By Meghan Muldoon
WESTPORT — Mounting concerns over the proposed “Hamlet at Saugatuck” development’s potential to strain already limited commuter parking spaces at the town’s train stations were voiced Tuesday at a meeting of the Representative Town Meeting’s Transit Committee.
Central to the discussion was the developers’ plan to purchase up to 70 annual parking permits at the Saugatuck Railroad Station, which some speakers feared could displace current or future commuters.
Dara Lamb, a member of the Westport Alliance for Saugatuck, warned the lots are already approaching capacity, and that selling permits to the Hamlet’s developers could tip the balance, especially as more commuters are returning to the office full time.
“I see the parking lots filling up every day,” Lamb said. “They seem to get fuller and I have a big concern that if that project goes through, they take 70 permits effectively off the market.”
Fellow resident Rick Smilow pointed out additional complications, including the uncertainty of Lot 7’s lease from the state, which expires in six years.
“The whole idea of a parking solution that could be approved now that relies on something that might be taken away just a year or two after the Hamlet is completed doesn’t make sense,” Smilow said.
Parking permits not issued in blocks
In response to the concerns, Police Chief Foti Koskinas clarified the town’s current purchasing rules, noting that Hamlet developers would need to identify 70 insured and registered vehicles to obtain parking permits since the rules don’t allow generic block purchases.
“There’s a legal side of it that we can’t discriminate,” Koskinas said. “But the rules today are you must have a permit based on a car with a license plate.”
Koskinas emphasized that while the developers could legally buy permits now, the town has had ongoing discussions with them about restricting the Hamlet’s parking to Lot 7, a less-used lot farther from the station.
“I said, if, in fact, five years from now, you can walk in and there’s no wait list and you can buy 70 permits, and I’m overseeing this operation, I would ask that the only place you’re allowed to park would be in Lot 7,” Koskinas said.
The police chief emphasized that the town currently has enough unused parking in Saugatuck to accommodate 70 spaces, but future parking needs are uncertain and could change by the time the Hamlet project is completed.
“If they are looking for 70 spaces today in Saugatuck, there’s more than adequate unused parking today,” Koskinas said. “I can’t tell you what it’s going to be when the shovel goes in the ground. I can’t tell you what it will look like at the completion of the project.”
Chief: No favoritism shown to developers
The long-time police chief, who recently announced his resignation to become chief in Easton, also pushed back against speculation of bias.
“Neither I nor anyone on my staff works for Hamlet or their investors in any shape or form. We have said far more ‘nos’ to the group from Hamlet than we have said absolutely ‘yeses’,” Koskinas added. “All we’ve told them is, right now there’s no waitlist. If you’re looking to buy 70 permits today, you could buy 70 permits today.”
Although parking capacity at the railroad stations is not maxed out, Transit Committee members expressed concern that demand could surge in the near future.
Committee member Jennifer Johnson, District 9, noted increased crowding at the Greens Farms Railroad Station lot.
“Cars are parking pretty much everywhere, under the overpass and everything. So it does appear that we’re getting close there,” Johnson said.
After hearing from residents, Transit Committee members acknowledged that potential parking impacts tied to the Hamlet development warrant deeper examination and agreed to schedule a meeting dedicated to those concerns.
“I think there’s enough issues here and it is under our purview to comment on parking and traffic and pedestrian safety,” Johnson said.
“It’s a big issue and we need to really look at it,” added Ross Burkhardt, District 3.
Meghan Muldoon is a freelance writer.
We do not need the police chief soon to head easton way pretending he is doing commuters a Favor with his interpretation of the lease- to suit the hamlet.
Fotis interpretation of the lease just like the town attorney is flawed.
The parking at the railroad station is not for lease.. anyone can buy a permit. Subject to a wait list. First come first served.
That is correct.. but reserving a lot for one’s self is not allowed.. not anywhere in that lease does it say a private developer can commandeer a lot with 70 spaces where they most assuredly plan on putting 140 cars , is allowed..
nowhere, does the lease allow for this skullduggery..
if the town attorney says it does, the moment someone contests it in court that will be thrown out..
in my humble opinion.. of course.
Flash back 2 years. This is important. Petitioners brought a motion to overturn the text ammendment to the rtm.
During that time, one rtm in particular was subject to gaslighting by several town bodies leading to what amounted to bullying and intimidation.
Deafness was not a factor.
That rtm member was categorically told by a member of PZ, that the police chief was willing to give the hamlet 100 parking spots. That rtm member said absolutely not ! That is not legal.
Because in spite of the already woefully inadequate FAR- a joke,
The hamlet still needed railroad parking to get around the regulations.
Yes. So the FSW, kept her mouth shut, and the police chief told hamlet they could have those spaces.
However they CANNOT !!!
And this is where the rubber meets the road.
He cannot nor should not have promised anything.
Bernheim persists in recorded meetings saying they were promised.. well sadly for him and his clients they should not have been promised anything.
Because during the petitioners hearing we were assured no such promises were made.
Votes were cast upon that very promise.. that no railroad parking was being given.
Soooo.. now we are hearing exactly what we knew back then were facts getting regurgitated as though this has always been the case.
FYI, that same rtm member, the only one with the intelligence and balls to do the right thing, and vote NO !!! , received nasty threats an hour later on his phone) which I kept screenshots of, telling him that because he voted no, they planned on running constituents against him in the race for rtm.
Yes that is how mafia these ppl became so desperate to have their own way.
Bottom line. Foti cannot give the hamlet lot 7 or any permit parking promise.. there might be a wait list in 3 years.
Ira bloom can say or interpret what he wishes, there are 10 attorneys who imho will interpret the contrary.
And one judge will decide.
I do not fancy foti and hamlets interpretation …
If I were a betting individual they lose all day long.
To be or not to be….
I suggest a miniaturized 3 story high version might be acceptable.