By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT – After spending several hours over three meetings deliberating whether to hold an executive session for talks with Roan Ventures, the developers of the Hamlet Project, the Planning and Zoning Commission came to a quick decision on Monday to not proceed with private discussions.

Commissioners at the meeting voted unanimously to take the possible executive session off Monday’s agenda following a motion from Amy Wistreich, who had previously backed the idea. Wistreich’s motion came just moments into Monday’s meeting, followed by a vote a few minutes later.

Suit filed Aug. 6

The “Hamlet at Saugatuck” application by Roan Ventures to build a riverfront project was rejected by the P&Z on July 28 following months of meetings about the proposal. Roan filed a lawsuit against the town on Aug. 6 and has also said they may prepare an application for affordable housing units on the site.  

After her motion to “abandon the approach” of private discussions with Roan, Wistreich said that it was apparent that the commission could not come to a consensus on holding an executive session, even after three meetings lasting several hours. 

At its meeting last week, the commission took an informal vote, with members at that meeting favoring an executive session 3-2.

Private: not popular

Wistreich added that the commission has received numerous letters from members of the public who were all opposed to private talks. The Westport Alliance for Saugatuck has stated similar views, saying that Roan should “go back to the drawing board,” according to their lawyer Joel Green.

The commission also has other applications to consider in addition to the debate on Hamlet, Wistreich said.  “We have many applications waiting in the wings.”

Premature

P&Z alternate Breanne Injeski said she agreed with the decision to not hold an executive session, saying that it is “premature” to hold such talks with Roan. 

“We don’t know what would be on the agenda,” she said. “We need to revisit this once we have more information.”

“Let’s not undo”

Commissioner John Bolton, who had come out against holding an executive session with Roan representatives, said Monday that he was “heartened” by Wistreich’s motion. An executive session should be “an exception not the norm,” he said. 

Bolton referred to the “countless hours” that the P&Z put into hearing the Hamlet application and ultimately denying it. 

“We don’t want to undo in private what’s been done in public,” he said. 

Previously, Bolton had suggested that asking Roan for a pre-app, a meeting with commissioners held before another application is officially filed, would be an option to keep the Hamlet discussions in front of the public.

One of the topics that has come up at previous meetings is the possibility that Roan is preparing applications to build affordable housing projects under the state’s 8-30g law.  The law allows developers to override some zoning laws if certain requirements to build affordable housing are met. P&Z Chair Paul Lebowitz had previously stated that the commission’s actions should not be decided by the threat of an 8-30g project.