****THE PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CONTINUED TO 3/15****

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MARCH 15th - TIME AND LINK WILL BE PROVIDED VIA EMAILS FROM ENNA. WWW.EASTNORWALK.ORG INFO@EASTNORWALK.ORG

Petition to Norwalk CT Planning & Zoning Commission

SCALE BACK THE “LOFTS AT MILL POND” CEMETERY STREET / MILL POND PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

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BACKGROUND:

In 2019, East Norwalk stakeholders participated in the City’s visioning workshops hosted by urban design firm Harriman Consulting to provide input on a proposed “East Norwalk Transit-Oriented Development Plan”, which called for mixed-use apartment developments within a 1/2 mile radius of the East Norwalk Train Station. Stakeholders concerned about too much density were assured that appropriately scaled apartment development was the plan.

The City subsequently adopted Zoning changes to create a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Plan and the regulations for an East Avenue Village Transit Zone (EVTZ) to encourage high density development along the entire East Avenue corridor from I-95 to Cemetery Street (and including most side streets). In doing so, they approved an “ala carte menu” of Bonus Points for Public Amenities that allow developers to double the allowable density and reduce property setbacks.

These approvals by the then current Planning Commission and Zoning Commission were despite TOD consultant Harriman’s reported data supporting that East Norwalk already possesses dense, diverse housing stock located within walking distance of the train station, and that over-densifying in a manner deemed objectionable by existing residents was NOT their recommendation.

The new EVTZ zone and its associated regulations & bonus amenity points were widely rejected by East Norwalk residents with concerns of over-development, reduced setbacks, infringement on current open space, and the negative quality of life impacts on our community (traffic, congestion, air/noise/light pollution, strain on City services and infrastructure.

Residents’ initial concerns about development “achieving critical mass”, terminology used in the “East Norwalk Neighborhood TOD Plan” materials to describe a density initiative until stakeholders objected, have now been validated. If approved, the Cemetery Street development would now become the blueprint for all future development in the corridor. Parcels throughout the East Avenue corridor will be assembled in order to take advantage of the increased heights and density made possible by an Amenities Bonus Point system devised by P&Z Director Steve Kleppin, consultants Harriman, and local developers. Residents shouldn’t be fooled by a false sense of fair review of traffic impacts and consideration of other Special Permit standards. The fact is that there is nothing within the Standards that would warrant denying the application that can’t simply be “conditioned” away. In this case, the accommodation of the oversized development and the need for parking would even require reducing Cemetery Street to a single one way lane, and adding paid parallel parking on it. It appears the P&Z Commission, the City Transportation and Parking Department and the Mayor are all onboard with this drastic change, one that will alter the traffic pattern not only on Cemetery, but will shift the “yield” burden to cars traveling northbound on Gregory Boulevard (also State Rt.136).

CURRENT STATUS:

***PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN CONTINUED TO MARCH 15th 2023***

PETITION TO OPPOSE

We, the undersigned residents of East Norwalk and other Norwalk stakeholders, object to the 1 Cemetery Street design as proposed. We believe that its overly dense massing/apartment units, reduced setbacks, increased height, minimal green space and meaningless amenities will become the blueprint for future development in East Norwalk. The strain on our already overburdened schools, police, fire, water, sewer, public works and natural resources is well-documented by Norwalk residents despite departmental sign offs to the contrary.

Therefore, we also urge the Norwalk Planning and Zoning Commission to request that the design of 1 Cemetery Street be scaled back and to initiate changes now to prevent this level of density, height and structure placement from being the rubber stamp approval for every other parcel in the EVTZ area.

As “The Lofts at Mill Pond” complex is within the TOD & EVTZ parameter and will set the legal litmus test for density of development to come, we ask that modifications be made immediately by the Applicants (Mill Pond Holdings LLC principals Michael DiScala and Clay Fowler) , even prior to the Public Hearing, to scale back the placement/massing/design/# of units.

REASONS FOR COMMUNITY OBJECTION TO DESIGN PROPOSAL AS IS:

• Primary structure is excessive in scale and monolithic; its lack of variance in heights due to lack of stand alone buildings and excessive glass windows/facades contribute to a “faux historic” aesthetic, and resembles nothing of the developers promised aesthetic: maritime, nautical, village, Nantucket style housing.
• Primary structure’s massing is overwrought for parcel’s size; impervious substance ratio overwhelms infilled green space ratio to fill parcel’s footprint, disallowing for adequate setback from Cemetery Street, which discourages walkability/bikeability
• Primary and secondary structures laid out to avoid conflict city stormwater pipe easement are configured to maximize density of units for profit and block current views of trees and Mill Pond.
• Primary and secondary structure placements dictate single curb cut (driveway), requiring State Rt.136 (Cemetery Street) to be reduced to a single one-way lane with parallel paid parking. If approved, modification would result in Gregory Blvd. northbound traffic stopping/yielding to merging traffic from Cemetery Street.
• Main structure’s placement/height/design will disrupt the habitat and breeding/nesting areas on north end of Mill Pond and will negatively impact migratory paths
• The development will create excessive air, noise, light and glare pollution as compared to current and as of right allowed uses.
• Traffic analysis is flawed due to traffic count data (compiled in March, not in height of seasonal traffic) and due to inaccurate comparison to prior or as of right use (peak hours used were prior to and after the former banks opening and closing hours).
• The traffic analysis was required to take into account the current impact of 230 East Avenue (Brim and Crown), but the developers are asking the Commission to ignore that claiming data is not available. . The public requires the post-occupancy traffic analysis associated with 230 East Avenue “Brim & Crown” development and anticipated impacts of 93 Winfield Street and future development of 5 Gregory Boulevard.
• East Norwalk traffic needs to be studied holistically and comprehensively, not in a piecemeal manner, in order to accurately and responsibly gauge future East Norwalk traffic volume as a whole
• Location of proposal’s “public amenities” for height/density bonus points are “hidden” and create a sense of trespassing” which will result in underutilization by the public. The amenities compiled for maximum point value are inexpensive to install/maintain, provide no exclusive public use, and hardly compensate the public compared to the decades of additional profit to be enjoyed by the developers from (40) additional rental units.

Therefore, we, the undersigned Norwalk residents, also request that no approval process be continued unless & until the following modifications be seriously considered as a compromise solution to protect our neighborhood, natural resources and quality of life.

POSSIBLE MODIFICATION CONSIDERATIONS PRIOR TO PUBLIC HEARING

• Stagger building heights from 2 to 3-½ stories to break up monolithic structure and eliminate any full glass facades above the first floor to minimize “faux historic”, truncated block of Main Street aesthetic and;
• Modify structures into 3-4 separate buildings instead of just 2 to break up monolithic structure, reduce the massing with wide driveways/walkways in between to open up sight line to trees and historic pond, and maximize percentage of infilled, green space as a public amenity and;
• Significantly increase front and side setbacks from public sidewalks to eliminate the “canyonization” of both Cemetery Street and lower East Avenue and;
• Reduce the total number of residential units in line with above modifications.
• Adhere to a maritime themed, New England style architecture in lieu of the “faux historic” Norwalk Green aesthetic and;
• To reduce congestion and improve safety, shift the primary curb cut and entry/entrance be on East Avenue side, not on Cemetery Street side and;
• Maintain Cemetery Street as is, considering adding 4' sidewalk at cemetery, and increasing southside sidewalk to at least 6 feet unobstructed and;
• Deny the City and applicant's request for on-street parking on Cemetery Street and northbound on-street parking on East Avenue and;
• Move the majority of public amenities to the front and immediate sides of structures, while maintaining well marked pedestrian path to pond with a possible 6’ x 6’ viewing deck to be funded/constructed/maintained by developer and;
• Incorporate adequate onsite green space into the design proposal dedicated for dog run and dog waste and;
• Disallow any resubmission for the renaming of Cemetery Street