At their last meeting Greenwich’s P&Z commission approved a text amendment, zoning map amendment and site plan/special permit for 198 residential units at 1 American Lane, which is property located in the northwest corner of Greenwich between New York and the Greenwich American Center many know as American Can.
The property is cut off from the rest of the Greenwich by I-684, though the applicant has emphasized that most Greenwich residents had never been to the property or even wondered what town the big building was in when they drive past it on I-684.
The 1 property is owned by real estate company Tishman Speyer.
The area to be developed for residential use is on undeveloped but mostly manicured portions. Located in the BEX-50R zone, the property is 155 acres, of which about 45 areas are conservation area. The area proposed for residential development is undeveloped and mostly manicured portions of the property.
Approval included numerous conditions.
Back in the 1960s the American Can Company, a manufacturer of tin cans, constructed their headquarters on a portion of the property. In the 1980s they relocated their headquarters and sought to have the building used as general office space with multiple tenants. At the time Greenwich zoning permitted only three tenants. In 1991 after an appeal which was ultimately decided by the CT Supreme Court, multiple tenants were permitted and zoning regs for the BEX-50 zone were amended. In 2019, the Commission amended the zone to eliminate “executive” from the definition of office business use.
In addition to building 198 units, the application includes updates to the existing on-site sewer / wastewater treatment facility.
The application took a few years to work its way to approval, and along the way the town of North Castle, New York voiced objections, as did neighboring IBM.
North Castle, NY expressed concerns that the proposal would also impact the Armonk Hamlet. Concerns included demand on water supply, storm water runoff, sewage disposal, excavation and other disturbance on 100 acres of currently undeveloped land, additional traffic, construction and the density of the development.
An earlier iteration of the proposal, back in March 2022, was for 456 units in 41 buildings.
At one point P&Z commission chair Margarita Alban commented, “It looks like the proverbial 8 lbs in the 5 lb sack.”
At that point, the application referred to “starter homes,” which Alban said was misleading.
In January 2023 the applicant returned to P&Z, with another pre-application, to propose 309 units in 55 buildings.
Later, the proposal was reduced to 248 residential units.
The application approved last week by P&Z was for 198 units.
The application had officially “closed” at a previous meeting which gave the commission time to reflect on the criteria that the neighboring town of North Castle, NY had submitted regarding their concerns about potential improper environmental impacts.
The town of North Castle had filed a petition for intervention pursuant to CT statute 22a-19 citing potentially improper environmental impacts, and the commission granted that town intervener status.
The property at 1 American Lane relies on well water and the existing on site wastewater treatment facility, and the petitioner raised concerns that the site might drain towards or within the NYC drinking watershed.
North Castle also had concerns about environmental impacts including about effluent and water treatment that will need to be addressed before authorities involved issue permits. Connecticut DEEP will be involved with approvals.
Ultimately the commission found that the design was consistent with the new regulation for the BEX Zone (Business Executive zone) for residential uses and was in compliance with the Greenwich’s POCD.
The actual motion for approval during the P&Z commission meeting was lengthy and included numerous conditions, including expanding the existing sewer treatment facility to accommodate 198 units, to enlarge the existing conservation easement area, and installing storm water management systems and landscaping.
Another condition was that the applicant engage a qualified environmental consultant/monitor to assure minimal adverse environmental impacts, especially around the vernal pool, its upland vernal pool envelope, and critical terrestrial habitat.
Children living in the community are proposed to be districted to attend Parkway School, Central Middle School and Greenwich High School, and per GHS, and the schools superintendent talked about to three bus stops but that could change to one, two or more depending on the number of children who move into the development. (Ultimately the BOE will decide which public schools the children are districted to attend.)
Jonathan Supranowitz, communications director for the district, said in an email on Wednesday that the students could go somewhere else, or even be split up depending on space available at the time.
Also, key was a contribution to the town’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund “in lieu of” including affordable units. The amount mentioned was $50,000 per unit.
Up to 3 percent of the residential units in the development will be clustered in groups of four or five units.
NOTE: This article was updated to clarify the students are only “proposed to attend Parkway School.” Ultimately, the Board of Education will decide where the children will be going to school. he said they could go somewhere else, or even be split up depending on space available at the time.
See also:
Nov 15, 2023
IBM Weighs in on Neighboring American Lane Proposal for 248 Residential Units
Sept 12, 2023
North Castle, NY Concerned about 456-Unit Development in Northwest Corner of Greenwich
April 25, 2022
456 Starter Homes and Townhomes Proposed for 154.5-Acre Lot in Northwest Corner of Greenwich
March 7, 2022
April 19, 2022