Paley Farm owners build ‘at their own risk’

SHARON — A Torrington Superior Court hearing Sept. 26 regarding the development of Paley Farm in Sharon yielded no change to the dispute between the property owners and Sharon Land Trust.

David and Liza Bainbridge, owners of 135 Millerton Road in Sharon, otherwise known as Paley Farm, have begun construction of a multi-million-dollar home. Sharon Land Trust (SLT) has sought to block development of this land, which was protected by a conservation conveyance with the State of Connecticut in 1984.

SLT and concerned citizen Carol Flaton brought the matter before Superior Court in July disputing the Department of Agriculture’s decision to approve construction. SLT requested an injunction be implemented to stop construction while the case is ongoing. Before the hearing, the defendants disputed SLT’s standing in this matter and disputed the court’s jurisdiction over the case.

On Sept. 26, Judge Walter A. Menjivar granted three weeks for additional review to determine standing and jurisdiction. As for the work at Paley Farm, which has expanded from driveway construction to foundation development, Menjivar said the owners would be responsible for remediating the property to its previous condition should the court find jursidiction and establish standing for the plaintiffs.

“The parties do so at their own risk,” said Menjivar. “That’s a financial expense that they are risking by choosing to move forward.”

Attorney Alex Copp, representing SLT and Flaton, requested the injunction take effect immediately. Menjivar denied this request due to the question of jurisdiction.

Both parties, the Court and the Attorney General’s office were given three weeks to review the case. A follow-up hearing was set for Oct. 16 at Torrington Superior Court.

Latest News

Club baseball at Fuessenich Park

Travel league baseball came to Torrington Thursday, June 26, when the Berkshire Bears Select Team played the Connecticut Moose 18U squad. The Moose won 6-4 in a back-and-forth game. Two players on the Bears play varsity ball at Housatonic Valley Regional High School: shortstop Anthony Foley and first baseman Wes Allyn. Foley went 1-for-3 at bat with an RBI in the game at Fuessenich Park.

 

  Anthony Foley, rising senior at Housatonic Valley Regional High School, went 1-for-3 at bat for the Bears June 26.Photo by Riley Klein 

 
Siglio Press: Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature

Uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.

Richard Kraft

Siglio Press is a small, independent publishing house based in Egremont, Massachusetts, known for producing “uncommon books at the intersection of art and literature.” Founded and run by editor and publisher Lisa Pearson, Siglio has, since 2008, designed books that challenge conventions of both form and content.

A visit to Pearson’s airy studio suggests uncommon work, to be sure. Each of four very large tables were covered with what looked to be thousands of miniature squares of inkjet-printed, kaleidoscopically colored pieces of paper. Another table was covered with dozens of book/illustration-size, abstracted images of deer, made up of colored dots. For the enchanted and the mystified, Pearson kindly explained that these pieces were to be collaged together as artworks by the artist Richard Kraft (a frequent contributor to the Siglio Press and Pearson’s husband). The works would be accompanied by writings by two poets, Elizabeth Zuba and Monica Torre, in an as-yet-to-be-named book, inspired by a found copy of a worn French children’s book from the 1930s called “Robin de Bois” (Robin Hood).

Keep ReadingShow less
Cycling season: A roundup of our region’s rentals and where to ride them

Cyclists head south on the rail trail from Copake Falls.

Alec Linden

After a shaky start, summer has well and truly descended upon the Litchfield, Berkshire and Taconic hills, and there is no better way to get out and enjoy long-awaited good weather than on two wheels. Below, find a brief guide for those who feel the pull of the rail trail, but have yet to purchase their own ten-speed. Temporary rides are available in the tri-corner region, and their purveyors are eager to get residents of all ages, abilities and inclinations out into the open road (or bike path).

For those lucky enough to already possess their own bike, perhaps the routes described will inspire a new way to spend a Sunday afternoon. For more, visit lakevillejournal.com/tag/bike-route to check out two ride-guides from local cyclists that will appeal to enthusiasts of many levels looking for a varied trip through the region’s stunning summer scenery.

Keep ReadingShow less