Walter Vasquez (The Capital, Aug. 14) gets it all wrong about Crystal Spring. He wrongfully attacks all opponents as no-growth activists and uses false data to justify his personal attacks.

Mr. Vasquez minimizes the traffic and environmental impact of this massive development, with more than 600 new residents in at least 500 new housing units. The latest plans lack any traffic improvements whatsoever.

He falsely states the forest acreage to be left or otherwise to be protected. The developer’s Forest Conservation Plan shows that 39.5 acres of protected forest will be destroyed and only 16 acres will be replanted, despite pledges to replant 100 percent.

Mr. Vasquez, in shilling for developers, tries to convince us the senior project has been scaled back when, in fact, the senior living proposal has increased its footprint from the last filing. The housing units are increased from 362 to 383.

Mr. Vasquez would have us believe that there are no environmental problems with stripping down nearly 40 acres of contiguous forest and replacing them with more than 40 acres of impervious surfaces, leading to more pollution of Crab Creek.

Mr. Vasquez justifies the project as needed for local senior citizens, when the reality is that only the wealthiest could afford one of the $1 million two-car-garage homes or the average price unit of nearly $500,000, plus another $3,000 a month in fees. There are many senior living facilities already in this area and more under construction.

I live along Forest Drive in the city and own my home and pay city property taxes. What we need most is sanity in the development process, especially of raw forested land.

This development will diminish my quality of life, which is already impacted by the massive traffic problems. The project must be stopped.

RACHEL PRENDERGAST, ANNAPOLIS

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