Editor’s note: The following was submitted for publication by The Hamlet at Saugatuck development team.
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Westport residents,
It has come to our attention that a petition has been circulated, spreading significant misinformation about The Hamlet at Saugatuck’s special permit submission, that is currently before the Planning and Zoning Commission. We feel it’s our responsibility to clarify the facts and provide our community with accurate information.
Below, we address specific concerns raised on the Westport Alliance for Saugatuck’s website, which is linked to the previously referenced petition.
Claim: “The 2023 zoning text amendment, created for this development, allows for an 800 percent increase in density.”
HAMLET response: This figure is misleading. Our submission is actually approximately 20 percent less dense than what is permitted under the 2023 zoning text amendment. The Hamlet is a thoughtfully planned, low-unit development designed in full compliance with Westport’s zoning regulations. Much of the site is currently private asphalt parking, not accessible or usable by the public — thus, relative density comparisons are skewed.
Claim: “The site plan includes 11 buildings, up to 70 feet high located along the river (riverfront side) and on the large block fronted by Railroad Avenue with shops, restaurants and RR drop off points, all the way to Charles Street (upland side). To put this height and mass in perspective, at their highest points, many buildings will be at or above the height of the I95 overpass.”
HAMLET response: Under current zoning, up to 10 percent of a building floor area may exceed 60 feet and go up to a ridge of 72 feet with a pitched roof (67 feet to the midpoint of the roof), if certain conditions are met. Our submission limits this to just 1.54 percent. The regulations measure height to the midpoint of a pitched roof. When we discuss the ridge height, that is to the very top of the pitched roof, but the zoning regulations will only measure to the midpoint of the roof. Only one building height reaches 65 feet, topped by a pitched roof element, at a small portion of the building, that brings the ridge of the building to 70 feet. Most buildings are 60 feet or less, with those closest to the water beginning at 43 feet (below the 45-foot maximum), with a large setback, stepping up to 60 feet along Riverside Avenue. The two buildings on Charles Street are both 60 feet in height.
Along Railroad Place — where the zoning allows buildings up to 40 feet and then up to 72 feet to the ridge after a 15-foot setback — we’ve instead chosen a historically inspired 30-foot setback and significantly reduced heights, ranging from 14 to 33 feet on Railroad Place then stepping up to 64 feet to flat portion of roof. In doing so, we’ve prioritized charm, historical continuity, and noise buffering over maximum buildout. We are proposing less height, less density, and significantly more setback than the zoning regulations allow for.
Claim: “It’s too big! The hotel complex on the riverfront includes four buildings with 57 hotel rooms and almost 100,000 square feet of event/restaurant/banquet non-residential space, with an underground parking lot below the water line, whose entrance will be just after the sharp left turn at the end of Ferry lane, where it becomes Riverside Avenue, with the potential to cause lengthy back-ups and safety hazards. This is incredibly concerning since Saugatuck has recently experienced an increase in serious auto accidents, including a fatality.”
HAMLET response: This is incorrect. We are proposing approximately 21,000 square feet of event/restaurant/banquet non-residential space on the riverfront. Based on feedback from the commission, we have now proactively moved the garage entrance away from the Ferry Lane turn further down Railroad Place. We’ve designed the below-grade entry to allow car queuing without affecting surface traffic. Safety has been a top priority throughout the planning process, including traffic sightlines, pedestrian access, and emergency vehicle accommodation.
Claim: “On the upland side (the block between Charles, Franklin, Riverside and RR Place) will include 6 buildings with 57 high-end condos, as well as shops, an event center, spa, private club, underground (valet controlled) parking garages. The site plan includes removing 42 free public parking spaces, taking over other public owned land, and narrowing Riverside Avenue, which already experiences excessive traffic delays, and entering into a long-term agreement with the town to purchase 70 parking permits, thereby taking them away from the public. To be viable, the plan also includes the use of Railroad Parking which is prohibited under Westport’s own zoning regulations.”
HAMLET response: Earlier iterations of the Hamlet, at the suggestion of our master planning firm, world-renowned DPZ CoDesign, included removing on-street street parking to accommodate a more pedestrian friendly experience. In response to our last hearing with the Planning and Zoning Commission, our newest plan keeps on-street parking largely intact. The latest plan proposes removing only seven parking spaces in an adjacent rail lot owned by the Town of Westport on Franklin Street, to accommodate a roundabout that has proven to be a traffic mitigation measure. However, we will be adding those seven free parking spaces below grade, resulting in no net loss of free public parking. Further, no law prohibits the public or our patrons from using railroad parking, which is free after 3 p.m., largely unused after 5 p.m., and almost empty on weekends. We’ve not entered into any exclusive agreement for parking permits as suggested. We will cover all of this in detail at the hearing on 4/28 to ensure there are no misconceptions and to show that we fully comply with the parking regulations per the text amendment. Furthermore, we are now proposing that all employees be required to park offsite as a condition of approval, ensuring that all onsite parking is available for residents and guests of the Hamlet.
Claim: “TRAFFIC! and PARKING The plan will create new traffic chokeholds, exacerbate existing traffic issues, and create congestion that could delay emergency vehicles and will surely negatively affect the quality of life for Westporters from every district — especially districts north and east of the Metro-North station who will experience long delays entering and leaving the area. The plans do not provide adequate parking for the planned usage and take away current free parking.”
HAMLET response: Independent studies by both our traffic engineers and the Town’s traffic peer reviewer, which are on the record with the commission, confirm that our plan will improve traffic flow at all studied intersections which go beyond our immediate site. Improvements include signal timing, expansion to roads and new traffic calming measures such as dedicated turn lanes and a roundabout on Franklin Street (proposed as two-way between Railroad Place and Charles Street). Without these improvements, existing conditions are projected to worsen over time without development of any kind. The commission, by approving a project under their regulations, can require the developer to make offsite improvements to mitigate the traffic impact on the area. A development that is not governed by the commission’s regulations will not be required to make any offsite traffic mitigation improvements.
We will also present a comprehensive parking management plan at the April 28 hearing.
Claim: “Scale and Density. Additionally, the increased scale and density is likely to create environmental concerns, flooding issues with potential contamination of the river and Harbor.”
HAMLET response: Our plan includes comprehensive environmental remediation of a currently contaminated site. We are introducing infrastructure to ensure clean drainage and flood protection that goes beyond current requirements. Currently there are no drainage systems that are intended to prevent flooding or prevent contamination of the river and harbor. Our plans implement best practices for managing flooding, runoff, and water treatment measures. We are committed to working with the Town of Westport to ensure that the measures put in place not only comply with the applicable regulations, but improve the water quality measures that currently exist on the Integrated Site.
Claim: “It does not address our affordable housing mandate. Importantly, rather than being built to address Westport’s current affordable housing shortfall, this plan makes our town’s shortfall worse – offering only 14 off-site units whose location has not been secured. According to the developer’s attorney “These units will not come on-line for over 3 years, it will have to be updated before finalized … The units are going to be offsite and per the anticipated approval, we will come back to advise where they are going to be located.”
HAMLET response: We are required to provide either 20 percent of units on-site or 25 percent off-site within a quarter-mile. We currently own two qualifying properties and have a plan in place to satisfy the requirement.
Importantly, we’re also making the largest contribution to Westport’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund in town history and the foreseeable future.
Rejecting this plan could open the site to an 8-30g development with 500-plus units and extremely limited town oversight — no density or height limits, architectural review, parking requirements, traffic mitigation, or public benefit obligations.
Claim: “It sacrifices Westport’s unique appeal as a charming small New England coastal community. Finally, this plan does not meet the stated goal of Westport retaining its unique appeal because of its New England small town charm. The size and scale of the proposed development does not fit Westport.”
HAMLET response: This is a subjective claim. Our award-winning architectural team has modeled the design after classic New England coastal towns. The Architectural Review Board supports our current design, which aligns closely with local aesthetics and history — far more so than early conceptual renderings which are now obsolete.
Public benefits of The Hamlet
- Improved Traffic Flows — based on large investment into the redesign of the area’s obsolete traffic lights, roads and infrastructure.
- Boost to Our Tax Base — Over $6 million in annual property taxes for the Town of Westport to invest in our town and help keep taxes low for everyone.
- Open Space and Waterfront Access — Available to all Westporters we are adding — 50,000-plus square feet of public open space — 10 times the required amount with 150-plus new trees and thousands of additional plantings.
- Improved Connectivity — Proposal for public shuttle service across Westport to and from the site.
- Land Remediation — Full remediation of contaminated soil — no capping of dirty soil, which is a common practice.
- Green Energy — Geothermal energy system throughout the site.
- Classic Design — Inspired by classic New England coastal architecture.
- We are protecting the gateway to Westport from an 8-30g site with hundreds of units, no design, density, height, parking or traffic requirements, no public benefit and overloading our schools and public infrastructure
- We are a local developer. Our offices are in Saugatuck and have been for over four years. We care deeply what happens here.
To support the project, sign our petition HERE and attend the next public hearing at Westport Town Hall, 6 p.m. on April 28.
Thank you for taking the time to understand the facts and make your voice heard.
Sincerely,
ROAN Ventures team
Martin Purcell, Dan Suozzi and Rodrigo Real, principals
This hamlot idea is doa. Even these responses are crafted like sludge, desperate to cling.
Its over…sorry–not gonna happen.
Disregarding all the details…it just looks terrible and has nothing to do with our transit hub.
Obvious money grab
Asserting that something is within the law isn’t saying much to assuage concerns. That the development is 20% less dense than allowed under the law does not rebut “It’s 800% bigger.” Word salad.
Here’s some Plain English:
It’s too big. Too dense. Too pretentious. Too rushed.
A lot of us don’t like it for the damage it will do in terms of traffic, environment, overpopulation in a town already busting at the seams. All that comes with too big, too dense. After waiting years for the development to come forward, suddenly we are on a short timeline.
Here’s some more Plain English: We want Saugatuck developed, for sure. With thought, and with respect to the residents who live here.
Developing a brownfield site is wholly admirable, for all the reasons cited here and by the project’s neighbors and investors. And it is sorely needed in Saugatuck, complete with the environmental remediation.. There are some lovely examples to look to.
But scale matters. Scale it down.
The 57 condos, up from the original plan of 35, are expected to be “high priced condos,” according to the project’s attorney. Some proponents have said how great to have more condos for “seniors.” Well, this is disingenuous; no offense to wealthy seniors who may buy in. Most are retired and on fixed incomes.
Westport is in dire need for affordable housing, not more multimillion dollar condos. Near the train in a walkable commercial area is perfect for affordable housing. Why locate it offsite? How about back to the original 35 units; make half affordable. Now that’s a positive, constructive idea.
In conclusion, voicing opinions on matters of great consequence to every taxpayer is not “nay-saying.” It’s being and engaged and interested citizen.
I live in Westport because it’s both vibrant and laid back. It has beaches, woods and a riverfront. It’s family friendly, senior friendly and animal friendly. It’s beautiful, culturally rich, community-minded, spirited and historic with performing arts, sports venues, a wide variety of dining and shopping …
all of this WITH A SMALL TOWN LOOK AND FEEL.
If I had wanted to live in Stamford, I would have moved there.
We can all do the “he says / she says” we want, but the bottom line is this:
THE HAMLET, as it is proposed, IS TOO BIG FOR WESTPORT.
It doesn’t fit our look, our vibe, our space.
And our infrastructure won’t support it.
Scale it WAY down.
Yes, clean up the area around the train station. But this proposal is out of scale, out of character, and will not benefit the town in the long run. Definitely will be misery-making in the short run too.
Who is this really meant to serve?