the city had not entered into negotiations to acquire private land in the area and that prior preservation work (an OSWA grant on a different property) had been achieved when the city and stakeholders could negotiate with the landowner. The mayor suggested scheduling an offline meeting with Rudy and staff to discuss options such as grant applications; Rudy confirmed Friends of the Hoppers remain available to pursue grants including a potential future OSWA application.
