By Kerri Williams

WESTPORT–Two pre-applications brought forward to the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday got very different reactions from members.

During the short but “productive” meeting, the commission also passed both a text and map amendment to comply with new state zoning regulations.

A rec center at 1431 Post Road East

Most commissioners gave a preliminary thumbs up for a proposed recreational facility that would be located at 1431 Post Road East, while giving mostly negative feedback for another plan for an all-residential redevelopment at 34 Imperial Avenue. Both proposals were submitted by land-use consultant Richard Redniss as pre-applications, or non-binding discussions to gauge the viability of a project.

“This is needed, and I applaud this applicant for bringing it as a pre-app,” said Vice-Chair Michael Cammeyer about the recreational facility, which may be used both as a private, indoor after-school program and for youth sports.

Cammeyer led Monday’s meeting, filling in for Chairman Paul Lebowitz. Stepping in at the last moment was Alternate Michael Valante when Commissioner Patrizia Zucaro did not join the meeting.

Commissioner Breanne Injeski agreed with Cammeyer about the indoor sports facility plan. “I do think this an appropriate, good use of this lot,” she said. “I like the idea.”

The 1.74-acre lot for the project is partially within the General Business District and Residence A District, with frontage on Old Road and Post Road East. Redniss said the new, two-story building would be used as a recreational facility where children could get dropped off after school, in a program like a “private boys and girls club.”

The two-story building would have a fitness area below and a gymnasium above. There are no proposed outdoor activities or plans to host games.

The applicant will most likely ask for some zoning changes for the setbacks to residential areas and for parking and building height, which is proposed to be 45 feet to accommodate the gymnasium, according to Redniss. 

Alternate commissioner Valante said he did not have an opinion on the use of the lot but said he thought that the project should go forward only within the current zoning regulations. “Deal with the regulations, and make it fit,” he said.

Currently, three businesses occupy the site planned for the rec center: Furniture on Consignment, an antique store, the 64-year-old Izzo & Son Country Gardens and Bar Lupa, a beloved Italian eatery.

No affordable at 34 Imperial Avenue

But commissioners were much less receptive to a proposal delivered by Redniss for a residential development at 34 Imperial Avenue. The pre-application was for constructing two residential buildings with nine dwelling units with surface, under-building parking.  The property currently has a two-story office building constructed in 1890 that would need to be removed. 

The .65-acre lot is within the Restricted Professional Office District, RPOD. Under current zoning regulations, residential developments are only allowed on RPOD properties that are located on an arterial street, which is not the case with Imperial Avenue.

Commissioners balked at another issue with the project, as proposed by Redniss, who said it would not be able to meet the 20 percent requirement for onsite affordable housing.

“You are proposing entirely market-rate housing,” said Commissioner Injeski. “I don’t see how this is going to fly.”

Injeski added that the project would also need relief from other zoning regulations to go forward. “Our regulations need to mean something,” she said. “This seems like a big ask without being a big benefit for the town.”

Other commissioners agreed with Injeski, citing similar issues with the project. 

“I think it’s unfortunate, but you have spoken,” Redniss said concerning the project.

Text amendments

In other business, the commission unanimously approved a text amendment to comply with Public Act 25-1 that eliminates requirements that had been in place for certain residential developments. Commissioner Craig Schiavone said that the move was a necessary step to comply with the new state regulations, even though most on the commission did not agree with the state stepping in to modify town zoning regulations. 

The legislation is meant to streamline the approval process for many multifamily developments, but it also cuts out the public hearing process where neighbors and townspeople can give feedback. The new text amendment also eliminates minimum parking requirements for certain residential developments.

Kerri Williams

^{_{Kerri Williams is an award-winning writer and journalist. She has worked as a reporter at the Norwalk Hour, as Living editor at the Darien News-Review, and managing editor for the Norwalk Citizen-News. For Westport Journal, she is a reporter as well as a gardening columnist, writing “Cultivating with Kerri.” She recently published her first children’s book – “Mabel’s Big Move,” based on her daughter with special needs.}}