I write in response to Stanislav Kotyza’s opinion piece regarding rock chipping in the April 7 edition.

While Mr. Kotyza is entitled to his opinion concerning the updated rock chipping law, I take umbrage at his comparison of Rye to his native communist Czechoslovakia.

The rock chipping law is an attempt to balance the rights of people to develop their properties with the rights of their neighbors to reasonable peace and quiet. The City Council is not a local chapter of the communist party instituting an ill-informed policy. 

Statements such as these remind me of McCarthy’s red baiting of the 50s.

As for the rest of the letter, I would argue that the unbridled building of McMansions, each with a swimming pool, is not necessarily in Rye’s best interest and does not keep Rye the beautiful town Mr. Kotyza has known.

In the same issue of The Rye Record there is an essay, “Requiem for a House”, which expresses the view that the demolition of so many houses to be replaced by McMansions sells out the town, its character, and its history and that all it takes to sell out a town is money.

Rye is in danger of being a monolithic town of the wealthy who live in McMansions until their last child leaves for college and then move out because their house is so oversized.

Mr. Kotyza does perhaps have a point that if there are quieter ways to chip rock, some modification in the law might be in order. Perhaps some type of noise criteria could be considered.

Inflammatory statements comparing us to communism have no place in these divisive times.

• Tom Wynne