"If granted," she said, "these recognitions would have destroyed the historic small-town character of many communities in western and eastern Connecticut."

Critics have also said the project is changing the traditional small-town character of Riverhead, where commercial and housing development has overtaken farmland and open space.

"It was real," said Jen Wilson, who said she had watched its small-town character "dwindle away."

It has Colonial roots and a rural small-town character, and it wants to stay that way.

In spite of spiraling population growth and encroaching urban development, old timers feel like Damascus retains its rural, small-town character.

"Wild Wind" is a harmonica-heavy minor key introduction to a series of tragic small-town characters, that will leave some listeners wanting to know more.

He introduces these small-town characters promptly in a seamless flow of small encounters and events.

Some fear losing Fanwood's small-town character.

It is about making sure our community can maintain its small-town character, something that becomes more important every year for tourism-based communities such as ours.

He also knows small-town characters and writes in a graceful, fast-moving style.