The challenge of retaining open space in Greater Portland seems to be taking another hit this week, as the latest salvo in a decades-long struggle with sprawl in southern Maine plays out in Westbrook.

The land under the planners’ microscope is the former Snyder property that stretches between Stroudwater Street and the Westbrook Arterial in Westbrook. The expanse of about 60 acres has served as farm pasture for generations. A Portland-based developer, J.B. Brown & Sons, has eyed the land for conversion into a mix of single-family homes and commercial use. The project is a drastically scaled-down version of a previous plan for a mega-shopping center that would have rivaled the Maine Mall. J.B. Brown’s intended use requires a zone change, which has already received an endorsement by the mayor, and was set to be discussed Tuesday night by the Planning Board, which is expected to forward the proposal to the City Council. The council, after two readings, will have the final say on the zone change.

While developmental pressures in this area of Maine are great – and there is an obvious need for it – it’s also important to acknowledge the inevitable loss of yet another beautiful pastureland. The land, situated in the middle of Westbrook suburbia, allowed the public a special view on their commute through that section of the city. Most passersby, we dare say, have been hard-pressed not to take a quick glance at the sloping fields and revel in the beauty.

Similar to the loss of an iconic steepled church in the heart of a downtown, losing open space in a city like Westbrook does something to the community’s soul. It’s sad to see another field give way to the push of progress. That progress certainly has its benefits, including the resulting jobs, conveniences and added taxes. But Mainers love their natural surroundings, as well. We all understand a growing population requires more development, but, still, it’s sad to see the loss of open space all the same.

There is a push to save open space in our area. Land trusts have popped up in most communities and are preserving large swaths. But those tend to be in rural areas where development pressures, while present, aren’t as great, or as profitable, as in the more urban stretches immediately around Portland. We’d argue a place like the Snyder property is just as important since many people see it on a daily basis and draw encouragement from their interactions with it.

And Westbrook isn’t the only town to be losing its native soil and, in a sense, its natural soul. South Portland has long since fallen under the sprawl spell. Scarborough is following in its urban neighbor’s footsteps, one big-box store and large-scale residential subdivision at a time. Windham is seeing greater pressure, as well, as the population gravitates outward from Portland.

While we’d like to think the Snyder property, and all such open-space gems around Greater Portland, can be preserved, we also know that the eventual loss of the farmland will be hardly remembered years from now. Those seeking to live near fields and forest will simply move farther and farther away. But that progression is not necessarily progress. It’s suburban sprawl.

Years ago, projects that produced sprawl were scrutinized severely. Since the economy sank, however, towns have reversed course, opening their doors wide to developers. It’s understandable that municipal leaders are eager to fill farmland with a higher use that results in higher property taxes. But, as we lose more and more of these prime open spaces, we often realize, too late, that development should go hand in hand with land preservation. Surely, the need for commercial activity and a desire for retaining open space can exist together, especially in a state known for its dedication to, and preservation of, wilderness.

–John Balentine, managing editor