The National Weather Service has issued a Thunderstorm Watch for Westport and area until 10 p.m. and a Heat Advisory until 8 p.m.

The state also reported a 0.6% positivity rate, which is based upon 83 confirmed cases out of 13,483 tests on Wednesday.

Positivity rate is used to gauge whether a state is conducting enough testing — a lower positivity rate indicates that a state is identifying a larger proportion of its actual coronavirus cases.

For the seven-day period ending July 21, there were four COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and 13 new cases. Among nursing home staff, there were 32 cases and no deaths. Nursing homes have been hard hit during the pandemic, with 2,848 deaths.

Among residents of assisted living facilities there was just one new case of COVID-19 and no deaths for the same period.

Also today, the state revised its case count and removed 74 previously reported coronavirus cases that were determined to be false positives.

The state Department of Public Health announced Monday that it had discovered a flaw in one of its testing systems, which led to about 90 false positive results on coronavirus tests.

The state also reported a 0.6% positivity rate, which is based upon 83 confirmed cases out of 13,483 tests on Wednesday.

Positivity rate is used to gauge whether a state is conducting enough testing — a lower positivity rate indicates that a state is identifying a larger proportion of its actual coronavirus cases.

For the seven-day period ending July 21, there were four COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes and 13 new cases. Among nursing home staff, there were 32 cases and no deaths. Nursing homes have been hard hit during the pandemic, with 2,848 deaths.

Among residents of assisted living facilities there was just one new case of COVID-19 and no deaths for the same period.

Also today, the state revised its case count and removed 74 previously reported coronavirus cases that were determined to be false positives.

The state Department of Public Health announced Monday that it had discovered a flaw in one of its testing systems, which led to about 90 false positive results on coronavirus tests.

“As such, this reason for denial is a legally insufficient basis for the court to uphold Westport’s denial of the application under consideration,” it adds.

Regarding fire department access and egress concerns, the judge found that the denial was predicated on input from former Westport Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury and town Fire Marshal Nate Gibbons, not the State Fire Marshal, the authority with jurisdiction.

“There is nothing in the record to suggest that the State Fire Marshal made any determination in this matter calling for access beyond what the applicable fire codes required or what was proposed by the applicant in connection with the proposed development,” Roraback wrote in his 23-page decision.

He also found flaws in the traffic safety concerns the P&Z cited, including “site lines to be calculated at 15 feet from the curb and by requiring a longer site line calculation when looking up Lincoln Street from the development’s exit.”

“These substantial public interests must, however, be considered against the backdrop of the evidence presented by the applicant, and the fact that the traffic expert retained by Westport did not, in its own independent review, identify these claimed deficiencies as safety risks,” Roraback said, adding that they did not “outweigh Westport’s need for affordable housing.”

During the P&Z hearings, local officials have claimed the area was being held hostage by 8-30g. The statute allows a developer to override local zoning regulations if a town does not have at least 10% of its housing stock deemed affordable, which Westport now at 4% does not.

“The only comment I have is that we are reviewing the decision carefully and will be meeting with the commission tomorrow to review our options,” Twn Attorney Ira Bloom said Wednesday.

Cross Street LLC’s plan calls for an 81-unit apartment building with 104,625 square feet of floor area located on a 3.15-acre parcel.

The decision notes the planned building would be six stories and 72 feet high, with the lowest two stories used as a parking garage. It also states there would be two ways to enter the development, including a driveway off Lincoln Street and via a right turn off Post Road West. Egress would be the same.

During the P&Z hearings, residents and local officials said the development would increase traffic in an already congested downtown during rush hour periods.

“As such, this reason for denial is a legally insufficient basis for the court to uphold Westport’s denial of the application under consideration,” it adds.

Regarding fire department access and egress concerns, the judge found that the denial was predicated on input from former Westport Fire Chief Andrew Kingsbury and town Fire Marshal Nate Gibbons, not the State Fire Marshal, the authority with jurisdiction.

“There is nothing in the record to suggest that the State Fire Marshal made any determination in this matter calling for access beyond what the applicable fire codes required or what was proposed by the applicant in connection with the proposed development,” Roraback wrote in his 23-page decision.

He also found flaws in the traffic safety concerns the P&Z cited, including “site lines to be calculated at 15 feet from the curb and by requiring a longer site line calculation when looking up Lincoln Street from the development’s exit.”

“These substantial public interests must, however, be considered against the backdrop of the evidence presented by the applicant, and the fact that the traffic expert retained by Westport did not, in its own independent review, identify these claimed deficiencies as safety risks,” Roraback said, adding that they did not “outweigh Westport’s need for affordable housing.”

During the P&Z hearings, local officials have claimed the area was being held hostage by 8-30g. The statute allows a developer to override local zoning regulations if a town does not have at least 10% of its housing stock deemed affordable, which Westport now at 4% does not.

“The only comment I have is that we are reviewing the decision carefully and will be meeting with the commission tomorrow to review our options,” Twn Attorney Ira Bloom said Wednesday.

Cross Street LLC’s plan calls for an 81-unit apartment building with 104,625 square feet of floor area located on a 3.15-acre parcel.

The decision notes the planned building would be six stories and 72 feet high, with the lowest two stories used as a parking garage. It also states there would be two ways to enter the development, including a driveway off Lincoln Street and via a right turn off Post Road West. Egress would be the same.

During the P&Z hearings, residents and local officials said the development would increase traffic in an already congested downtown during rush hour periods.

Sunset Wednesday at the Longshore Sailing School. Then the storms came. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Nancy Lally for WestportNow.com

Thunderstorms rolled through Westport tonight in this view from Compo Beach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Meredith Holod for WestportNow.com

Storms move in tonight at Compo Beeach. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Jaime Bairaktaris for WestportNow.com

The state said today its Westport COVID-19 case count was down one at 320 (305 confirmed and 15 probable) while the number of deaths was unchanged at 23.

The state Health Department said it constantly revises its count based on new information.

Gov. Ned Lamont reported 127 new COVID-19 cases statewide (total now 4,823) with no new deaths (current total 4,406) and one additional patient hospitalized with COVID-19 (total now 63.)

The Downtown Merchants Association led the closure effort.

The Downtown Merchants Association led the closure effort.