Greenwich Free Press (https://greenwichfreepress.com/tag/margarita-alban/)
“Perfect solutions are few and far between. At the end of the day, the need for housing may supersede almost everything else. We can work with developers to create housing that is sensible and compliant with our regulation and the POCD guiding principles. Or, we can pay lip service, do nothing, and wait for exogenous forces to impose unwanted changes to our town.” – P&Z commissioner Peter Lowe Continue Reading →
Attorney Heagney warned developers could bypass the town’s 6-110 regulation in favor of Connecticut’s state affordable housing statute 8-30g.
“If you are going to discourage developers from using 6-110 in this fashion, then generally the developments will become larger because there is no point of working within the local regulation when you have a state statute that deals with it differently,” Heagney said. Continue Reading →
P&Z commission chair Alban and attorney Tim Hollister disagreed on whether 8-30g can include retail.
Ms Alban said the history of the site was car dealership.
“You have not had retail, unless you consider a car dealership retail, which we don’t.”
“Car dealerships have a retail component. You can buy your antifreeze there,” Hollister said.
“The use isn’t classified by most towns as a retail use,” Alban said. Continue Reading →
The proposal is again for “the flip,” which refers to switching the location of the existing 70’s era Hamill Rink with Strazza field, so that the new 42,000 sq ft rink (10,000 sq ft larger than the existing building) would be toward the middle of the park rather than tucked in the corner as it is now. Continue Reading →
Tesla received approval for improvements to a parking lot along Laddins Rock Rd in the GB zone. The buildings associated with the property are located in the city of Stamford. Only the parking lot is in Greenwich. Continue Reading →
Pause Greenwich will have 7 therapy rooms, cryotherapy, light therapy, Sauna, Float room, compression therapy, and three IV stations. While the medical spa use is also not an allowed use in the LBR2 zone, the commission ultimately determined the new non-conforming use would be no more non-conforming than the previous bank use. Continue Reading →
“Gardens are not a replacement for trees. They have different benefits they give to health and the environment. Removing a tree without permission is not acceptable even if it does provide more sunlight for your house or garden. Ignorance of the law or regulation is not an excuse for breaking it, which appears to be the defense they are making now.” – Kate Dzikiewicz of the Greenwich Tree Conservancy Continue Reading →
Commissioner Nick Macri referred to a proposed “socioeconomic bifurcation” as “a return to days gone by.” Continue Reading →
“I’d like to see 6-110 used rather than avoided. 6-110 is intended to be an incentive in and of itself. I’m very troubled by the idea of payment in lieu as a general proposition.” – P&Z commissioner Mary Jenkins Continue Reading →
Commissioner Dennis Yeskey shared concern about having two buildings – one with mostly the affordable units and one with mostly luxury condos. He said that posed an issue of equity for residents. Continue Reading →