Editor's note: HamletHub believes in democracy and we recently invited all Town of Ridgefield candidates to answer five questions, giving residents an opportunity to learn more about their candidacy, Town involvement, and reasons for seeking office. If you will be on the ballot on November 5, we'd love to hear from you! Please see the information on the bottom of this post regarding this Q&A opportunity.
Meet Alan Pilch, Candidate for Inland Wetlands Board.
What office are you running for and why?
I am a candidate for the Republican Party for the Inland Wetlands Board. By way of my background, I am a licensed civil engineer and landscape architect, and I have been in private practice for 35 years. I have considerable professional experience in stormwater management, environmental impact assessment and mitigation of impacts to wetlands. Wetlands are critically important for protecting the water supply, aquifers and groundwater that provides potable water to our wells, controlling flooding and sustaining habitats.
As a member of the Ridgefield Conservation Commission for the past 11 years and being the principal reviewer for the RCC of applications to the combined Planning and Zoning Commission and Inland Wetlands Board, I have seen many projects where the balance between land development and environmental protection has been skewed too far in favor of the former without sufficient consideration for the latter. Land development can be done sensibly and in a way that will better protect our wetlands and water resources. As a member of the Inland Wetlands Board, I will be able to use my professional experience to assess the impacts to wetlands, and to ensure that applicants for permits fully consider reasonable alternatives.
What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected on November 5th?
Should I be elected, I would use my professional experience on the new Inland Wetlands Board to advocate for the protection of our wetlands and natural resources that make Ridgefield such a wonderful Town in which to reside. I would also be an advocate for the use of low impact development techniques, which are stormwater management practices that seek to mimic natural processes for water resource protection purposes.
Tell me about your current involvement in Ridgefield
Biggest crisis facing our Town?
I am not sure that I would use the word crisis. However, the intense development pressure on sensitive and environmentally constrained sites has too often resulted in less than reasonable protection of our wetlands and watercourses and the adjacent upland review area. My goal as a member of the Inland Wetlands Board would be to provide a better balance between the use of land and environmental protection.
Name a few of your favorite books
Ecology and Field Biology – Robert Leo Smith
The Source – James A. Michener
The Control of Nature – John McPhee
Rules for candidates who wish to participate in our Q&A:
*Please answer 5 of the 6 questions.
*You MUST answer #1
*Please include a photo with your answers
*Please email to Ridgefield@HamletHub.com
We will publish your answers in Ridgefield HamletHub, on our social media pages, in our evening e-newsletter and Google News.
-
What office are you running for and why
-
What do you hope to accomplish should you be elected on November 5th?
-
Tell me about your current involvement in Ridgefield (include nonprofits)
-
Biggest crisis facing our Town?
-
Name a few of your favorite books
-
Name a person (dead or alive) who you look up to
Learn more here.