Donation of half an acre of open space land in Ridgefield is up for a public hearing tonight. 

The wetlands parcel off Lakeside Drive borders nearly 6 acres of town-owned open space.  The Planning and Zoning Commission and the Conservation Commission both have recommended  accepting the land. 

It's assessed at about $140,000, but there's about $40,000 in outstanding taxes and interest owed.  If the land is accepted, it will become tax exempt.  According to the Ridgefield Press, the owner's daughter said Orlando Romero stopped paying taxes in 2009 after offering the land as a donation and believed that he no longer owned it.

Tonight's hearing is at 7:30pm at Ridgefield Town Hall.  A town meeting will then be scheduled for June 20th at 7:30pm.