By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — A month after First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker’s 8-24 request for a new Long Lots Elementary School encountered resistance from the Planning and Zoning Commission, its members voted unanimously Monday to issue a positive recommendation on an updated request the town’s top elected official called a compromise.

The initial plan to replace the seven-decade-old school with a newly built structure had included a baseball diamond for children beyond grade-school age where the Westport Community Gardens has been rooted some 20 years. The gardens were to be moved from Hyde Lane to another town-owned property.

At the P&Z’s review of Tooker’s first 8-24 application, resistance emerged over a baseball diamond close to neighbors and the booting of the gardens, Tooker revamped her request Jan. 18. The new plan returned the gardens to Long Lots, near where they are now although possibly with a smaller footprint. It also included a multipurpose field where the gardens are now, minus the baseball diamond.

Monday’s vote by the P&Z was unanimous, but members were not of one mind.

During the 4½-hour meeting there were tensions between commission members, the public and even with speakers from other town bodies.

Perhaps most notably, Republican P&Z member Patrizia Zucaro alleged that fellow members had engaged in improper conversations with the public and in “backdoor dealings.”

An 8-24 request is required by state law before a municipally owned parcel can be redeveloped. In Westport’s case, the P&Z is the gatekeeper for such a request.

The approval allows planning to proceed to the stage of hiring an architect and preparing a specific design for the new school building and for use of the remaining property. The overall Long Lots project is expected to cost as much as $100 million, the most expensive in town history.

Tooker, a Republican, introduced her updated request at Monday’s meeting, noting “there is no change in the three current uses of the property — a school, fields and a community garden.”

Jay Keenan, chair of the Long Lots School Building Committee, also spoke.

“I do want to note that the building committee spent about a year of study on this and over 20 public meetings and we do stand by our original recommendation,” Keenan said. “However, we do understand the importance of this project to the children and the families and staff at Long Lots, as well as Stepping Stones [preschool].”

“To diminish any further delays and get this project moving we’ve submitted the amended 8-24 conceptual plan,” he said.  

P&Z Chairman Paul Lebowitz noted early in the meeting that the 200-plus attendees set a town record for an online meeting (that number grew in excess of 340 later), and that several hundred had written to the commission since Tooker refiled her request. He said he read each letter, even those submitted 20 minutes before the meeting.

After the updated request was presented, Lebowitz said the compromise could earn his positive recommendation. He polled the other six P&Z members.

All appeared in favor, but there were concerns, recommendations, and questions.

“Let’s set the record straight,” said member Neil Cohn, a Democrat. “We want to build Long Lots better, and more sustainably, and as soon as possible. This is about our kids, and like may of you we moved to Westport because of our excellent school system.”

He noted he’s a parent, but that as a P&Z member, he has a fiduciary responsibility he takes seriously.

“This is a big decision,” he said. “We need to respect all of the stakeholders, we need to respect the neighbors, we need to respect the people who have been using the gardens, we need to respect everyone using the sports fields. We need to take everyone into account.”

Member John Bolton, a Republican, said he’d toured the community gardens with fellow Republicans then-member Amie Tesler and current member Patrizia Zucaro.

“We were impressed with the gardens, we know that the gardens does, and we appreciate the fact people are committed in that regard,” he said. “But I’ve been reading an awful lot about private sports clubs and covert alliances and conspiracies with private groups, private groups, private groups.”

“I want to remind everybody, the gardens is a private group,” Bolton said. “You need a key to get into the garden fence, or some kind of pass to get in there.”

He said the private group issue should be laid to rest.

“If we do not pass this and recommend this, and give it approval, this 8-24 tonight, then we are committing zoning malpractice,” Bolton said. “… The fact that it’s even gone on this long is a little embarrassing.”

He said everyone has compromised except for one entity.

“Whatever empathy or good feelings I left with that day in August, it’s hard to maintain that when you have people who continuously refuse to budge,” Bolton said of the gardeners.

“I think our first selectwoman has shown repeatedly that she listens to everybody, and she is trying very hard to compromise,” he said. “And by the way, the best settlement of anything is when everyone’s dissatisfied.”

 Member Amy Wistreich, a Democrat, said her questions had been answered, but that she’d also like to see better collaboration in the future between town agencies; the Parks and Recreation Department to do a more in-depth study of field use; the gardens kept in the same general area; a three-story building considered for the school, and the building committee to consider shifting the school back from Hyde Lane more to allow a larger bus loop and locate the structure farther from neighbors.

Zucaro said the 8-24 report should be approved Monday.

“I’d also like to talk a little bit about my observations about how politics has interfered with the obligations of this commission,” she said. “For example, commissioners having private conversations with the public, or commissioners pushing other commissioners to commit to a vote, or backdoor dealings.”

“All of these, clearly, are being done in violation of our ethical obligations, and honestly, it’s disheartening to learn how political this board can be,” Zucaro said. “There is absolutely no reason tonight that this conceptual plan should not be approved.”

Michael Calise, a Republican member of the commission, thanked Tooker and the building committee for modifying the plan after the first meeting with the P&Z.

“I think it’s a very welcome change,” he said.

“The gardens are certainly a use,” he said. “But to me, they’re more than that. They offer a significant buffer between the surrounding properties and the activity at the school, as well as providing additional drainage and water retention.”

Calise suggested the building committee consider shifting or rotating the all-purpose field to allow for a different configuration for parking, which better access to the gardens and the field.

Member Michael Cammeyer, a Democrat, said it looked like many concerns had been addressed, but that he’d also like better communications in the future.

“I think we should be noticed when the building committee meets, so if they’re talking about something that is in our purview, and the exterior of the building, maybe one of us or all of us should be in attendance or understand what’s going on so there’s no confusion,” he said.

Board of Finance Chair Lee Caney, a Democrat, read a wide-ranging statement, not in his official capacity but as a resident, he said. He butted heads with Lebowitz over eight minutes.

He said it’s clear that a new school is needed, and also a home for Stepping Stones Preschool. Also, he said, “we are in desperate need of field space for our youth sports program which has 11,000 users each year.”

“We have heard from soccer, baseball and lacrosse representatives, but I’m sure that we would hear the same comments from other youth sports organizations that their programs are constrained by availability of useable fields,” Caney said.

“Let me comment that these organizations, sports organizations, and their leaderships that promote youth sports, have been unfairly attacked again for promoting the health of our youth,” Caney said. “This is unacceptable to me.”

Caney went on with other concerns, which were interrupted by an unmuted Long Lots parent’s family chatter, then Lebowitz.

“I’m asking, out of deference to this committee, who has already weighed in on most of the subject that you have now just annunciated, I’m wondering, do you have any specific additions to add to this conversation that will help us get toward a yes or no vote?” Lebowitz asked.

“Yes, I do,” Caney said.

“Can you please make it more expedient, if you will …,” Lebowitz said.

Caney said there’s no space to build new fields, so it’s not a zoning issue. And, he added as a finance board member, given the capital spending the town is looking at, there is no money to buy six acres or so that would be needed for a new field.

Lebowitz broke in.

“You’ve spoken the most and yet you’re from the Board of Finance,” he said. “I would love to hear from neighbors and parents.”

“Paul, I’m speaking as a resident of Westport,” Caney replied.

“I understand that, but you’re talking about expenditures on the Board of Finance,” Lebowitz said. “Please, Lee, wrap it up.”

Caney went on and Lebowitz broke in again.

“This is the first selectwoman’s 8-24,” Lebowitz said. “That’s what we’re doing here. And she has already determined a position or location on this site for the garden, so you don’t have to re-litigate old discussions.”

Caney plowed ahead and wrapped up his comments.

While the meeting was contentious at times, it also had moments of levity, provided mostly by parents who hadn’t muted themselves on Zoom. Parental evening marching orders were overheard, including one about the order of showering.

A couple officials noted they had, in fact, showered that day. Bolton said he had, twice.

Several members of the public spoke, on the record, some questioning why baseball had been singled out as a problem. Some asked if a few people showing up with bats and gloves would be in violation.

Town Attorney Ira Bloom made it clear that the renewed 8-24 request did not prohibit baseball on the multipurpose field, just dropping plans for a baseball diamond.

Thane Grauel grew up in Westport and has been a journalist in Fairfield County and beyond for 35 years. Reach him at editor@westportjournal.com. Learn more about us here.