The agenda of the Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency meeting on Monday night featured an application from St Paul’s Episcopal Church to subdivide their 8.65 acre property in Riverside.
The property is located in the R-20 single family residential zone at 200 Riverside Ave.
The church wants to carve out four lots to sell to be developed with new single family dwellings and driveways.
Two lots, A and B, would front on Indian Head Rd. Both Lots A and B are outside the 100 ft Upland View Area.
IWWA meeting via Zoom on Monday, July 28, 2025
Lots C and D would be accessed from Riverside Ave. They are rear lots proposed to share a driveway that goes through a woodland wetland. That driveway would be supported by a new retaining wall.
After the subdivision spinning off four lots for development, St. Paul’s Church building, columbarium and playground would remain.
The property is in the Flood Hazard Zone X.
The property features several wetlands pockets that were identified on a diagram the Wetlands Agency members said was difficult to understand.
St Paul’s Church building is on lower right of diagram. Lot C and D would be accessed from driveway off Riverside Ave (top right of diagram). A is proposed to be accessed from Indian Head Rd to the left of the church on the diagram, and B would be accessed from a driveway to the left of Lot A on the diagram.
Front of St Paul’s Episcopal Church. July 29, 2025 photo: Leslie Yager
Greenwich’s Director of Environmental Affairs, Beth Evans, a professional wetlands scientist, said the proposed site plan would have a significant impact on the wetland.
Representing the applicant were attorney Tom Heagney and engineer Tony D’Andrea.
“This is not a decision that the church came to lightly – to sell off portions of their property,” Heagney said. “To sustain the church’s ability to maintain the church building itself and carry out their mission in the community, the parish voted overwhelmingly to proceed to be able to meet those obligations.”
“A number of the residents that have expressed a desire for no development to occur,” Heagney said. “Unfortunately that is not one of the options the church can look to.”
Front of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Riverside. July 28, 2025 Photo: Leslie Yager
Mr. D’Andrea said trees would be removed, and a total count would be be provided at the next presentation.
During public comment several residents opposed the application, including Virginia Lockhart who described the property as a valuable living, breathing wild area featuring wetlands and old growth trees.
IWWA chair Elliot Benton said Ms Lockhart’s comments about the property’s fragile ecosystem supporting birds and wildlife did not specifically concern wetlands, but would be of interest to P&Z as part of their review.
Morgan Mitchell from Jones Park Drive said he thought the actual wetlands were greater than shown on the applicant’s diagram, and that there were also wetlands abutting the property.
Ms Evans said abutting wetlands were something DPW engineering division had also brought up, and they planned to visit those properties before the next meeting.
Mr. Benton said it might make sense for the church to remove lots C and D from the application.
He suggested the church consider selling lots Lots A and B and then returning to the Agency with an application that has less impact on the wetlands.
IWWA chair Elliot Benton moved that the Wetlands Agency opened a public hearing. There were no objections.
The matter will be continued at their next meeting. In the mean time the agency will schedule a site visit so the agency members can see the site first hand.
Ms Evans talked about the criteria required for a public hearing.
“If the agency feels there is potential for significant impact to wetlands or receives a petition from more than 25 people interested in the application – in those two circumstances the agency should hold a public hearing to review the application.”
Evans said the agency had received written comments from 7 members of the public.
“We don’t typically see applications of this nature where the construction is right up against the wetlands edge, and stormwater is collected and discharged to the wetland. In my opinion this application meets the criteria for a public hearing.”
Evans said the applicant had yet to provide information on the quality or importance on the wetlands, but attorney Heagney said that would be forthcoming.
“Personally I’d also like to see the impact to the northwest diminished,” said Mr. Benton. “I’d like to see that driveway pulled way to the east, even though it’s going to eat up more of the parking lot. But, it seems to me we have a wonderful opportunity to clear a space around that wetland and do some some revitalization. That would be something I’d like to see.”
Wetlands board member Theodore Walworth said he’d like to see “old school drawings” he said would helpful to give the agency members perspective.
“It’s very difficult to grasp this project looking at the small screen,” Walworth added.
See also:
Despite Concerns of P&Z Chair, Church with Historic Overlay Okayed for Additional Commercial Use
July 23, 2025
Church in Old Greenwich Seeks to Consolidate Lots, Construct New Buildings, Expand Parking
July 8, 2025