By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — The Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday approved a bureaucratic brew of applications needed for a golfing recreation center to someday tee-off at 1620 Post Road East.

1620 PRE Associates LLC sought a text amendment, map amendment and general development plan/special permit for to 1608-1622 Post Road East.

The applicant got all that in unanimous votes by the commission after a mere five-hour meeting, which included lingering concerns from some neighbors and Representative Town Meeting members, apparently not entirely sold on the applicants’ assurances.

The plan is to convert a mid-1940s retail center, an 8,550-square-foot building, into a golfing recreation center, and, in a future phase, add 10 townhouses at the back property, two at below-market rents.

Emily Zobl, one of the people behind the LLC, said Westport has plenty of outdoor activity spaces available.

“There’s sort of a gap when it comes to indoor activities space, and that’s where we saw the opportunity for this project,” she said. “If you want to go to the movies, or go bowling, or pottery, or anything in that realm, you have to venture to Fairfield, Norwalk or Stamford.”

“I’m really excited to have a use that’s not a nail salon coming to the Post Road,” said commission Chairwoman Danielle Dobin. “And really delighted that so many of the neighbors were able to work out a mutually beneficial agreements with the applicant.”

It was pointed out that those side-agreements (with Lansdowne and neighboring communities) are not enforceable by the P&Z.

RTM member Karen Kramer, District 5, had questions.

“The roof deck, what if goes after 9? What if we do hear it? What are the ramifications?” Kramer asked.

The outdoor dining area would be subject to the town’s outdoor dining regulations, Planning and Zoning Director Mary Young said.

Dobin appeared to take a poke at the RTM, the town’s legislative body, which has not enacted a noise ordinance.

“If we did have a noise ordinance, then I think a lot of the concerns that people have across town relating to noise would be addressed, whether it relates to pickleball, or outdoor dining or people with the new outdoor TVs … I hope the RTM reps present consider drafting a noise ordinance because that has to come from the RTM.”

Kramer echoed neighbors’ concerns about the environmental history of the land. Portions of the property were filled decades ago. The commission had a lengthy discussion about what studies should be required.

“I think we really, really need to know what’s going on under that land, where property’s been dumped for years, and it’s a well-warranted concern” Kramer said, speaking from a letter by fellow RTM members Claudia Shaum, District 5, Dick Lowenstein, District 5, “When that independent study is done, I’ll feel much better.”

“The environment, the roof deck, the noise, very much concerns of mine,” Kramer said.

Ellen Cahill and her husband, who own a condo at neighboring Lansdowne, had a long list of concerns and were troubled by the pace of the applications.

“My major concern and the thing that I’m asking for tonight is that you keep an open mind in terms of moving this thing ahead, in terms of speed,” she said. “What I’m looking for as a homeowner is that this is a process, not something that’s a done deal.”

Commission member Paul Lebowitz responded that it was not a done deal. He said each of the three phases of the project would have to come before the commission for approvals.

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.