By Thane Grauel
WESTPORT — A few seasons of New England weather have helped neighbors of two new water tanks off North Avenue agree on a color.
Three possible shades of light green, originally envisioned to help the tanks blend in with foliage, are out.
In instead is gray, the color of overcast skies, fog, haze, mist, naval vessels and rainy days everywhere.
Aquarion, the water utility for much of Westport, got permission in 2017 to replace an old steel water tank with two concrete tanks off North Avenue, across from Staples High School.
It’s one of the town’s highest elevations, and that’s where water utilities like to put tanks, to pressurize the system. (Elevation also was the reason a Nike Missile silo site was built not far away in the 1950s, and the radar site off Bayberry Lane.)
After various challenges, the Planning and Zoning Commission issued an approval for Aquarion, which included language that said the tanks would be painted one of three shades of light green, unless another color was desired.
The site is still under construction, the two new tanks a concrete gray, with numerous evergreens planted all around.
Candace Banks, a Representative Town Meeting member who lives on nearby Tulip Lane, on Monday asked the P&Z, on behalf of almost all the water tanks’ neighbors, to change the permitted paint specs from light green to gray.
She provided a list of all those on North Avenue, Tulip Lane and Terhune Drive who signed off on the color change. All but one, who was deceased.
Since the issue was considered by the P&Z during a work session, Banks could not comment. But Commission Chairwoman Danielle Dobin gave some context.
“The neighbors, who have had the benefit of seeing the tanks in the gray color during different seasons, recognized that they felt that the gray color was more of a camouflage given our fabulous New England weather.”
“Quite frankly I don’t think there’s any gray area here, I think we’re OK,” said commission member Paul Lebowitz.
“Whatever color you guys want, God bless,” said member Jon Olefson. “I just found it interesting because Disney uses a color they call Go Away Green, which is when they have something that’s kind of ugly that they don’t want people looking at, it’s trademarked, too … you can Google it.”
The paint color change was approved unanimously by the P&Z.
What a lost opportunity painting grey concrete grey.
for example: A lovely evergreen fantasy forest painted by local artists would have made these “obstacles” part of the Westport Arts Collection…..would have also given local artists an opportunity & work .
This should have gone to the Westport Arts council for an RFP for local artists and commissioned after a referendum on the options.