By James Lomuscio
A developer has submitted plans for five-story, 200-unit housing complex at the site of the Westport Inn on Post Road East. Thirty percent of the units would be deemed affordable.
Under submitted plans, the Westport Inn on Post Road East would be replaced by a 200-unit housing complex. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
The submission has raised concerns that use of state statute 8-30g to build it will not only allow the developer to bypass town zoning regulations, but put stress on town services and traffic, all in the name of affordable housing.
Sheldon Stein, who bought the inn seven years ago, submitted applications to the Conservation Commission last week and to the Planning & Zoning Department on Thursday, with maps and engineering reports. The designs choreograph razing of the 127-room hotel at 1595 Post Road East, replacing it with a 200-unit, multi-family residential community dubbed Westport Terrace Views.
The construction would take place through use of state statute 8-30g. Passed in 1989, it allows developers to overstep a municipality’s local zoning laws if that municipality does not have 10 percent of its housing stock classified as affordable, which Westport does not. It is intended to be an incentive to create more affordable housing in the state.
Lynne Krynicki, conservation analyst, said her department, the project’s first stop for approvals, is in the process of reviewing the reports. Conservation Director Alicia Mozian said her department and the Conservation Commission “probably would not get to it until late November or December.”
Still, the planned project due to its size, service implications, the pace at which its applications have been submitted and the specter of 8-30g has raised concerns, particularly about locally controlled growth being superseded by the state.
Repeated calls to Stein at New York City-based Ranger Properties, where he is a principal, and at the inn, as well as an email, have gone unanswered.
“At first glance this is an unusually large scale project that doesn’t fit with Westport’s small town character,” said First Selectman Jim Marpe. “The size and density are unprecedented, and it has potential ramifications for the delivery of town services, including school and emergency response, as well as potential traffic concerns.
“This will require an extensive review by a variety of town boards and commissions, along with appropriate public comment,” he added. “We are just at the very first steps of that process.”
According to the engineering report prepared by Milone & MacBroom, Inc. of Cheshire, the parcel totals 3.8 acres, a 2.86-acre area of development and a .94-acre, undeveloped conservation easement to the north.
The parcel also exists in two zoning districts, Zone GBD (General Business District) and Zone A, residential. The residential section to the east faces a MHP (Mobil Home Park District), which contains multi-family homes.
The property also lies in the Sasco Creek Watershed, a major reason the project’s first stop is the Conservation Department. Plans for the 363,328-square-foot complex, with a layout looking like a block letter, upper case “E” on its back, call for five stories with basement and first-floor garages, each with more than 71,700 square feet.
Residential levels, each more than 52,000 square feet, would go from the second through fifth levels. It also includes “roof amenities,” with a club room, lounge and a gymnasium.
According to the designs, each floor would have six studio apartments, 26 one-bedroom units, 17 two-bedroom ones and one three-bedroom apartment.
Under the 8-30g housing statute, 30 percent of a development’s units must be deemed affordable.
Barbara Butler, director of the town’s Department of Human Services, stressed that Westport does need more affordable housing.
“However, I don’t know if this is the best way to get it,” she said, adding that this is a proposed 8-30g project “There may be other ways.”
Butler had been a strong proponent of a planned senior housing complex on the town-owned Baron’s South property, a proposed 135-unit facility in which 20 percent of the units would be set aside as affordable.
Such a facility would have given the town moratoria points toward complying with the state’s requirement for affordable units, she said.
Last month, however, the Planning & Zoning Commission (P&Z), voted down the senior complex, which had been in the planning stages for 10 years.
Butler also said that the Westport’s cap on the number of multi-family housing units in town can be trumped by 8-30g. As a result, she is concerned the town will see more 8-30g proposed developments.
“It’s unfortunate if we have to get affordable housing by bypassing the town’s zoning regulations,” Butler said. “I’d like to see the town do the kinds of things that would fulfill it.”
If this comes to fruition it would be a travesty. The Town and all of it
Razing the hotel will mean that the $3.5 million renovation in 2011 was something of a waste of money (see http://www.westport-news.com/news/article/New-Westport-Inn-open-for-business-2224361.php).
On the other hand, this would put an end to the endless cycle of new restaurants opening, failing, and inevitably closing on this site (the Hearth, Spyglass, Conti, Eramosa, Red Hen, Bistro B…..)
Paul, you really don
At $30,000 per student it costs this town to educate, we will find ourselves having to raise taxes to afford the affordable housing. What a shame.
Gee, Paul, putting an end to a few restaurants coming and going is sure worth the trade off of a five story, 200 unit, New York City type of apartment building in Westport.
Good call.
Now THAT, Paul, IS a good point, of course.
One wonders if, in fact, ALL the in house “illegal” apartments currently rented, were accounted for, whether Westport would, actually, meet (or beat) the 10% threshold and be able better to combat opportunists who, under the guise of good deeds attempt to pollute the real estate landscape with apartments buildings.
My point on the restaurants was more of an aside (but it is interesting and irritating how nobody seems to be able to make a success of this site). I think the bigger question is that with this state statute 8-30g in place since 1989, what action has the Town of Westport taken in terms of trying to reach the goal of 10% affordable housing, which would allow proposals such as this to be subjected to zoning laws? Obviously any town with less than 10% affordable housing knows that proposals like this one could come along at any time and their options for blocking or modifying them are going to be limited.