GHS neighbor Bill Effros, of Old Church Rd, responds to Greenwich Free Press article, “Fields of Dreams at GHS,” published August 9. The article quotes Parks & Rec board member Gary Dell’Abate saying, “A judgement is hard to overturn” during his fields update at the board’s July 30 meeting.
To The Editor:
“The Effros Stipulation” cited by Mr. Dell’Abate, is not a single judgment. It is one of hundreds of deed restrictions attached to the Greenwich High School Site Plan, as part of three Court Ordered Judgments and Stipulations handed down by Stamford Superior Court on July 22, 2003.
Each of the stipulated deed restrictions was approved by The Town of Greenwich; The Selectmen; Greenwich Public Schools; The Board of Education; The Planning and Zoning Commission; The Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals; and the RTM; as part of a court ordered settlement offered by The Town of Greenwich. The Court ordered each of the above defendants to vote to approve these stipulations, with the explicit understanding the deed restrictions could not be overturned, and would be honored by The Town in perpetuity.
Following are some of the deed restrictions:
- A minimum of 750 on-site parking spaces
- A “dark school” from sunset to sunrise
- A “green oasis” that must remain a wetlands in its natural state forever
- Maximum number of playing fields: 1
- Playing field can be used only for curriculum related activities
- No outside sanitation facilities–school must remain open whenever field is in use
- Maximum number of days field can be used: 180
- Maximum number of nights field can be used: 3
- 10 Hillside Road forever zoned “residential”
- GHS campus cannot be used as a park
- GHS buildings and fields cannot be rented out
- No structure can be more than 35 feet above grade level (except 4 light poles)
- BOE must obtain USACE 404 permits before commencing any work on site
- No vehicular access from the Post Road
- No street parking
- No clear cutting
- No outside public address system
- No additional variances permitted
- No additional deed restrictions permitted without P&Z review
- 30 day notice via certified mail to abutting neighbors of all proposed site plan changes
Bill Effros
Old Church Rd, Greenwich