To the editor:

I’ve been trying to keep up with the proposed and changing development plans for Robin Rug. After the recent Zoom meeting presentation and subsequent information, for the life of me I can’t come up with a simple clear list of positives/advantages for Bristol. The negatives seem pretty clear and many have been articulated.

When we so often refer to “the Town of Bristol”, I’m pretty sure there are several different definitions of that term. I’ll posit that it means current residents of Bristol, current businesses in Bristol and Bristol’s physical environment. I’d love someone, maybe the Phoenix, to put together a list of clear and fact-based pluses and minuses and an extended cost/benefit analysis that relate to this definition of Bristol and will ground the debate.

Between our town government boards and committees, the developer, and others with personal interests, there are way too many financial, environmental and political hypotheticals and assumptions to give the average Bristol person a clear understanding of this proposal's true impact on our town. So then we just say “Ah well,” and tune out. This issue is a very big deal and that shouldn’t happen.

There have been some very thoughtful comments/questions/suggestions from Bristol folks regarding issues such as negative property tax implications, impact on our downtown scale, long-term sea level issues, changes in our (once) small seaside and working class town “character”, etc.

I’m hoping you’ll shine a bright light on this before it goes the way of some previous town “developments” that could have benefited from stronger public attention and informed decisions. I have my thoughts on the project and hope they, along with many others, will be seriously considered by the decision makers in "our town”.

Lee Hayes
30 Seabreeze Lane
Bristol