The Westport Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously tonight to reject the plan to build an affordable housing project in the middle of the Gorham Avenue Historic District.
Red Coat Development has proposed to build 20 condominiums at the 1.5 acres at 296 Main St. and 5 Gorham Ave. Six of the units would be deemed “affordable” under state statutes. The application falls under the state’s affordable housing statute, which switches the burden of proof on a zoning decision to the commission.
The commission spent nearly two hours reviewing and making grammar and word changes in a 20-page resolution that stated its reasons for rejecting the proposal.
Officials representing Red Coat Development have stated in the past they would appeal a decision if the commission denied the application.
Among the reasons stated in the resolution to reject the proposal are the lack of proper fire protection, how it would affect a historic district and the lack of adequate drainage that could cause flooding.
No one representing Red Coat Development was present at tonight’s meeting, but a small number of residents from the Gorham Avenue Historic District were in attendance.
Grayson Braun, who would live next to the development, said she and her neighbors had been worried about preserving the integrity of the historic district.
“The denial indicates that for the time being our historic district remains safe,” she said.
Nancy Stewart, who lives in the district, said the commission did an incredible job with its work
“The P&Z staff worked so hard,” she said. “They made a significant contribution to historic preservation.”
Braun said naturally everyone will be worried about a court process, but she views it as another step.
Stewart, who worked with Braun to secure the historic designation for their neighborhood, said the court process is “another set of eyes.”
“I hope (the P&Z’s) ground work is enough,” she said.
Braun said the court process will be important in upholding historic districts across the state.
“If a historic district is not safe, it means something like the Mark Twain house could be torn down for one of these developments,” she said.
I want to thank the P&Z Commission and Staff for their hard work and dedication in seeing this application through to this stage. The countless hours (actually around 40 hours, but whose counting) spent by the commission members in the public hearing and deliberation process gives testimony to the dedicated volunteers that we have serving us. And the staff work done by Larry Bradley, Mary Young and others in the P&Z office was of the highest professional level. In speaking with professionals that we hired to assist us, they universally praised Larry and Mary for their focus and professionalism….to a person, they said that Westport is lucky to have the best and most professional P&Z staff around.
I also want to thank the countless Westporters who have given us support. We are now getting ready for the 3rd inning of what could be an extra-inning game; with the continued support of the people of this town, I look forward to a winning effort.
John McCarthy
john@gorhamneighbors.org
203-454-7554