“They want to have a seat at the table. If they want a seat at the table, the applicant should stop worrying about the centerpiece and worry about the chair.”
– P&Z commissioner Nick MacriCommissioner Peter Lowe said he didn’t see how a favorable decision would reflect a distrust of DPW. “I personally don’t get that sense,” he said.
Commissioner Dave Hardman said he agreed with the applicant that the process for the bridge/culvert upgrades had not been good.
“I do think there is value in designating this a scenic road, if for no other reason than to make sure we have a better process, a deliberate process, not just one citizen to the DPW,” he said.
Katie DeLuca said designating the scenic loop would force a public forum for discussion of DPW projects, because DPW is not always required to come to P&Z.
“If this was designated a scenic road that would become a requirement,” she said. “That was the applicant’s rationale – to have the ability to discuss what is proposed in a public meeting.”
“I like the historical protections,” said commissioner Dennis Yeskey, adding that he did not consider the traffic intensive.
Ms Alban said she spent a lot of time thinking about the application and believed the site to be part of Greenwich’s heritage that should be protected.
“The real intent of the state statute is to protect scenic resources and communities,” she said. “We have to look at the intent of a statue or town charter.”
After the vote to approve the scenic road, Ms Alban said, “I think our DPW is tremendous. I do not see this as being any kind of negative on them. Having worked with (DPW commissioner) Amy Siebert, (deputy commissioner) Jim Michel and others in the department, I admire them so much – their intelligence, their depth, and their commitment.”
As a result of the approval, the application for the Sound Beach Avenue bridge/culvert project at the northern end of Binney Park, which is expected to be put forth in the next month or two, will now be required to come before the P&Z commission, rather than rest entirely with DPW.
In her morning after de-brief in WGCH radio, Town Planner Katie DeLuca said DPW does an exceptional job for the town.
“This is in no way to be seen as a reaction to something they did or did not do, but rather whether or not this complies with the town charter,” DeLuca said.
See also:
P&Z Watch: Residents Continue to Push for Scenic Road around Binney Park
Aug 7, 2020
P&Z Watch: Scenic Loop Designation around Northern Binney Park Scrutinized
July 1, 2020
P&Z Watch: Scenic Road Designation for .6 Mile Loop around Binney Pond Discussed
Dec 12, 2019
P&Z Pushes Back on DPW Bridge/Rotary Project on Sound Beach Ave
April 4, 2018
March 8, 2018