Planning Commission - Regular Meeting

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to this episode of planning and zoning commission meeting for Monday, 04/27/2026. I am Paul Leibowitz, chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission. And as you may well know, pursuant to state law, there is no physical location for this meeting because this meeting is being held electronically and live streamed at westportct.gov. And this meeting will also be shown on Westport's optimum government access channel 79. And the public, of course, may attend and offer testimony during the meeting by using the meeting link published on the agenda prior to the meeting.

The meeting agenda is available at westportct.gov under meeting list and calendar web page. And any written comments may also be received prior to the public meeting and should have been sent to pandz@westportct.gov up until 12PM on the day of the meeting if intended to be distributed for consideration by the members of the planning zoning commission. Any written comments received after 12PM on the day of the meeting will be entered into the record but will not be distributed until the next business day. Meeting materials submitted are available at westportct.gov on the planning and zoning department web page under PNZ pending application and recent approvals. So this evening, I am joined by commissioners Brie Injeski, Mike Kalise, John Bolton, Craig Shavoni, and our vice chair, Michael Kerrmeyer, as well as our, director of planning and zoning, Michele Pirelli.

Brie, as secretary, would you bring us into, our meeting, please?

Alright. We are starting in work session with item number one, which is approval of minutes from March 2, March 10, March 16, and 03/30/2026.

Thank you very much, Breeze. Does anybody have any comments on those one, two, three, four on those five items? Any corrections, comments, considerations? Seeing none, I'm gonna move to, approve those. Do I have a second?

I will second that.

Thank you very much. All those in favor, say aye.

Aye. Aye.

Very good. And let make it so. Alright, Bree. If you don't mind taking us to work session item number one.

Alright. So the next item on our list is a application for 359 Post Road East, Winslow Park, Application P Z 2600221 submitted by Andrew Colabella to discuss the installation of a fenced dog area at Winslow Park. Time allocated for presentation is twenty minutes.

Thank you very much. Mister Colabella, the floor is yours.

Thank you, mister chairman. I'm Andrew Colabella, our team representative for District 4. Address is 83 Grove Point Road. And my partner here.

Hi. I'm Emmy Dorfman, and I'm a junior at Staples High School.

So what we are presenting tonight and the purpose of this is in the event of a future eight dash twenty four, a formal discussion and pre application is supposed to take place. This pre application purpose is to not only advise the public of what we are trying to do as a capital improvement for a municipal piece of land, but also we are looking to have feedback from planning and zoning as well as members of the public. And I'm gonna let Emmy take over for now.

Good evening, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak tonight. As I said, my name is Emmy Dorfman. I'm a junior at Staples High School. As Andrew mentioned, I'm here to speak about the proposal to build a fenced in dog park in Westport, a safe designated space where residents can bring their dogs to run off leash, exercise, and socialize with other dogs and owners. I understand this idea has been discussed in Westport before and has never fully moved forward.

I'm here tonight hoping to bring a new perspective, the voice of a student who wants to help keep the conversation moving and turn a long discussed in idea into something real for our town. This project actually began as a speech in my rhetoric and persuasion class, where where I explored why Westport could benefit from a dedicated dog park. It quickly became personal to me because I have two dogs, Bodhi and Ozzy, who I love very much. After presenting the speech, I realized there was real interest from others, so I decided to take the idea beyond the classroom and see what it would take to make it happen. Since then, I spent the last several months meeting with town representatives, listening to feedback, and learning more about the planning process.

I also created a community survey that was shared by Dan Wook and the Westport moms, and so far, we've received over 700 responses from Westport residents. Of those, 73% said they would support the creation of a fenced in dog park in Westport, which shows clear community demand. Following the parks and recreation meeting on March 18, we've continued making meaningful progress. Andrew has met with parks and recreation administrators and proactively with other entities to pursue this improvement of town owned property. We have schematics and design plans on the way.

We know there are important concerns that need to be addressed. Question have been raised about hours of operation, daily maintenance, and how the park would be funded and managed long term. These are all valid points, and we have been actively working on practical solutions for each of them. Andrew will expand on those topics and the progress we've made so far, but one topic I wanted to touch upon is funding. We've discussed community donations, sponsorships from local businesses, and volunteer support.

I've also created dog port merchandise, which I'm wearing tonight, with the shop ready to be go to begin fundraising. In addition, Andrew has been working with the five zero one c three, the sons of the American Legion, to help create a pathway for donations. Together, these efforts could help fund both the creation and the upkeep of the park. Another important topic has been operations and accountability. Many residents asked in the survey about safety, who would have and how the rules would be enforced.

One option we've researched is a key fob access system, which is used successfully in other towns. Residents would pay a registration fee, confirm vaccinations, and licensing, and receive access to the park. This would help create a safer environment while also generating modest revenue for maintenance. Our goal tonight is not to pretend every answer is finalized, but to show that real thought and real work have gone into addressing these questions. Overall, the goal is to create a safe a space that is safe, well maintained, financially sustainable, and beneficial to our community.

It would give dogs room to exercise, provide owners with a place to connect, and add a positive amenity to Westport. This idea has had support in Westport for years. With the level of interest we are seeing now, I believe it is time to seriously explore what it would take to make Dogport a reality. Thank you again for your time. We're here tonight not to to not only to formally present the due diligence we have done so far, but to ask for your guidance as we continue working toward a project that can improve safety, security, wellness, and peace of mind in our town. Thank you.

So with that being said, do I have the ability to share my screen by any chance? I'm gonna

You should. Make that No. You should have it. Yep. Yeah.

Alright. It well, I don't wanna click that. I mean, Wendy does wanna get in the meeting, but, yeah, you guys can let her in. So what we have for tonight is a pre application discussion for Winslow Park Dog Dog Park. So this started probably about three and a half years ago.

It was myself, Karen Kramer from RTM District five, Mimi Duvall Sager, who was a recent new Westport resident who had discussed that she wanted to have a safe place to have her dog run. And there have been issues in the past where this 29 and a half acre park, was donated to the town several decades ago, was to be maintained open space, but also not only preserved, but also it is predominantly used as a dog run. And, so when Emmy wrote her op ed, it kind of was be she became the powder keg as to what we were trying to present and what we were trying to do. So here's what we are discussing right now. We are discussing Winslow Park.

Like I said, it's 29 and a half acres. It is predominantly for dog walking. It has open pastures, meadows. Picnic areas are located within the southern part of the park, which is closer towards the Post road East side. There's exactly just about a mile of hiking trail throughout the entire place, and it's to maintain as an open space.

But something that you will notice about this open space and what's make what makes it particular is that it has stone crop foundation walls, which receive as a border on the on the eastern side, southern side, and parts of the western side where the Northeastern core Northwestern Corridor is actually just all fencing to adjacent properties. When we were discussing this, particular idea, we wanted to be we still wanted to keep the aesthetics of the park. We didn't want it to be a park where the minute you enter, you have all these fences and walls and borders, and you got it here and there. Like, when you enter Winslow Park, it is a maintained open space, and it's still gonna have that preservative look of maintained open space. So one of the things that we had looked at was a oh, this is good right here.

Okay.

And we'll go back to that. We'll start with this one. So Winslow Park, why are we doing this predominantly? Other than the fact that it serves as a dog park, it's open and free and accessible to the public. And it would by the way, it would still remain publicly and free and accessible to the public.

All 29.1 acres would still be the same. But what has occurred in the past and what started this was several years ago, there was an individual from a resident from the town of Westport. He had a dog that ran out from Winslow Park. It got through the many gaps along Campo Road North and entered into the roadway and was killed by a vehicle. In fact, there have been numerous instances where this has occurred, over a dozen that I'm aware of.

So the purpose of this pre this pre application is to convey an improvement brought forth by progressive residents with a vision to ensure safety, security, and peace of mind. There have been several incident incidences like I've discussed where dogs have run out onto Campo Road North and were struck by vehicles. And frankly, that's pretty much what Emmy, Karen, myself, and Mimi's goal is, is to utilize a fraction of this park to provide a choice for visitors and maintain open space. So the choice here is to give the public a variety of in the South end, you are in an on a leash area. The North end would still continue to be an off leash area.

What we would like to add is in the North area you can go to the next slide, is this northern part right here. So this part of the park. This is adjacent to Campo Road North. On the GIS map of Winslow Park where you see an elevation of 70 feet there, you have an asphalt pathway. It's it's the bituminous concrete path that runs along the split rail fence that already exists, which is in 12 foot lengths at a height of almost eight feet, and it breaks off to the lower part of your screen right here.

This entire area was at one point a site for for it was for, the storage of construction material for the sewage improvement for Gorham, Juniper, North Pine, and other roads in this area. To our right on this schematic design, which was thankfully done by Michael Ginta from Parks and Recreation, is an idea of the size that we are looking to create here. The fencing along this side right here towards the asphalt path is roughly 238 to 240 feet in length. It goes down at the top to one fifty, one seventy five. This these measurements are strictly, how would I put it?

They're they're they're going to change no matter what because one of the things that we had noticed was maintenance is a very big issue in this town. We take pride in our parks. I mean, parks and recreation just did a master plan with almost 60 something parks that are are publicly accessible to all. There's an area of the North where there is actually a maintenance, entrance here to cut and maintain the park. We would actually move this fence back about 12 feet so that not only can our maintenance individuals get into the park, emergency service vehicles as well as tree companies.

Because over the last couple of years, last couple of years, Ben Sikas as well as Nick Quadrano, our parks and rec superintendent who just who was just hired has really taken a gung ho approach to maintaining the park and cleaning it up. So this part this is the part that we would like to propose to put it, and it would be in the north end where it's out of sight, out of mind. It's still accessible by the asphalt path. And this right here to our right is excuse me for being an amateur. This is my first time.

This is an idea of what the dog run would look like if placed in this position. There would be two areas. One for small dog, one for large dog. There would be signage that would be appropriate to adhere to the public that wouldn't state there is a 30 pound and larger limit for the large and then a 30 pound and less for the small dog area. Majority of dog parks that Emmy, myself have visited from Rhode Island, Virginia, Florida, Texas, all on the Eastern Coast have, proper signage that that institutes, what rules that exist.

There would also be a split rail fence in between separating the two where there would be a eight foot, gate entryway for maintenance vehicles to enter to do, sewing, seeding, lawn cutting, and weed whacking as well as along the fence. The other thing that we added was in the front of the park where the entrance would be, there would be a split fence so that you would have kind of like, kinda like a breezeway. So when you walk in, you can close the gate behind you, get your dog off the leash so that it's kind of like intimate one on one, which is you and your dog, and you don't have to worry about other dogs, like, rushing you or getting in your way. And there would be dog bags that would be set up, and those are actually maintained by maintenance division. Maintenance division already does the majority of maintenance in the park as well.

There would be a brick pathway that leads from the asphalt path all the way to this walkway here. Like I said, to the northern part of the large dog area, there would be a 14 foot setback between these these bushes that are right here and this opening here so that emergency service vehicles as well as maintenance vehicles could enter the park. Because when they were doing this back part of Winslow, they were actually entering through there. I don't see anything else that, there would be benches. Oh, well, actually, benches we can't do at this point because there's a moratorium on benches.

But everything would be donated to would be raised by the non prop by the entity as well as the nonprofit five zero four c three. These donations would help support just building the park as well as the layout of the fencing. We do have estimates. Luckily, the split rail design fence that we're looking at to our left right now, this is what currently exists in the park. You have split rail fencing that runs along the meadow where everybody sleds in the wintertime.

It goes off into the woods over by the northern part of the park where the asphalt, path breaks off. This, split rail fence would not only just be a split rail fence, they would be a vinyl mesh that would prevent dogs from being able to run underneath from being able to jump because the significant height of this, fence right now is is about six feet and taller. In fact, what is currently existing right now is exactly what you would see in the park if proposed and passed through a future eight dash 24. So statistics is something fun that I like to do as well as Emmy, and we both had our own surveys of I'm gonna let Emmy speak to your present did you have your statistics that you analyzed?

Yes. So I, posted a survey. As I mentioned, Dan Woug and Westport moms, shared it, and I received over 700 responses with lots of people providing important feedback that has helped us in this process. But I think one of the key statistics is that 73%, of our Westport residents said they would support this project.

So the statistics that I did was my petition was about two and a half years ago. And as of right now, it stands at 939 individuals that have signed the petition to create a fenced in area. And with Emmy's, results that she had that not only touched residents in Westport as well as beyond, but also in the Staples High School community, We're pretty much at a statistical, sample populate, not a sample population. Overall population of roughly over 1,600 people. And with your 700 responses, our sample would roughly be the 73%.

So with my 939 that want this, I mean, the statistics would go well well above than what we have right now. So here are some thoughts and facts that we had, that were brought to our attention and we're greatly appreciative for because after all, this isn't just a pre this isn't just a park that me and Emmy are proposing. This is something that the entire public would benefit from, but we're looking to we're counting on the public to give us feedback and continue to grow this idea. This area, as I've I've mentioned, was recently regraded. So before, it was just a, it was a very flat area that didn't have proper grade.

Your proper grade that you need is usually a sixteenth of an inch for every four feet in order to properly drain water. This park was resurfaced six inches down after the construction. It was seated with a rye grass blend, which is predominantly used in zones three and four, which is the New England area and and lower towards Virginia. But what's great about this rye perennial blend blended grass is that it has a fescue seed in it. Fescue red fescue seed actually absorbs a lot of water and is actually drought resistant.

There was also a question about, well, what happens if, my dog gets attacked by another dog? There are rules at both entrances to the park when you enter, over by, Evergreen Parkway. Dogs are personally liable for damage or injury inflicted by their dog. Enforcement is already done by Westport Animal Control as well as self policing. Those rules and regulations are posted at all entrances throughout the park.

Like I said before, the scope of maintenance is under Parks and Recreation Maintenance Division. They're there almost every couple of days doing the dog bags. They're there every morning emptying the garbage receptacle cans. A garbage receptacle can would be placed probably on the northern part where Campo Road North is because that's where the maintenance gate is, and it's actually within their route when they go to town farms to pick up garbage off of Campo Road North. So there would be a garbage receptacle area for dog for used dog bags, coffee, what have you, that people bring to the park.

There would also be access for lawn mowers as well as, the lawn tractors maintenance for, seeding, haying, as well as, weed whacking along the fence lines. These are the rules and regulations that are currently in sight right now. These signs are obviously gonna be updated because as you can see, they're weathered. The rules would pretty much probably stay the same predominantly just because it's it works for what it is right now. Residents from Westport have voiced concerns to me as well as to ME as well as others that are really trying to push this project forward that there does seem to be an issue with a lot of people are afraid to go to the park because there's an awfully share in.

The dogs usually just run around, and they there's no approach. There's no, like, control, which, you know, again, that's part of that. That's part of the problem. It's not a problem, but it's something that you're gonna face when you go to a dog park. But when you go to an off leash area, you know what you're going into.

It's this fenced area would be predominantly for use for dog play as well as interaction, exercise, but also peace of mind. Because still to this day, after $6,800 were raised to block in the gaps along Copper Road North in areas where dogs could get out, there are still many gaps throughout the park and Winslow Park, and dogs do get lost there very often. So we got creative with this. So everyone if anyone is asking, why this particular location? If you look at the first, first image of Playhouse Square, we looked at the Campo Road North area, which was the opening space of where the dog festival takes place.

We didn't wanna interact with that festival because we love the open space at this lower section. But also more importantly, we want this to be an open space feel when you enter the park. We also looked at the third photo over here adjacent to Playhouse Square where the hill is, which actually slopes down. And we kinda did the same footprint that we did in the second picture here, which would be our first choice, our third section over here would not work. The grade is too steep.

There it is bare dry dirt as well as, breccia stone and other forms of, rock where trying to topsoil and seed and hay would be impossible because the grade of slope is too great. More importantly, this area over here is inundated with Japanese not not not wheat, which if anybody knows, it's an invasive. You would have to remove all the brush in that area, and it would probably cost 10 over 10 to 12, maybe $15,000 to just remove everything and not even scrape the surface of the material. And even then, you're not guaranteed that the Japanese knotweed is not gonna come back. So that's why the middle location is what we are aiming for and what we are looking to try to accomplish.

And that is the end of our presentation. Any questions?

You very much. I really appreciate it. And, Emmy, your proficiency with rhetoric and persuasion is showing, so good for you.

Thank you.

Welcome. Andrew, I, you answered almost all of my questions. So I'm, I'm, you know, I I'm a fan of this idea. Separating dogs from dogs is important. Separating dogs from, leash dogs from, running dogs is also important. And also separating, humans who wanna walk from dogs who wanna run is also important. So, I think you hit, all three of the, categories. I had the chance to go down there and look. That site is, is is nice. Looks like it's gonna work real well.

Tell me about off street parking.

So for the off street parking, you have the private parking lot, which is adjacent to where, Westport Country Playhouse is. You also have the other area on Copper Road North where you have parking. There has been discussion by Parks and Recreation to possibly add parking in that section. That's a whole another discussion, though. Predominantly, the trying to expand parking on Copper Road North, I think, would be a little difficult because, one, it's a main it's a primary road that is shared by the state.

You would be cutting into green and open space. It's the last thing that we wanna do because open space is very, limited in this town. There's less than a 100 acres left in open space. And like Tony Simenady says, they're not growing land anymore. So I I love that quote by her. The the parking lot itself during the day by Westmore Country Playhouse as well as, Gabriel's restaurant is predominantly the main focus for parking for that park, and it can roughly fit over a 100 plus cars. I still have to do a thorough count of the parking lot, though.

So people walk up and over the hill and down to the site and, go through the gates and, let their dog run? Yes. Good. This membership based facility, that's interesting. I hadn't thought of that. Have you tested it? Does it work? Do we have one already?

So parks and recreation, as you has heard and as you have heard in plan in budget meetings, we always tell that we're a zero based fee town, meaning that the amount of money that parks and recreation generates as a revenue stream for the town predominantly balances that it's a $0 fee for residents to use. That actually has tipped to a down to about 86 or 84%. Majority of parks that I have visited from Weston, Connecticut, Richville, Connecticut, New Canaan, Rowayton, they are the for the last town, Richfield, they do not have a key fob to get in or a code to get in. When I went to go visit New Canaan, which was the first park that I went into, I tried to gain access and all the residents were like, excuse me, who are you? Do you have a code?

You're not from here. You can't get in. It was a very warm welcome into New Canaan, so I appreciated it. But what I liked about that was that in order to receive a code, you have to be in your dog has to be in compliance with state and local laws for rabies and vaccinations. The last thing that we need is to have a dog or a person being attacked, and we have no control and no authority over it.

But we currently, right now, in the town of Westport, we have a a law that's in place where your dogs must be vaccinated. And in order to use this section of the park and it even says in the rural section of the town of Westport that your dog must be vaccinated and it has to be tagged. In order to access this part and this is where Emmy got the idea because this is this this section is Emmy's idea, was that if in order to access this special zoned area, your dog has to be vaccinated as well as have its proper identification tags, in which by that point, when you go to register with Parks and Recreation, you would be given a code which, in New Canaan, they have, it's numerical, and you get to put in your code, and it actually tracks whose code is being put in. But there's also self policing by the residents. The residents know who's coming in and out.

Okay. Great. If it's membership based, therefore, I imagine there's a price. Yes. And have you done the calculation? You know, what what would it cost to join this club, and how much does it cost to run this facility, and do they match up?

We are still working on the finances behind that because, obviously, it's a measurement of statistical inference where we're taking ordinal data and we're streaming it amongst other municipalities. Obviously, it ranges. So what mirrors along Westport would be Darien and New Canaan and possibly Ridgefield. We wanna be in an area where it's not it's not expensive, but it's a fair equal price that is appropriate towards the maintenance and requirement that it needs as well as being top priority in care and, respect to the park as well as usage for others. So that's something that we are still working on.

Alright. And last but not least for me, the brick pathway.

Yes.

Do we have any brick pathways up there at all? I don't think we do.

We do not. No.

Okay. Just mentioning it because I don't know if that would fit in. Yep. Alright. Let's see what other, commissioners have to, ask you about. Bria, I see your hand is up.

Hi. I just wanna say thank you, Andrew and Emmy, for bringing this forward. I'm very I'm very supportive of this proposal. And just a couple of notes that I had. I know that, you know, I think that it's perhaps a good idea to have, some controls over who can access the area, but I would think about expanding that so you don't need to be a town of Westport resident.

I spent time at that dog park, and there's a lot of people who come from out of town and bring their dogs there. And I just don't think that we should necessarily exclude them from being able to take advantage if their dog otherwise meet the vaccination and other requirements, just because it's a great place for people to be able to bring their dogs safely. And so I would just I think we should think about being able to include other people. I don't know if you have thoughts on that, but that's that's one note that I would have there.

What I have thought, and this is where, I mean, I have disagreed a little bit, was that, yes, we could make it for residents, but there are a lot of people that come from Norwalk, Fairfield, New Canaan, Bridgeport. I've even met people from Shelton and Sonia. It's not just for, dogs, but also the public. But we what we have looked at is that maybe there's a out of town fee that people could use and they could show proof of identification where, you know, when you go to the beach, it's $40 for, on a weekday and $70 on a weekend on a holiday. We wouldn't do that. It would be a flat based fee. But for residents, we pay $50 for a beach sticker, and then Weston, our sister town, pays way more than that. And then out of town residents pay

Yeah.

Four times that. So there's something that we would probably work into that because, obviously, it's not we're not looking to just generate money. We're looking to to create maintenance and to improve that as well because that's something that we've been lacking in town. I don't know where Emmy stands.

Yeah. I mean, I don't fully disagree with you. Yeah. I think we haven't gathered, like, enough input, but I'm glad to hear, like, what you have to say. Yeah. I think that's fair point. I don't know what to think about it.

Thanks, Brie.

And then also just, I know I've always just been concerned about the the gaps that are in the existing fences. I think you had mentioned did you say that they've they've been closed or there's been an effort to close some of those gaps?

There's been an effort to close them. There was a donation of roughly 6,800 or $7,200 given to Parks and Recreation when Jen Faiba was in charge. Not all of it is entirely closed. Not all of it is entirely completely secured. There are areas where there is fencing, and it's still wide open. And there are still areas where, on the northern side of the park where the stone wall is actually only three and a half feet in height, and some dogs can jump it. And we do have an answer for that too.

Yeah. I mean, I ideally, I mean, I think I've been to a bunch of bug dog parks around here, other parts of the country, and, generally, they're completely enclosed. And so I was very surprised that Westport has almost no enclosures other than the fences that happened to already be there. So I think, like, part of this, would be very supportive of at least closing the gaps in the existing walls if that could be made part of this project. And, also, I would not be opposed to a, just a general larger fence, that goes almost around the entire park just so that people don't have to worry about their dog, god forbid, running running away and getting into traffic so that they'll at least know that there's some security that the dogs at least somewhere within that massive park, they'll find them eventually, but they know they're not they're not gonna be interacting with a car.

Right. I know that's probably that's a bigger project than what you have planned here, but, just all to say I'm very supportive of this. So so thank you both. Thank you.

Thank you, Brie. Excellent comments as usual. Craig, Michael, John?

Yep. So why are you moving the dog park from its current location?

We're not moving the dog park from its current location. So if if if I misspoke, I apologize. So when's

the point Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I don't I'm not a dog owner, but but I know a number of people in town and out of town who bring their dogs over there to run. And I assume that the access well, I they all park in back of the theater, and I access it down there. I'm I'm assuming you're you're on, is it North Campo? Yes. You're on North Campo, which is an area that I actually go into and sit on the grass in there sometimes and read and have a cup of coffee. And there are not dogs.

Sometimes people drop, you know, get out and bring their dogs down to the dog park. But the the dog park as it currently exists and is accessed through the, playhouse rear parking lot, that will still exist or no longer exist?

The entire park serves as a dog park, and it'll continue to serve as a dog park, all 29 and a half acres. The area that is in question that we are looking to propose a fenced in area would be on the northern end at the end of the asphalt part, which is roughly 35,200 square feet of where that would be fenced in, where that grass pasture is. All the other pastures and open spaces would remain open and unfenced and would remain the same as is.

Is So think of it as

a park within a park.

Yes. I I understand. Your inside. So just so I understand, I you'll be driving down South Campo Road, and on the left hand side, once you pass Route 1, there, you will see to the left, you will see, two fencing closed dog parks from the road. That's that no. I'm not getting it then.

So here here's here let me try to explain it. So you're on Campo Road South. You're gonna cross the post road to Campo Road North. You're gonna have the parking lot for Campo Road North to Winslow on your left hand side. Right. You're gonna go further down the road. As the road curves, you have that open grass pasture where in the wintertime all the kids sled.

Yep. That

remains the same. Not only is that an open space, it's a meadow, and it's a huge pollinator pathway that the town has been preserving for over a couple decades now. You go beyond that. There is a tree line. As you get closer to Dead Man's Brook before the bridge where Dead Man's Brook goes under, that would be on the left hand side. There's actually a grass pull off area where all the maintenance vehicles park. That is where that fenced in area would be.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. You, Doug. Thank you for clarifying that.

Yeah. Yeah. It's fine. You're good.

One other one other quick question.

Yes.

As I said, I I have a number of friends who live in Fairfield and Weston, and and they do use that dog park. So you are proposing a key or a you know, I don't know what the fee would be for out of town users, but I know they're highly dependent on that park. A lot of them a lot of them stopped by my house on the way back, and so they are regulars. And I just wanna make sure that this doesn't, that this gives them the opportunity to still run their dogs.

There's still gonna be an opportunity for individuals to use the park, and we're looking into make it a free a a free a equal fare based user fee for residents as well as those out of town because we wanna be welcome and inclusive of those who come to Westport as well.

Yeah. Okay. Thank you very much.

Who's next?

Sure. I'll take a stab at this one. John, go for it.

You had your hand up. Yeah.

No. Simple question. If you understand the the term, Andrew, of, intensification of use, I can't find one here. And do you think that there's an intensification of use for the park based on this plan, this pre op?

Personally, in my opinion, whether if there's an intensification use or not, to me, it is an improvement. I feel that it's necessary that anything that you do on municipal land needs to be vetted by all parties within within government as well as the the public. I feel that anything that you do, the public needs to be involved. And in my opinion, this is an improvement to the park because this is something that we've needed for decades. There is areas of fencing that are missing. They have tried to. They haven't succeeded. Parks and Recreation has tried to fence in certain areas. They haven't done it. We want an area that is safe and inclusive of all.

Other towns are doing it. It's not to say, like, well, if everyone's dropping off a bridge, why aren't you doing it? Oh, we're doing it because we have a massive open space that everybody uses from all over Fairfield County, and we wanna make it we wanna give people a choice in a variety without harming the aesthetics of the park and keeping it open.

Mister Bean? Last quest I have one last question.

Yes, Craig.

Are the, do the leash laws apply to other dogs in the park outside of, what you're proposing?

So in the south in the southern end of the park, so Campo Road North and Post Road, that is on leash, and it's listed on a map when you pull into the parking lot Mhmm. Whether it's Campo Road North parking lot or Gabriel's Westport Country Playhouse. Once you meet the northern section, which is where the water fountain is that they're gonna replace, once you beat that northern section, you are automatically entering into an off leash area.

Yeah. We need we need more off leash areas. Good. Okay. Mister Bolton, were you done? I am. Thank you. Mr. Kammeyer, do you have anything to add, questions, etcetera?

It's a good question, Paul.

Thank you. I think

I think, no. Look, guys, this is great. I mean, good job. Andrew, thanks for helping, to the public. It's a pre op. I don't know if the public can speak in a pre op.

No, sir. You know the rules.

So, Wendy and Tony?

No. Don't worry about them. I got it.

Okay. Thanks. And, the only thing I'll say is that it sounds like you've got everything under kind of pathway, Andrew, with regards to parks and rack and maintenance. Is there water up there, or are they gonna have to bring water up there?

Currently, is not. The nearest water line would have to be Campo Road North. That is a atmospheric pressured line where we would have to tap into. I have reached out to people at Aquarion about if it would be possible to deliver water from the Campo Road North area because the only other section would be where the northern and southern section of Winslow Park meet where the current water fountain is. There are no lines that I'm aware of that go underneath that asphalt path all the way up the hill.

And if you were to have to put one in, it would be roughly I think it was almost 700 586 feet or 700 feet. It would be easier to tap in from the maintenance division line where the driveway is. You also have water that runs along that curb line, and that main line runs right.

I guess when the application comes, you guys figure that part out. Yeah. But, obviously, you need to have water there. From me, this point is you and are you planning on reseeding this every year and all that stuff? Like, basically, is that the idea is grass if you can maintain it as grass even though the dogs will probably destroy it?

Yeah. We maintain it as grass.

That's fine. I would I like the idea, by the way. I love the idea of having your dog registered, in town, out of town, whatever you guys can figure that out. But, I love the idea of registering the dogs, actually. We're getting a key fob and, you know, some fee to get the fob helps maintenance and people have dogs in this town or out of town. As long as the fee is not huge, no one's gonna care about that, but Yeah. That's fine. And then the only thing is when you're doing this, talk to parks and rec. Let's say the fee gets segregated into its own fund and not, like, commingled. Right?

Yep. And That's good.

Otherwise, I think Bodhi Nazzi will love it. So

Thanks, Michael.

Yeah. No. Bring it. Andrew, I'd say bring it sooner than later. But one more thing, when you guys hone it in, I think we should do a, site visit where you guys just stick flags in the ground, you know, so then you can get, like, real time feedback

Yep.

From the full PNC commission. Because then if it has to go as an e 24, path of least resistance is, like, show everything and kinda have it mapped out.

It would definitely be an eight twenty four. Issues.

You know, of those issues.

Yeah. In the event that you wanna go to Winslow Park now, I have it marked already. I have a white paint, a field paint. It's water based, and I actually marked where the points of the end of the park would where the dog fencing would be.

How how soon do you think you could, be in production with this concept?

I'm probably a couple of weeks out right now. We're still forming our entity. Our nonprofit five zero one c three is almost off the ground, and I have a schematic design that's coming out shortly. Thanks to mister Jay Keenan.

Great. If you need PNC at all, and you need a subcommittee meeting, just let us know.

Yes. We

can Well, let's let's hold off on that. Let's hold off on that right now. Before we go to mister Kalis, let's go up to Michelle who has some guidance for us.

Hello. Michelle Prowley, planning and zoning director. I just wanted to briefly remind you that this is a pre application meeting, which is a non binding forum, to provide feedback. I did also want to note, I think we need to, look at the DOSRD-one regulations. Just really would like feedback from you on whether this would be your interpretation of the regulations.

The DOSRD number one, as described in my cover letter, is very specific about the improvements that are permitted. It does allow for improvements such as walks, paths, gardens, ponds, natural water features, picnic tables, benches, temporary freestanding restrooms, water fountains. So I just need you to get feedback whether you think that this is a permitted use under those regulations, reading those sections and the intent of the DOSRD number one. Because if you do not think it would fit into those categories, then, we may potentially have to do a text amendment to allow this use. So, if you have any opinions on that, or need time to think about it, but that is something that we will have to, you know, make sure we've considered.

Awesome. I will, we'll we will talk offline because I wanna be further I I wanna make sure that I don't miss any details and delay this in any way. I wanna be efficient about that. Thank you for that, Michelle.

Sure.

Okay. Mister Kalis, your turn.

Hi. Yeah. Nice presentation, Andrew. Thank you. I'm wondering if you have in your plans any provisions for an annual shut seasonal shutdown periods to restore the park on an annual basis. Tell you why I asked the question. The only part that I'm familiar with is the Rwetin Dog Park. And once

a

year, they shut down for a period. I'm gonna guess about six weeks where they, actually turn all the ground over and replant. And I'm wondering if you have anything like that planned in your maintenance.

It would have to that would have to occur because, like, all fields in the town of Westport, whether it's a recreational field or athletic field, fields are shut down for a period of time to lie fallow to allow growth and, promotion of seed adhesion to the ground as well, as well as sowing and hay. That would have to be put into the plan. Yes. We have thought about that. And I would trust Nick Quadrano, our park superintendent to lead that effort as well as length of time and what he would do with that.

You. Point. Good point, mister.

The other from from your presentation that the entrance the entrance is I think you have two entrances

Currently, right now. Yes.

Would be internally gated so that someone who was entering the park would enter into a protected area

Yes.

To to release their dog from to the rest of the park? Yes. Is it part of your plan?

Yes. Yes. It is. There would be an entrance and exit for both the small dog and large dog section. We're we're currently

not in that. What I what I meant is that the entrance gate.

The double gate.

Yeah. Double gate. Yeah. Okay. Thank you.

Separate. Thank you, Michael.

Anything else, mister Cleese?

No. I'm good. Thank you.

Alright. Very good. A couple of couple of last minute notes here, for the public who might be unaware of, a pre app does not allow for dialogue between, the public and the applicant or the public and the commission. And this is strictly a nonbinding forum where they are seeking our, ideas, and it is, informal as such. So don't be too disappointed if you don't get the opportunity to weigh in.

However, this, this this item as a pre app is now on our website, and so you are absolutely invited to write us your thoughts, and we will read them. Before we go away from this, Android, I noticed there are three houses, directly adjacent onto the I I think it's 44 Campo Road North Mhmm. And the two on either side of it, one which looks a little blighted, but don't quote me on that. Have they been contacted? Do they know? Have you have you done the, the required reach out, to the neighbors?

The blighted house, unfortunately, I did not get a response. Another home, they were not home. And then I had one resident that was a little further down the road that was contacted and aware of it. I still have a few more houses to go. I wanna go beyond the 250 foot requirement.

Okay. Yeah. I just wanna make sure because, obviously, they're in the most direct sideline.

Yes.

Alright. Any other commissioners have anything that you, wanted to ask to these, applicants?

Just Greg,

go ahead.

And I know you talked about it briefly, at the beginning, but how many parks parking spaces will you have designated for the spark?

Currently, right now, you have I forget how many you have in the Campo Road North section. They're probably about, like like, 15 or 20. And then where the Westport Country Playhouse is, that's an easement, and it's a private owned parking lot. There's roughly probably a 100 something spaces in that parking lot. I still have to count it out, and it does need to be line striped. But trying to get them to do that, that's a whole that's a whole another story.

So so is it it's a pretty long hike from the, playhouse parking lot to the No. Location that you're talking about.

No. It's right up over the

hill. Okay. Okay.

Over the hill. It's not it's not a long distance.

Good. Some of us are already over the hill.

Right. Okay.

Thank you very much. A it's a great application.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. And, Emmy, nice to see a member of the high school come in and pitch an application. You have a future in, land use applications, so good on you.

I appreciate that. Thank you.

Alright. Miss Zincheski, would you you guys are done. Right? First of all, Andrew, you're done? Okay. Miss Zincheski, would you read us into our next item?

Sure. Now we are going into the public meeting part of the of the agenda, with item number three, which is municipal improvement at 50 Imperial Avenue Imperial Avenue parking lot. Application PZ2600232. Request for a report from the Planning and Zoning Commission submitted pursuant to Connecticut general statute section eight dash 24 municipal improvement by Matthew Niske, p e, public works department on behalf of the first selectman to extend the waterline to install a temporary seasonal single use ADA compliant restroom and to restripe the parking to provide a net increase of 16 spaces including ADA compliant spaces located in the resident double a district, PID number C0912900 must issue report by May 18. Applicant's presentation time is fifteen minutes.

Excuse me. Would you like to open them together, or would you like to keep them separated between the eight twenty four and the site plan special permit? We do have to look at coastal site plan as part of the eight twenty four anyway. So, but it's it's up to the commission.

Yeah. Let's open them both. Of course.

Alright. So then number four on the agenda is 50 Imperial Avenue for the Imperial Avenue parking lot, special permit coastal site plan application PZ2600231 submitted by Matthew Niske, PE Public Works Department for property owned by the town of Westport to install a temporary seasonal single use ADA compliant restroom and to restrict the parking to provide a net increase of 16 spaces including ADA compliant spaces located in the resident AA District. PIDC09129000 must close by June 24. Applicants presentation time is fifteen minutes.

Thank you. Everyone could hear me good. Correct? So, welcome everyone. Oh, welcome. Excuse me. It was a pleasure to be in front everyone today. My name is Matthew Niski. I'm the deputy town engineer. I do apologize. I haven't done a Zoom meeting in quite a few years, so please excuse my jumping around with, the drawings coming up. So to start with, 50 Imperial Avenue is a municipal parking lot. It is very underutilized. It's used occasionally for events. The farmer's market is the big one.

The women's club uses it for parking. There was the remarkable movie theater, and this is a, we'll call it a stop gap to future improvements on the parking lot. So that's why I said it's a temporary seasonal ADA restroom. This is only going to be there in the warmer months, mostly when the farmer's market is there. So to start with, I think I can share my screen. Correct?

Michelle, you make that happen, please?

I think I can. I wanna just make sure I'm there we go. So can everyone see this drawing? Perfect. So this is the existing layout of the Imperial Parking Lot. There is a one way entrance from Imperial with an island in the middle for them to exit of it. The lower gravel parking lot here is a also gravel parking lot used mostly by the women's club, but has overflow from the when the farmer's market is there or other events. Parking is spaced throughout the lot. Most of these spaces are adequately sized. All of our ADA spaces are sadly not correctly sized for this lot.

So as part of this improvement, we would be making the lot ADA compliant with those spaces. So our proposed improvements would be to drag or install, excuse me, a waterline from Imperial Avenue up through the gravel parking lot, the shortest distance possible to a we're calling it a yard hydrant, just somewhere for us to tie into as a permanent waterline for now. When the restroom's installed, we would run plumbing just for the, to the restroom. The reason the waterline is going where it is is we don't want to be on the women's club property, and there is also a high voltage power line under the front of the parking lot here. That's the CLMP easement, and it had to get shifted south so that way we're not going directly through their electrical vaults.

Water and electricity don't mix too well. So it comes up to the top here. Our little bathroom here, you could see a blow up of it here. It's almost like a shipping container. I do have a layout plan for it. It's eight feet tall, seven and little over seven feet wide, and, nine feet deep. This is just a single use restroom. We did find out ironically enough that by having a shower installed in it, it is cheaper. So we're saving, I think, about $1,200 by having a shower installed, which we do plan to remove. So we'll not have a shower in it, but on the plans, will see that there is a shower.

Single use, it is like a shipping container, so we could pick it up and remove it from the site when the season is over. It's not heated or air conditioned. There is a little vent fan in it, so that will help with it. The sewer, there is a sewer line through there, so there's an existing sewer lateral that will be connected into this. So the bathroom will have running water, cold water only, and sewer.

So there will be no holding tanks within the bathroom. The layout for the parking does look a little funky, but we had to space our our ADA compliant spaces. So we had two of them directly in front of the restroom, one way on the western side of the lot, two down on the southern, and then this one right here is placed so that when the farmer's market is here, this one would supply the farmer's market with a close ADA compliant space. With that, we are adding in some parking spaces here. If you've driven through here, you'll notice the drive aisle is extremely wide.

So by putting these spaces in, we are adding spaces to the parking lot. Restriping this northern section, we're adding a little bit of pavement, but we're removing pavement in areas so that way there's no net increase in coverage. A five foot wide asphalt sidewalk here. And, again, a lot of this is temporary until the full improvements for Imperial Avenue lot are in front of, the commission for review at a much future date. So this is just kind of a stopgap to supply a restroom for events at that use the parking lot.

I know I like to go for walks on break lunch break down Imperial through the lot, so it'd be nice to have a restroom there. That way people aren't also using the library. In terms of changes in coverage, you can see here what we're removing, what we're adding. Again, our goal here is to have a net zero increase in coverage. That way drainage isn't an issue. Nothing with that. For soil and erosion control, we will be installing a silt fence around the outside edge. There are no, catch basins on the site, so no silt sacks needed. And, again, it's minor improvements. There's not going to be a lot of land disturbance.

The concrete pad, I believe we're only putting in a six inch thick concrete pad, so it's not going to be a lot of excavation. It will all be retained on-site. In terms of scheduling, our goal is to have this as soon as possible. There's a two week turnaround on the bathroom. So once we get that scheduled, we will be installing the waterline assuming a a, excuse me, a good applicate or good approval from the planning and zoning commission, but we will only be doing the waterline on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

So we won't be starting work until the farmer's market, but we would not be interrupting their serve their use of the parking lot or the women's club. I do believe the week we were looking at the women's club has an event on that weekend. We do not wanna be interfering with them, so the gravel section will be restored, and it would be like we weren't there. And I do have, assuming it will show up, this is what the restroom will look like. It's just a simple box.

There's two windows in it. The utilities come in from the back, which is another reason why we went with this unit. So that way the public won't see the drain pipes or the water supplies coming into the building. We are recessing this down a little bit, so there won't be a need for a ramp. So you would could just wheel right up to it and right into the restroom. There is a little light in there, so this will have power. So if it is during night, someone can excuse me. During an event at the parking lot at night, someone can use it. And I do believe we are planning on locking it up at night so that way it does not become a overnight shelter or vandals will can use it. There is a camera on-site already, so it will be under supervision.

Any questions?

Is that it, Matthew? Hold on.

The the the simple, you know, parking lots, bathroom, and waterline.

Alright. Very good. Thank you very much. Commissioners, who wants to who wants to Go first. Go. Go ahead, Michael.

Now Michelle has her hand up. Can we take the the screen share down?

Oh, yes. Sorry.

I'm sorry, Michelle. Go.

Oh, sure. Sorry. I just have a quick staff report. So you have a staff report of two staff reports, one on the 08/20/1941 on the special permit coastal site plan application. Just wanted to remind you that, an 08/24, sets forth the planning function of the P and Z, so when you're considering activities involving municipally owned property.

Also, this requires a coastal site plan application due to the location of the property within the coastal boundary. You're acting in your planning capacity when reviewing an eight twenty four and looking toward the 2017 plan of conservation and development. It does indicate that the need to maintain existing facilities, is important. And also referrals were sent to all department heads, which, had no objections. You do have to issue a positive or negative report by May 18.

I just wanted to also note that the conservation department did issue a permit for this WPF waterway protection line exemption permit for this work. Just today, some additional information was submitted regarding sediment erosion controls and actual elevation plan of the temporary seasonal restroom. And I'm here for questions. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Michelle, about the sediment erosion control and the cam itself Mhmm. The elevation drop to Dead Man's Brook, looks like a natural direction for any runoff. We'll and and so I wanna just be sure that they've looked at that. They don't have an issue with it. I know they mentioned that the vegetative buffer is more than adequate to handle any Yes. Any infiltration, etcetera. So if they're comfortable, we're comfortable. Is that how that works?

Yes. We're I mean, we've it's been vetted with all tone departments, and nobody the conservation department has no issues. Obviously, the engineering department has looked at it, and, yeah, everybody seems to be satisfied.

Thank you. So, Matthew, the, the sewer connection that's up there, how how are you tying in with that? How does that work?

So there is a they will be running a lateral from the sewer mantle to a pipe directly behind the proposed bathroom, and we will cap it during the winter. So therefore, no one could dump anything down the sewer, and then there will just be most likely a little flexible hose coming up to the back of the bathroom. I'm still working with mister Thompson on exactly what piping will be used once it leaves the ground.

And you mentioned the winter. Is this, you don't pick this thing up and take it away during the winter, do you?

Yes. We do. That's why I had to put as many acronyms as I can, so that's why it's temporary seasonal.

Temporary seasonal, not permanent. Correct. Okay. So you do have water. You do have electricity. You do have sewer. I think that's that's the main, the main issues. You mentioned in the in the report that you're gonna you you foresee picking up 16 extra spaces with your striping. Mhmm. Is that correct?

That is correct.

And how many of those are gonna be compliant to ADA?

So per the ADA requirements, we would need six spaces for the whole parking lot. When the farmer's market comes in, they will block off some spaces, so we are required to have five. That's why there's that fifth space kind of floating in, often space for that use.

Okay. And the oil And Stone parking lot that's, adjacent to the women's club, you're you're not touching that?

As of right now, there is no plans to other than restoring it from the waterline installation.

Right. Because you have to you have to dig through there. And how long from start to finish to do a project like this?

I am not exactly sure on start to finish with it. I do know the water line and disturbance in the lower parking lot will be within three days.

Okay. I

have nothing further. I'm, I'm, I'm pretty much up on this. Other commissioners who wants to,

tackle this? Question. Oh, we did a good job. Where is this going in the winter if it's getting moved?

As of right now, I believe it would be held at the highway garage down on the Sherwood Island connector. So it was just kind of off to the side so that way it won't be used in the winter.

The highway garage on the connector. Is that By the transportation. Side or by the transfer station?

It won't be. It'll be in their storage yard somewhere out of sight.

In the state storage yard? No.

No. No. In the town area in the town Town storage yard. To the, transfer station. Correct.

Transfer station. Okay. Great. So then you're gonna put this bathroom in for use in the summer, so it'll be good for the farmer's market. It'll be good for the Yankee Doodle Fair. Correct. Right? You mentioned it's cheaper to put it in with a shower. Can I ask? It's not in our purview, but can I ask how much this thing costs?

The quote we have received from this, I believe and don't quote me on that. I'm trying to pull this out of my memory. I think it 88,900, and without the shower, it was 10,000.

So, basically, a bathroom and a container is $10,000? Correct.

This one is if we had gone with one that we could have driven in, we're talking 40 to 50,000. The big thing with these is that they're ADA compliant, so the doors have to be wider. They have to have a five by five square foot turnaround or excuse me, five by five foot turnaround radius in the middle of the bathroom. Sinks have to be the correct height. So there are added expenses by making it an ADA compliant restroom.

Got it. But maintenance wise, it's just as easy to maintain. It's probably a little nicer than a porta potty inside.

Correct. So you

are water. Correct. So in theory, this is a good test case where these could be installed in other areas of town?

That could be a possibility. Correct.

Do you have any place in mind, Michael?

Well, whoever's listening to this, you know, people there are areas in this town where we use every day that only have porta potties, and hundreds of people use them every day.

So You mean, at school or something? Something like that. Anybody else? Greg?

The only question I had is, you have to run a new water pipe in. Correct. What about well, first of all, can you give me some order of magnitude of what that will cost? And then, are you going to have to connect into town sewer, or is there a container or some some container to

So we'll start with the easy one. There's already an electrical line up there that is supplying power to a town camera. So we have electricity already there. There's a sewer line already there, so what we have to do is just connect into the sewer line. Water is what we would be having to be run from the Imperial lot in. I do not have that price quote right now. Mister Thompson was the one who received that quote from the water company and the contractor.

And has that gone through, has that gone through, board of finance and RTM?

I do not know, but I know, Mr. Rakowitz would not allow me to be presenting in front of you if the funding hadn't been approved yet.

Okay. Thank you. Other comments, Greg? Nope. That's it. Thank you. Other commissioners?

Okay. Mister Kalise, anything?

No. I'm I'm I'm good. Thank you.

Thank you very much, sir. Alright. So let's go to the public. And I see immediately wow. I think Kathy Walsh had her hand up before Jenny Johnson.

Hi.

Hi.

So thank you, Paul. So at the very last minute, I was asked to to attend this meeting. Also, here representing the Westport Women's Club. On the call also is Nancy Austin, who is the president of the Westport Women's Club, and behind her is commissioner ex commissioner Al Graytrix, who is also married to Nancy Austin. So the Westport Women's Club, actually deeded this property to the town many years ago.

There is an agreement in place regarding the usage, the the long term usage, the guarantee of spaces, to this property. Normally, the attorney Sharon I believe her name is Sharon Jones, would be here representing the women's club. And, to the best of my knowledge, we the Westport Women's Club has not been involved in the conversation, and they would like to be involved in the conversation before you make some decisions. So I was very happy to see, Paul, that you asked Andrew Coyabella whether or not he had talked to the neighbors. Well, the Westport Women's Club would like to be, a part of the process going forward.

So that's what I'm saying, but I would like you to sort of lob the ball over to Nancy. I have no details. I don't know where Nancy wants to take this, but I do know the request is that you not do any voting tonight, but you should speak with them.

Very good. Thank you, Ms. Walsh. Do appreciate it. Ms. Austin, do you wanna, grab something? Yeah. I'll

make a few remarks. I'm Nancy Austin. I live at, 17 Partrick Lane here in Westport for the last forty three years, and I am the current president of the Westport Women's Club. I'm very honored to be so. Kathy, I have spoken a few times with, Mr. Rakowitz and also recently, a short conversation, I think, via text with mister with Matthew. So we were made aware. We received a letter. We were made aware of the project, but we just didn't have all of the details. What we knew was that there was gonna be a temporary toilet put in.

Didn't know if it was permanent, temporary, whatever, but that our concern at that time was the pipe leading from Imperial Avenue, whether or not it was going to go through our parking lot and disrupt any of our parking spaces. And we did get confirmation that it would be a three day a three day dig would be not deep at all, a shallow a shallow dig with a pipe going through, and that that would be actually, they gave me a date of May 8, I think it was, and they very graciously were not going to work on one day that we do have a rental, and we needed to be able to, to potentially use those parking spaces down there. But, I I have been assured that it will be the parking lot will be put back to its normal surface of whatever it is that's down there. So I think we're good with that. What we didn't know this, we didn't our our concern had been, we didn't know it was gonna be attached to the sewer line.

And so we're wondering what kind of a toilet is this going to be? Are the odors going to become wafting up to the club during the whole summer? And, now I understand. Hopefully, there will be no odors, because it will be attached to a sewer line. So I don't know what we can do more than that except keep our fingers crossed.

And if there are, we'll call DPW and, have them put in fix the problem. Also concerns of when this will be open. Will it be open just during the farmer's market? I mean, it's that I don't know the impetus of this and who came up with the idea of, of putting it in. But will it be open just during the farmer's market days or every day will be there were you know, from nine to nine or something like this?

As Matt said, it we don't want people lingering down there. It's very close to the ramp that comes up, and that's a walking, a walking ramp for a lot of people. We have high school girls get off in front of the town in front of our building and walk down that way over to the library just about every day. So we wanna make sure that it's safe. You said you're gonna have a camera.

Hopefully, that camera will work. I don't know if it's an inside camera or an outside camera, so that there is no lingering around there. So that those are let's see. Definitely the, the odor issue, and hopefully that has been that has been taken care of. But we would like to know the the hours and also who's going to maintain it, who's going to make sure, and how often will it be maintained. Will the town put in the toilet paper? Who will clean it? And what's the cleaning schedule? Needs to be, I think, known by everybody. Will it be locked up at night?

And then this is, since this is so temporary, are there plans to actually build a permanent one in the future is kind of our question also.

Thank you, Ms. Austin. Appreciate that. We're gonna get you answers to all of good good, good list. And and, just so you know, as a neighbor, the as them being your neighbor, you're entitled to answers to all those questions. So, Matthew, you've been asked. Do you wanna answer?

Yes. And I have answers to all of those but one of them. And I will talk to, you've been in contact with Mr. Rakowitz, so he would definitely be able to answer the last one. So the camera is already existing. We cannot legally put one in the bathroom, so it will be outside. It is currently on a pole that watches that area anyway. It exists and it works. The pictures I've seen of the inside of the restroom are like it's a normal restroom in your house. It's a flush toilet. It's got a trap in it so that way there's no odors coming out of it. Going right into the sewer line, so there should not be any odors coming from it. So there is with that. The cleaning schedule, we would have to work that out. I do believe building maintenance would be the ones to maintain it.

I can get back to you on that one as well. And then for the future of the project, this is again a stop gap. We will be coming in, hopefully. I've only seen 30% drawing, so probably within the next year or two with a permanent redesign of the Imperial Parking Lot. So that will be many, many months in the process, but it's it's a work in progress. We're just trying to get from now until then to actually have a restroom on using the lot for the lot.

Miss Austin, how's that?

That's good. I have just one more thing. It it appears that where it is going to be now, we usually have one of the Yankee Doodle Fair Fair trailers parked on that side. It's usually the office of Stewart Amusements. So I will need to obtain some of those maps so we can make sure that neither are in the way of each other. And will it be available to us? We do rent our own porta potties, but I'm not sure we've had a handicap one. So will it be available to us for use during the Yankee Doodle Fair?

We talked with mister Ratwich. He did say that it would be available for the fair. In terms of the location of it, we can definitely discuss where your trailer, what the size of the trailer is. The location of this was originally designed to be a drive in and drive out trailer, which we realized was about $90,000, so we didn't go with that. So, there is some space next to it where a trailer, depending on the size, should be able to go.

And, miss Austin, if you take a look up there, if you if you if you walk up to that section of the parking lot, you can clearly see the, the sewer manhole cover, and, you can assure yourself that that's the approximate location. And then and then, you know, look from there toward your facility, and you can, judge the distances, etcetera.

Yeah. We can actually see it's already been cleaned out. I think some of the property's already been cleaned out. We can see it from our kitchen. And it's nice because it is behind trees, so we don't it's we don't have a a perfect view, of it. So it's for trying for a lot of rentals. We don't really looking

at it

yet for you.

That brings up a good point, though. Mister Matthew, if you please would write down some screening between you and the adjacent

That would

be great.

Club, let's let's put that on the on the schedule.

Good good

call. By the way, hi, Paul. It's Al. Hey, Al.

Nice to see you. Thanks, What kind of tree should we put in?

Yep. Green giants like everyone does, but the deer can eat them. The other thing that I think Nancy was trying to look at, if we can get a copy of the plot plan of where it's gonna be so we can supply that to Stuart, so they can address the the fare trucks accordingly.

Yeah. Let me just, caution you that what I've been looking at so far will probably change when they finally put in the new, the new parking lot and restripe it, etcetera. So That would be I've looked at now as pretty pretty rudimentary.

Yeah. Well, that'd just be for this year, we would assume. It's been

We'll get you that. Yeah.

Weekend of June 7 starting June 17 is the first night of the fair.

Then we'll definitely get you that. Yeah. Matthew, that's on your list.

Yep. I'm writing that down now.

Alright. Let's go back to the public. Miss Austin, are you through?

I think I am. Thank you very much. I don't think, I've forgotten anything.

Alright. And tell your husband not to be a stranger. Let's go to the public, miss Johnson. You may unmute. That's traditionally how we do this.

Sorry. I'm on a different device. Hi. Thanks. A couple questions. I I actually have been following this. I I noticed, the construction of the sewer manhole, that was happening last, late late last fall. I was curious as to what, was happening, and I reached out to Pete, he said something about Department of Justice and ADA in bathrooms and stuff. And I I was confused, because I didn't know whether or not because it had not come before the RTM, anything. So the the sewer the sewer couple questions. First, the sewer manhole just went in, didn't it?

No. Can I interrupt, or would you like to go, and then I'll answer all of

them?

Yeah. The because it appears that that was put in, and that's been, you know, there's been a fair bit of disruption that was, done prior, and then now this is coming to you. You know, my I have some concerns about this, not because I don't think we need a bathroom. I think bathrooms are great. But, this is a residential zone, and I generally have kind of a piecemeal problem with, what's what's happening with this particular project, in that this project is, I understand that they the farmers market needs to have, some better bathroom or maybe an ADA, yeah, more accessible ADA bathroom.

But this is not just an 8 to $9,000 project. You know, the the pad is $10,000. The the sewer sewer put in, the water line being put in, the restriping. I mean, when you total the whole thing, this is no small expenditure. And, you know, having been very familiar with the bus shelters, getting a bus shelter built was $50,000.

And so I'm concerned more from the fact that I don't particularly like a piecemeal approach to the design of Imperial Avenue. I I I'm I'm happy about the idea in the future, but I don't think it makes sense. There was some construction already happening on Imperial Lot that clearly didn't come before the Planning and Zoning Commission. And in general, I think that we need a bigger plan and a a more accurate plan of what the overall cost of what's being proposed here is because it does include the pad. It does include the waterline.

It does include the building. And while these are all nice things, I'm not sure how this is being paid for. I don't know whether or not it's the ARPA funds, and I don't know if that would be an appropriate use of the ARPA funds. So this has not come before the board of finance or the RTM. And I think that we can accomplish what needs to be accomplished here by putting in a temporary, you know, the the bathroom is only really needed at this point for the farmers market.

And, otherwise, we're gonna have a building, a facility that actually has to be maintained twenty four seven. There is security issues associated with that. I'm I'm very familiar with this with this location. I walk it all the time. And the idea of having a place where people can go and go to the bathroom at different times, it does bring more people, and more security issues to that location.

So in general, just the fact that this is a residential zone that is very, very piecemeal, we don't have a sense of what the overall cost is, and we need to be more responsible on, making sure that we make investments in the context. I also have a a problem in that I think that portion of the dead man, broke behind it is a lovely piece of future open space that, we may, you know, want to celebrate more. Instead of instead of putting a bathroom in front of it, we may want to find a way to open that up and create more walkways like we have, on the other side. So, again, while, and I am I am bothered by the that the women's club, while they may not have any problems with this, wasn't brought in to this point. So I don't think this is ready, for some pretty, good reasons.

And if we could, do this in the context of a a bigger plan and in the meantime, do this, with, maybe a temporary facility that maybe we're not paying for the town. Maybe that's something that, can also be cost shared.

Thank you, Ms. Johnson. Appreciate your comments. Miss Ms. Simanetti?

Thank you. Just a couple, questions. The this lot, I know, is home to the farmer's market, and we used to have, like, an outdoor movie theater and some concerts, but those haven't happened recently. And then I know there's the Yankee Doodle Fair. And so so those are the only events that I'm aware of that take place at this space. Is that correct?

Well, the parking lot itself is also used for the Levitt Pavilion.

As a parking lot?

Correct.

Yeah. Okay. But but as okay. But but as well, I'm just but the Levitt has its own restrooms. Right?

Yeah. Well, no. You were asking about the use of the lot. I was not

Yeah.

I was not correlating the use of the bathroom with the Levitt people.

Okay. Well, I'm just trying to understand. What are the events that sort of mandate the need for a restroom there? And I understand the farmers it would be nice to have one for the farmers market. I get that. But is that basically the the main event that we're trying to address with this? I'm just trying to understand the motivation to put a a restroom there.

I think it's to allow people who, who visit that site for the, farmers market to, utilize facilities.

Okay. So, basically, for the benefit of the farmers market patrons, I do walk through there a lot because it's sort of in my neighborhood, and we walk our dog through there quite a bit. So I'm familiar with that whole area. And I I just it just seems like an odd space for a restroom. But having said that, I see the need for the farmer's market to have some access to facilities.

And to Jen Johnson's point, it just feels very piecemeal, very temporary, an afterthought. Let's just stick something there while we think about what else to do here. It just seems so piecemeal. I'm just not comfortable that this has been well thought out. Those are my comments. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I see miss Walsh has her hand up again.

Okay. So now I'm gonna speak for myself. I also live in the in the neighborhood, and I walk in I'm very, very familiar with that parking lot. That parking lot is used all day long by many, many trucks by you know, FedEx goes in there. They transload shipments. I think if you're gonna be putting a bathroom in there, first of all, I think I think you need to control the hours that it's open. If if it's if it's for the farmer's market, make it open for the farmer's market. The Levitt Pavilion has their own bathroom facilities. People use them. It's going to turn into it's gonna be used by the general public if you keep it open.

The other request is that I have lighting, outside lighting. My pet peeve on the bathroom in in, on South Beach, the lights are on all night long. This is a residential neighborhood. We don't need to have these lights on all night long. There shouldn't be any lights on at night if it's not in use.

If it's for the farmer's market, that's a two hour four hour daytime event. So my pitch is for myself just to keep it open for the farmer's market. There are way too many people and way too many children walking through that area. It's it's it's something I I just am not crazy about personally, but lock it up.

Thank you very much, Ms. Walsh. Appreciate it. Other other members of the public? Seeing none, I'll come back to Mr. Niski. I'm sorry. Miss Austin, did you No.

I was just gonna say

if if this does go through, I would say yes. Definitely for the Farmers Market, but also for the Yankee Doodle Fair.

Of course.

Especially or something like that. But, yeah, definitely, it needs to be maintained. It's the hours have to

be Mhmm.

Looked at

Thank you.

This goes through.

No. I agree with you there. Matthew, your chance to, finish up.

Okay. So to start with, the sewer has existed for many, many years there. What was done was the sewer frame was replaced. So the work that was done was just part of maintenance on the sewer line. There was not no sewer installed. That's why we picked a location we did was the proximity of the existing sewer manhole. The waterline installation, the plans would be to reuse this waterline for the future project. So it's not like we're putting it in. We're going to abandon it when this is done. This is for the future project. So we're kind of crossing that off our list now, so we have a use now. But when the final project comes in front of you, the waterline will have already been installed. Just like there's electricity there, there's sewer. Now there will be water. For security, that security camera does exist.

Next time you're up there, there is a, electrical pad, and I believe right next to it is a light pole that has the cameras. So in terms of security, that camera does watch this area. This is temporary. This is to let give more use to the parking lot while this final plan is being done. This is not we didn't want porta potties there. No one really likes them. If they can help it, this is something a little bit more permanent. Again, temporary in terms of permanence. We're talking couple years rather than a porta potty that's only there for a couple days. The, let's see if that was that.

The events that will use this, again, up the 11th Pavilion, it's an overflow parking lot for their events. The, people walk through there if they need to use it. Yes. Primarily, the farmer's market, but I'd go through walks through there when I'm doing work at the library parking lot or this parking lot. There's plenty of people who walk through there, so it would be a use for a public restroom for them. I will confirm the hours, but the plan was to not leave it open all night. That is also an issue for us in terms of public safety and vandalism for the unit. The lighting, I do not know who controls the lighting in the parking lot. I could definitely look into that, but the area is lit from existing light poles in the parking lot. So I can look into who controls them, but I do know the general consensus is lights keep things safe.

You make the parking lot dark. It could be a less safe area. And I think in terms of the cost, I do stand corrected. I do not believe we can go in front of the board of finance until we have a positive eight twenty four. So that's why we're here first assuming if we get the positive eight twenty four, then we would go in front of the board of finance for funding.

Thank you, Matthew, and thank you for putting us first. That was the right call. Okay. Back to the commission members. Anybody else have anything they wanna redirect before we, give this gentleman a give him an opinion, which is what he's looking for. Michelle, it's an eight twenty four, so he wants a positive or negative for this. But what about the cam?

Yep. That would be an approval. You can improve with conditions. It's also a special permit because it is a special permit use in the residential zone. So sorry. What else did you?

No. No. That's it. So Okay. So members of commission, remember that what that requires is two sets of voting. We vote for the first issue, which would be the municipal improvement only because it's first on our list. And then after that, we would vote for the special permit and campsite plan. So my first question to the six of you and me is, do you believe this is ready for prime time? And if so, we can close, and if not, we can continue. Comments? Mister Bolton, where are you on this?

I don't think that lot is used for the, Levitt Pavilion. And for some reason, I've always felt that that was a really good backup option for the downtown parking issues. So the permanency of the bathroom, I'm not sure. It might it's a great idea, but I think it might be a little bit ahead of its time, if that makes sense, only because I just like to plug and play. And down the road, I like to keep our options open. That would that's really my only issue here. So I don't think the bathroom per se is a big deal breaker, but I know that a lot's gonna come into play at some point.

So would that lead you toward, keeping this open, or are you ready for a, a vote?

Can we confirm definitely that that lot is not used for the Levitt? Because I've never seen it used for the Levitt.

It's it's a 100% used for the Levitt. It's packed. It's in fact, there there's rarely any spots left if you get there late, especially if somebody good is playing.

Yeah. I think we're ready to vote.

Thank you. Miss Zincheski, what, what do you think? Do you wanna are you ready to move forward on both these items, or do you wanna think about it some more?

I feel comfortable moving forward.

You, miss Schavone.

I do as well.

Mr. Kantmeyer? That's a yes. And Mr. Kalise?

The location of this of this particular development. I and then I would want some greater assurances that it was done in concert with the the women's club and what it is they want to see. It does sound to me like as if it's a single use application that being a farmer's market, which is only seasonal. I would I'm concerned about and I'm not comfortable with the idea of closing at this point.

Okay. Thank you for that. I do appreciate it. Alright. Well, I'll entertain a motion. If you think it's, if if a predominant amount of commissioners feel it should be adjudicated this evening, we'll do that. Otherwise, we can, continue it. Motion to close. Thank you, mister Bolton. Do I have a second?

I'll second that.

Thank you. All those in favor, say aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Miss Shivani, did you say aye?

Aye.

Okay. Alright. Thank you, Matthew. We'll, be back to you.

Can we just do a second vote on the Yes. Second application? Thank you.

Yes. Thank you. Regarding the special permit and campsite replan for 50 Imperial Avenue, same question. Do you believe that the campsite and special site and site plan are, ready for prime time and eligible to vote this evening, or would you rather continue them as well? Thoughts? Hands up? Volunteer?

I also think this one is is ready to close.

Thank you. Miss Shivani? Close. Mister Bolton? Close. Katmai? No. Mister Leibowitz? Yes. Mister Cleese?

I vote to continue.

Thank you, sir. Okay. It looks like those who wanna, close so I will entertain a motion.

I'm looking to close.

Thank you. I'll second that. All those in favor, say aye. Aye.

Aye. Aye.

And, mister Kalis, are you in aye?

Yes.

Thank you, sir. The secretary record them the, voting as such. I believe it was one, two, three, four, five.

Five to one.

Five to one. Thank you. Mhmm. Okay. Miss miss secretary, would you read in the next item?

The next item is we are going into work session, session. It's item number five is 7 Buena Vista Drive coastal site plan application p z 2600063 submitted by Cindy Timinski from Moon Gardens LLC for property owned by Blue Water Buena Vista seven LLC for the construction of a new single family residence dwelling located in the Residence A A District, PID number D05013000. We must decide by April 27, and applicant presentation time is twenty minutes.

Thank you very much. Michelle, before we go to the, the applicant, that that would

There's no applicant. I'm doing it. But yes. Okay.

Yes. So it but it's it's today or no? I mean, our deadline is today.

For, I'm sorry, for this one, 7 Buena Vista?

Yeah.

Yes. They they have given us incremental extensions of time. Well,

part of that is on us from last time, but, as this this has been on our doorstep for thirty five days?

Oh, yes. Yeah. It was submitted. Let me get my calendar. It's been, in the it's been hard for a while. It was submitted on January 20. But there were, we have to wait for DEP comments. That's thirty five days. Then, you know, in some cases we ask for revisions to and wait for different department comments. So, it's not when you know, it's it's not our fault per se. It's it's just

No. No.

I'm not looking for fault. I'm looking for timing.

Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, tonight would be, the we we do need to make a decision yes or no tonight.

Okay. And, was this turned in in your estimation as a complete file, or were the things missing?

Well, we we don't accept it unless we have all the required information. So we have to have a site plan and existing condition survey. And so we have to take it in if they have all the complete all that material. But then we do a review to see is the application you know, is the site plan correct? Does there have to be any modifications?

And you found that there was things that needed to be done?

Yeah. Let me let me take a look at the this is

because I see the con engineering weighed in in February, conservation in February, landscape in, March, the cam in March.

Mhmm. Yeah.

So what I what I would love to do, and I really hate being backed up to the wall. I don't mind that we can ask for an extension, but I'm hoping that we will, actually pre vet some of these in advance as you do already. But, you know, I think we should have the option of sending them away and not accepting the actual application date, the filing date, until they're a 100% or at least farther along. What I would hate to do is have somebody rush something to get in under a wire just to place hold. For instance, if you had an ADU or in this case, the CAM rules were changing.

Mhmm. Okay. Alright. I understand what you're saying.

Yeah. And I know Ms. Taminski would, would understand that. So alright. You're this is on you. Ready to go.

Okay. Let me go back to him. Yeah. Craig's coming back in. Okay. Can everybody see my screen okay? Okay. So this is CAM the closest site plan application for 7 Buena Vista Drive. It's located in the Residence A A District. Lot area is point one seven acres.

As you can see, it's on Buena Vista, which is within the Campo Beach area. It's wholly within the one hundred year flood zone and the coastal air management boundary. The only coastal resources are shore lands. As you can see, the distance from the coastal resources is quite significant. This is a type of an application where previously to the October state statute changing, we would not have seen this application.

It is very close to the coastal boundary line, which is a thousand feet. In our estimation, these are things that normally would not require campsite plan review because there are not impacts to the coastal resources due to the proximity. However, the statute has changed, now we are seeing them. This lot has a single family residence that has been demolished. It was constructed in 1955. The applicant is proposing a two story single family dwelling, which complies with all the zoning requirements as well as over patio, landscaping walls, and a drainage system.

These are

elevation drawings, front, rear, and sides, compliant with the height allowance of 26 feet. Oh, I'm sorry. It's higher because we're not in the in the residence a zone. We'll go we'll go through the zoning standards here. So the lot is very nonconforming.

One acre is the requirement. There's only 7,500 square feet. Coverage is compliant with 24.9%. About seven square feet shy of the the allow it allowed 25%. Setbacks are shown here, all compliance, but very close to the to the allowed Two oh, I'm sorry.

Two stories 26 feet due to the to the lot size being only 7,500 square feet. It is two stories 26 feet. Again, not in the flood zone, far away from the coastal coastal resources and the flood zone. The storm water will be handled with five concrete galleries. I'm sorry.

They're actually proposing six galleries, and I think that is to also address a neighbor's concern regarding runoff. There was a letter from a neighbor, so there are six galleries instead of five being proposed. Set of motion controls will be installed, including silt fencing, anti tracking pad, and also silt fencing around the staging and stockpile areas as would be required for a cam. 75 foot length native buffer along the rear property line is being proposed, and that will be shown in the site plan. We also have engineering department approval indicating there are no issues with grading drainage or, any public safety considerations.

So in summary, the application complies with all the coastal area management, standards. You always have the authority to schedule public hearing. But in this case, there were no issues, so we, just brought it in a work session. And, that's all I have. So I'm here for questions. Thanks.

Thank you very much. You you don't look like Cindy Tominski.

No. Why did I say

Alright. Commissioners, who wants to take a deep dive into seven Buena Vista Drive? So, Michelle, the first question I have for you since we're deep diving is I read very carefully the letter submitted by the neighbor at 9 Buena Vista. And so there are many many concerns on their part. And, have you, worked with the, applicant to make sure that you you mentioned that they added an additional gallery a galley, I believe.

Yep. Yep. And so that is for after construction. And then what about during construction?

Well, there there would be silk fencing installed, and anti tracking. All of the stockpile areas and the exterior of the property will have silk fencing, which will be required. We will you know, we can also, make sure that the SNE inspector goes out on a regular basis to ensure the SNE controls are installed and functioning. In addition, there is a, the buffer, which normally would not be required because of the distance from the coastal resources. The site plan does, they did install a landscape buffer in order to help with some of the concerns as well.

So I can share my screen to show you it.

Yes, please.

So here you can see that there, will be staked. Oh, there's actually I'm sorry. This is showing that there's going to be two rows of of silt fencing. And

Just blow that up so we can Okay.

And then there's also going to be plantings along the property line.

Okay. So here A double row of insurance.

Yeah. And then here is the the plantings, which, miss Timinski is a landscape architect, so she has proposed specifically, there was a narrative where she explains her rationale for choosing what she has chosen, which is fibrinum across the rear. It's a deciduous shrub and native to Connecticut and provides significant ecological benefits, thrives in upland transition. Double row of protection. The first row of fencing is comprised fabric that's been staked close to the rear property line, and then a second row further uphill consists of a staked hay bales.

This additional measure will serve as the first line of defense to trap any siltation that occurs. Those concerns have been addressed, I feel adequately by the applicant in terms of, the concerns that they mentioned.

Thank you. And then I also noticed that there was that these galleys that are going in the stormwater retention system is new. There are none on this site currently. Correct?

Right. That's right.

Yeah. So so that unto itself should improve the, any, mitigate any potential flooding or runoff Yeah. Across the imperfect surfaces.

Yeah. It will be improved

Okay.

With the with the new construction.

And then during construction, we don't need a site monitor. Correct?

I I don't feel that it's warranted, in this case, but Can you notate? Have the inspector go out on a regular basis. He he would go out and every time we issue a permit for a new house, he will go out to confirm that the, silt fencing is installed and s and e controls are installed, but we can have it done on a more regular basis.

Yes. Can you make sure that that happens? That would be great.

Sure. Yep.

Other than that, I don't really have a lot of questions. This this driveway heads downhill. Correct? And then you get to the house, and then it goes downhill again to the neighbor's lot behind it. Correct?

Yes. Let me just pull it up.

So this is not on the uphill side?

Let me just check the elevations. One sec. You mean the the

Number 7 is on the downward hillside of Buena Vista. I meant to drive up there, and I I

just didn't

get to it. Okay. Alright. So, that that also means that their capture rate is gonna be is gonna be pretty high. Deep signed off on this?

Yes. We did get deep comments. I'm not finding them on the website. I'm not finding them on the website, but I'm, I'm sure we did because Amanda would not have scheduled it if we did not have them. Yeah.

That's why I was asking. Okay.

I mean, honestly, due to the to how far away, we are from the coastal resources, I mean, I'm confident that they would not have, have concerns.

I know. A 100%. I agree. I just usually, I look for, you know, comments from Deep. I didn't see any. Alright. I I don't have any other further questions. What about the rest of the commission who wants to weigh in on 7 Buena Vista Drive? For those of you who walk up that hill every day, good on you. Greg, go ahead.

What happens if, these improvements do not are not successful in mitigating the the, the water flow given that this pitch is as this, as mister as Marie Rossi says, is significantly steeper than than the, 9 Buena Vista.

Well, they're not required to improve the situation. They're required to in terms of drainage, but they are required to make sure that it's not any worse than it currently is. And that's what our drainage standards and our engineering department review ensures that. You know, based on the stormwater drainage report and another installing an additional gallery, our regulations are satisfied. So again, I don't know that we are required.

They're not required to make it better, but they are required to not exacerbate the runoff. I mean, because of the checks and balances that we have with the really conservative engineering standards, mean, we don't so we don't take into account any you know, if there were any drainage on-site, we don't take into in that into account when we make them, provide the drainage that for the full site, in terms of in terms of their drainage system.

On the other hand, there is an 18 page report within the, within the application, that was submitted by Bluewater, Buena Vista. And while I am no expert at reading those, it with within the my initial read is that it will actually improve, what's there now. Well, what's there now is they tore the house down. So I guess that's that's not the so but the answer to your question is, putting something in today new with the associated new technologies that we use versus this lot that had had nothing, zero, is definitely an improvement.

Thank you. Other questions?

Other commissioners?

I have I'm not a commissioner, but I have a question.

So we'll get to the public. Great. Thank you. Thank you. The

public normally doesn't speak in work sessions.

The public doesn't normally speak in work session.

Of course. It's your prerogative.

Oh, no. Don't put that on me. Mister Kammeyer, miss Njeski, mister Bolton, and mister Kalise.

So I would just say that, like you, Paul, I I read this to be that it will be a net improvement to the existing conditions as far as containing runoff. So I

think that

that that it seems like it will be a good thing for mitigating the, the impacts that the neighbors saw from the neighboring, property. So it was it was okay to me based

on what

Thank you, miss Njeski. Appreciate it. Other comments from mister Bolton, Kammeyer, or Kalise?

My only question to Michelle is, are entertaining this any differently than we would have a year ago before all the other legislation took effect prior to October 25?

No, it's just we're not not differently. It's well, it it wouldn't have been it wouldn't have come before you. We would have just issued a zoning permit prior

to Okay. You.

Yes. Okay. This is something one of the yeah. One as a result of the legislative change, we now are looking at these types of, new homes that are very far from coastal resources.

So who would have been administratively handled prior?

Yep. Yeah. All the same things. We would have checked the boxes on all the same things, but there wouldn't have been this review by the commission.

Thanks. That's it for me.

Thank you very much. Other commissioners?

I'm good.

Thank you, mister Kalise. So commissioners, normally in work session, we do not ask for nor solicit the public's participation. However, I'm gonna ask you for the indulgence of the chair to make an exception in this one case because, a, we had a, we had a, we had a letter written to us on a campsite, which does not normally happen. B, the woman I'm sorry. The person showed up and put their hand up and wants to speak.

And three, the rules of a camp is that if we feel that there is a, a need to have a public session rather than a work session, we have that ability that is within our purview. But rather than do that, what I'm asking actually is for your indulgence to allow, this next door neighbor to, speaker piece. Do I have any comments from the commission? Mister Bolton? I think that we always should give the public an opportunity if there's

an opening, so I I back you on that.

Thank you. Anybody not want to do that? Good. That's probably not a popular decision. So then we're gonna go to miss Rossi. We're not actually going to the public. We're gonna allow the next door neighbor to ask questions of the applicant, is Michelle. Hi, miss Rossi.

Hi. Thanks, you guys. I I would will not be controversial. You thank you very much for letting me speak. I didn't realize the process. Just since we've just had a a large project happening on not quite as steep a spot, Number 9 Buena Vista. During the construction, we had three times silt coming down, even though they had two barriers as well. So I guess what I would like to ask is if we could maybe get this on-site. So it was the homeowner at that point, so who was managing that, and they had already owned it. And they were really responsive.

It was a woman who's been part of the Democratic administration of Westport and the RTM. So she has deep roots in Westport and has been a great neighbor. This is a developer who I know does have a good reputation, but it does worry me that they won't be as committed to making things go smoothly. So maybe if I could ask that your on-site person come, period, more frequently than once in a while because, you know, we had very significant you know, those storms where the rains just you can't even see for, like, ten minutes, and it just came tumbling down. So, I'm a little worried that the twenty five year storm, requirements in this day and age aren't necessarily going to the the in you know, the construction won't and those black tarps won't help if before all those drains go in, we get some massive storms.

So I think just if you guys would be willing to have someone or someone that I could call if it does breach and the developers aren't responsive to amending it, that would be great.

Super. That's

Well, and then one other thing is that while it looks like an improvement with all the drainage, the house that was there before had sort of thirty years of, not focusing on their backyard. So it had a lot of ground, draw you know, sort of, old grasses and stuff that did a lot to keep the water from coming down. And now it's gonna be beautiful grass and lovely landscapes. And I I have an Arrowwood viburnum as well, and it's, you know, it'll be much prettier, but it won't I think that the the greenery won't be as Watery. As watery tentative as the what it was before even though it had no technology.

So I'm appreciate appreciating that they're putting the technology in, but it sort of highlights the issue that, a, they need it, and, b, maybe we I would really appreciate you guys being willing to come over and checking on it if there becomes a problem.

Okay. And

thank you very much.

Sure. You bet. Michelle, flood and erosion, they will, let's make sure that they have a robust, visitation schedule.

Sure. I could have the SNE, inspector go out, you know Right. Biweekly.

And the hay bales and the, the fences to make sure that they are, kept, you know, that they're kept up to snuff. I think

that's my His whole job is to make sure the SNE controls are installed properly and functioning.

Okay. Great. Alright. Let's Yep. We we heard her, and we wanna Thank you. To that. Thank you. Alright. Krishers, is this ready for, prime time, or do you have any reason to continue it? Motion to close. Thank you. I'll second that. All those in favor of closure, I'm a yes.

Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes. Thank you very much. Appreciate it. Would the applicant like to speak again? Oh, wait. No. I'm sorry. Brie has to read us in first.

Oh, okay. So that's closed, please.

Yes. We closed it.

Alright. So, on to item number six, which is 14 Westway Road, postal site plan application PZ2600092 submitted by Cindy Timinski, Moon Gardens LLC for property owned by Simple Plan four LLC for the construction of a new single family residence dwelling located in the residence A A A District, PID number 108088000, must decide by April 27. Presentation time is ten minutes.

And, again, we have the, we have Cindy Tominski.

No. It's me again. So this is, 14 Westway Road. This is a AAA zoning district, so two acre zoning. There is 2.6 acres. It's located off of Greens Farms Road on Westway Road. It's wholly within the coastal air management boundary and the rear portion of the properties when within the hundred year flood zone. You can see 95 Greens Farms Road Westway. Coastal resources on the site are general coastal resources. Shore lands, coastal flood hazard area, and tidal wetlands, and you can see the yellow here.

The lot was previously approved with a single family residence and an in ground pool. However, they have been removed and the property is currently vacant as you can see from the aerial. The proposal is to construct a two story single family dwelling with an inground swimming pool and patios, landscaping walls, a new septic system, and new stormwater detention system. You can see in the rear the wetland lines here, and the 50 foot setback there. These are the elevation plans, front, rear, and sides.

This proposal is consistent with the residents AAA zoning standards, more than the required lot area. There are about 28,000 square feet of wetlands, 960 square feet of steep slopes. The total coverage is only proposed to be 12.22% where 25 is allowed. The setbacks are all compliance, and the height permitted is three stories and 40 feet, and the proposed is two stories and 33.75 feet. The southern tip of the property is is within the flood zone, but there's no structures proposed within, that area, so that house does not have to comply with the flood zone requirements.

Stormwater best management practices have been used and will improve the existing conditions. There'll be stormwater galleries that'll accommodate the first inch of runoff produced during a twenty five year storm event as required by our drainage standards. The proposal is consistent with CAM policies. They have SNE controls like silk fencing, anti tracking pads, and again, self fencing around the staging areas and stockpile areas. There is no plantings proposed because the area of disturbance is more than 50 feet from the wetland area, so a veget ative buffer was not deemed necessary.

Conservation issued an administrative permit for the work in November. The pool permit has not yet been issued. Aspedoc Health District issued approvals for the proposal in October, but not yet for the pool. So obviously, before we issue the permit for the pool, we will make sure we have those approvals. And then we have DE key comments from Jason Hale dated March 26 where he found that the proposal was consistent with coastal policies.

And the town engineer issued comments dated March 6 indicating they had no issues with drainage grading or S and E controls. In summary, the project appears to comply to the coastal site plan objectives and policies. And as you know, you have the right to schedule a public hearing if you deem it necessary, although you do have to make a decision tonight. So so but, hopefully, you deem it, provable. And that's all I have.

Thank you, Michelle. I do appreciate it. And, again, just to follow-up on my previous conversation. So the timeline on this, how did we get to the day before or day of?

Day Let's on that one. Alright. I'm gonna look. On that one, looks like the.

We put this in in February.

Yeah. Right. No. I understand.

We get a must decide by 04/27. Did we put this off? Has this been on our calendar before?

Just oh, yeah. Well, both of both of these were supposed to go on the twentieth on the twentieth, when we canceled the meeting. So the but that's, you know, that was just a week. The engineering attic plans.

I don't see anything on untoward in the, in the the things that we were waiting for. They all look like they were done in a timely manner.

Yeah. There's an added plan dated 03/23, so, that was probably something we were waiting for. However, in the future, I will be sure to have a better these were not applications I was specifically handling, so I will, in the future, know more specifically about, why the timing occurred as it did, because we did have DEP comments.

Right.

Yeah. I don't have a good answer, so I apologize.

Well, just for the other, commissioner's edification, the reason I asked these questions is it's bad enough how many applications we have stacked up and are not actually processing them in a timely manner. But to make it matters even worse, in my view, to to have something come to us on the night we must decide it, even though it is a camp, it's still, I think, not a, a wonderful way to do our business. Let's face it. Look. The conservation engineering, the Ascatuck Health District, and DEEP all said yes. This is all in compliance. And probably fifteen months ago, we wouldn't have been looking at this anyway.

Mhmm.

This one may have been, too far away for the, the existing, for the existing rules and regulations. But that being said, we're we're starting to get a lot of pushback both from applicants, the public, and our own commissioners about how long we go and how long it takes us. So I'm just trying to, move things up, he said as he wasted more time explaining it.

Alright.

So, commissioners, any any, anybody have a comment? Anybody anybody have any issues with, conservation engineering? Ask for Tucker Deep. Hearing none, I will bring it back to you, Michelle, and ask you, is there anything outstanding, or is this ready for prime time?

I have nothing that is, outstanding, and I feel that it's, ready to be decided upon.

Great. I'll entertain a motion. Who wants to give it?

The motion to post.

Thank you. I'll second that. All those in favor, aye.

Aye. Aye. Thank

you. What's left?

Have Oh, sorry. Do want me

to go? We have one more.

Number 8, Manitow Road, coastal site plan application PZ2600117 submitted by eight Manitow LLC in care of Alina Rodesco Pichon for property owned by Kinley for the demolition of the existing house and driveway and the construction of a new single family residence dwelling pool, driveway, retaining walls, and a new draining system located in the residence A A A District. PID number C05033000 Must decide by April 29. Presentation time, fifteen minutes.

And is this you, Michelle?

Yes. It is.

Alright. Now on this one on this one, I see that they had site plans superseded from October. Tell me before you even jump in what was going on.

K. Give me one moment. Let's see. Eight minutes.

That existing survey from last year from from 12/10/2024.

Yes. So let me take a look here. The revisions. The revisions. Well, we well, we've just got DEP comments on April 8, so I believe that was probably why it was held off, until now.

Normally, what will happen is when we get those comments back, then they will email me and tell me it's ready to go onto an agenda. So we had it scheduled for the twentieth. So once, you know, I'm notified and then we put it on a notice letter, then, it would have been ready for so I think in this case, was DEP comments that we are waiting on.

Alright. And this is, must decide by next week?

Yes.

Alright. Another one. Okay. Ready? Go. Give us oh, you have a presentation. Thank you.

Yeah. Sorry. Real quick. Again, this is oh, wait. Can you see it? I'm not sharing. Am I sharing or nothing? I'm not sure.

Yes, sir. Sorry. My

It was

There you go.

I went out. Okay. So this is, again, eight minutes of road. This is a residence triple a district, two acre zoning. They have only point nine seven acres, so a nonconforming lot. The property is located West of the Sukaduk River off of Ferry Lane East. It's within the coastal area management boundary. Again, this one very close to the coastal boundary. This is one we would not have seen previously. But the coastal resources here are just general resources, which really tells you that, you know, there's not even you know, there's no coastal resources, you know, for for quite a distance.

Anyway, this is an existing condition survey showing single family residence, patio, spa, and driveway. This is a site plan showing proposed conditions, two and a half story single family residence, driveway, pool, retaining walls, planters, and new drainage. These are elevations. Front, east. Guess what I'm gonna Sorry.

I don't think we have all of them, but the project is consistent with the residents AAA zoning district standards. The proposed total coverage is 24.91 where 25% is permitted. All the setbacks comply, and the height is two and a half stories, 29 feet, 10 and a quarter inches, or 30 feet is permitted. So very close. The stormwater management report explains that they will be accommodating the first flush from the proposed development and complied with the drainage standards comments from Ted Gil, which I'll go through.

Sediment erosion controls will be installed, silt fencing, anti tracking pad at the construction entrances, and silt fencing around the staging area and stockpile areas. Vegetated buffer is not proposed. There's no natural it's not directly abutting any coastal resources, so staff did not feel it was oriented to require a buffer. And then, again, all of the coastal, management standards, have been complied with, and I'm here for questions.