By James Lomuscio
For the seventh time since 2002, Summit Saugatuck was back before Westport’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) tonight, this time with a site plan and amendments for a five-building, 187-unit, affordable housing, rental complex on Hiawatha Lane.
And compared to past skirmishes and denials, tonight’s hearing seemed noticeably amicable as Tim Hollister, attorney for Fairfield developer — and one-time Westport P&Z commissioner — Felix Charney, spoke.
He presented a site-specific text amendment, a map amendment, a site plan and a coastal area management (CAM) site plan for the 8.8 acre Saugatuck property near Exit 17 of I-95.
Even Westport’s former Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury, whose fire access, safety concerns have derailed other affordable housing projects, called Summit’s new designs “generally adequate” with some adjustments.