There’s a good reason only 4 readers commented on last week’s Photo Challenge — and none got it right.
We were in the middle of a 200-year flood, when a photo of Staples High School Class of 1971 graduate Kelley Spearen’s sculpture was posted. (Click here to see.)
For the record, it’s on Riverside Avenue — at the foot of Burr Road.
Fingers crossed that today is drier.
And that more readers can respond to today’s Photo Challenge. We’re trying with another outdoor sculpture.
f you know where in Westport you’d see this, click “Comments” below.
Yesterday — based on inaccurate information — our “06880” Roundup reported that the Board of Finance turned down a Public Works Department request for equipment for the Ned Dimes Marina renovation project.
Public Works director Larry Roberts clarifies: “We brought an appropriation request to the Board of Finance, but it was withdrawn due to inaccuracies in the accompanying materials.
“In any event, the work was not anticipated to begin until after the summer boating season.”
Speaking of last Sunday’s flood: In 2021, the Westport Arts Advisory Committee partnered with landowner David Waldman. They installed 5 mini-murals in the alley behind Anthropologie.
This one depicts what Westport artist Rebecca Ross thought Westport would look like in 50 years.
As Miggs Burroughs notes: “She was off by only 45.”
Westoberfest is less than 2 weeks away.
The 9th annual craft beer and family fall event returns Saturday, October 3 (1 to 5 p.m., Elm Street. Among the highlights: craft beer, music, food, art, shopping, and family-fun activities.
Admission is free. Guests who want to sample more than 50 local and regional beers, from over 20 breweries, can purchase a tasting pass.
This year, Westoberfest introduces a collaboration with 3 local arts organizations for hands-on creativity in the family area.
MoCA\CT invites families to design tote bags using colorful stamps, patterns and doodles, then take them home. One River School of Art + Design offers a fall-inspired mandala activity, while Whimsy Works Atelier brings parent-child creative play.
The family area, sponsored by Gault Family Companies, will feature carnival games from Chris and Pete Amusements, pumpkin decorating, and more.
For friendly competition, the annual stein-holding competition, hosted by CBS News weather anchor and Westport resident Lonnie Quinn, will once again challenge participants to show off their strength and stamina.
One Bad Oyster takes the stage with their energetic ska-surf sound.
Food and treats will be served by Blind Rhino, Freshko by Krisia, Fryborg, LemoNate’s, Lovely Chocolate by Talita Dupin, Paradise Island Food, and Van Leeuwen Ice Cream.
Elm Street will also feature a shopping and services vendor area
A beer tasting pass is $50 now, $55 on-site. Click here to purchase. Beer tasting participants receive a Westoberfest tasting glass and koozie.
Wakeman Town Farm’s “Fantastic Farmhands” welcomed a special guest last week: monarch watch conservation specialist Alice Ely.
She helped the youngsters release Petey, a monarch butterfly, and provided a fascinating peek into the science behind monarch migration.
Before Petey took off, Alice attached a tiny radio tag to his back using eyelash adhesive. The transmitter weighs no more than a grain of rice, so it’s light enough for Petey to fly freely.
Petey wasted no time.
In 2 days, the feisty butterfly traveled 109 miles, heading southwest toward Mexico.
To follow his journey, download the Project Monarch app, then search for Petey2026. You can track his migration in real time as he flies south.
Once they arrive in Mexico, the butterflies stay there until late winter. As temperatures warm and the days get longer, they receive their cue to head north, where they mate and lay eggs on the first milkweed they find — often in Texas.
The tiny tags are powered by solar cells, so Petey may occasionally disappear from the radar while his tag recharges. The WTF butterfly — the first monarch ever released from Connecticut with this type of radio tag — could make it all the way to Mexico.
Alice Ely, with monarch butterfly and Wakeman Town Farm “farmhands.”
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Sure, it’s another Sunday with rain in the forecast. (Though nowhere near as much as last week … knock wood.)
But the Staples High School girls swim and dive team is washing cars today, rain or (fingers crossed) shine.
They’ll be at 176 Post Road West — the old Carvana spot, opposite Kings Highway Elementary School — from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
A suggested donation is $20. Stop in for a wash. If these girls can spend hours a day in the pool, the least you can do is get wet, while supporting the squad.
This was the scene at an old sea captain’s home, on Sylvan Routh South:
(Photo/Susan Garment)
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Actors have to flexible.
So does their entire company.
Westport Community Theatre had an unexpected change in their season lineup just a few weeks before opening.
“Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” moved into the first slot.
It showcases a talented cast of Fairfield County actors, as well as Fairfield playwright Joe Landry.
The show — featuring suspense, intrigue, murder and touch of dark humor — runs through October 4, in the basement level of Town Hall.
Landry transforms 3 Hitchcock thrillers – “The Lodger,” “Sabotage” and “The 39 Steps” – into a 1940s-style radio broadcast performed before a live audience.
The 7-member cast moves among multiple roles, voices and characters as the stories unfold, creating the world of Hitchcock with microphones, scripts, music, and an elaborate soundscape.
Remaining performances are at 2 p.m. Sundays (today, and September 27 and October 4), and 7:30 p.m. on September 24, 25, 26, and October 2 and 3.
A 6-play subscription for the year is available for $140. WCT’s 69th season includes “Betrayal” by Harold Pinter; “Summer, 1976” by David Auburn; “What the Constitution Means to Me” by Heidi Schreck; “Catch-22” by Joseph Heller, and “Happy Days” by Samuel Beckett.
Tom Rusen and John Bachelder in “Vintage Hitchcock.”
Looking for a fun afternoon, with competition, food, camaraderie — and a chance to help support a new initiative?
A Better Chance of Westport’s inaugural Cornhole Tournament is set for Saturday, October 3 (11:30 to 3 p.m., Longshore’s Evan Harding Point).
Proceeds will help launch ABC’s College Scholarship Fund. It’s a way to expand their commitment to the scholars they sponsor and support during their time at Staples High School, as they move on to the next chapter of their educational journeys.
And finally … on this day in 1973, Jim Croce and 5 others died when their light plane crashed shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Airport in Louisiana.
(It’s been a week since a huge “rain bomb” hit Westport. “06880” reported that story all day, and every day since. If you appreciate our coverage, please click here to support this blog. Thanks!)
Tickets sell like hotcakes (to mix a metaphor) every summer, when the Westport Rotary Club’s LobsterFest becomes available.
For good reason: It’s one of the town’s best parties. Lobster, steak, burgers, dogs, all the fixings, and plenty to drink.
(Photo/Mary Lou Roels)
Live music. Kids’ activities. Vendor booths. Celebrities helping out. Huge community spirit. All at a favorite spot: Compo Beach.
Clawdia the Lobster (aka Rick Benson) and friend. (Photo/Ellen Bowen)
And — best of all — hundreds of thousands of dollars raised for local and international charities, non-profits and good causes.
Thanks to all the Rotarians — and hundreds of volunteers, including Staples Service League of Boys, National Charity League, and A Better Chance of Westport — for throwing this bash.
And if you missed out on a ticket: Be quicker next summer.
A few happy Rotarians … (Photo/Dave Matlow)
… and many more. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
He’ll need a lot of lobsters to feel full. (Photo/Dave Matlow)
Those lobsters don’t cook themselves! (Photo/Dave Matlow)
That’s the spirit! (Photo/Dave Matlow)
What’s a community festival without crowds … (Photo/Dave Matlow)
… or face painting … (Photo/Dave Matlow)
… or more kids’ stuff? (Photo/Dave Matlow)
National Charity League volunteers. (Photo/Stephanie Tang)
Westport’s Finest (all 7 of them!) (Photo/Dave Matlow)
Two weeks ago, residents chronicled “A Day in the Life of Westport.”
It was an ordinary Sunday: September 6. (Timing is everything. The following Sunday saw 7 inches of rain devastate the town.)
Westporters of all kinds — old and young, professional photographers and amateurs, newcomers and old-timers — rose to the challenge.
Using smartphones, actual cameras with expensive lenses, and everything in between, you snapped images. And sent them in.
The final count was 510 submissions. They came from all over town, and showed the wide variety of activities on a late-summer Sunday.
Compo Beach. Soccer. A sandbar party at Old Mil. A car wash. The YMCA. Church. Longshore. The skate park. Saugatuck. Downtown.
All those, and more, are now immortalized in “A Day in the Life of Westport.”
Here are a couple of dozen. Click here to see all 510. (NOTE: We could have used all 510. But that would break WordPress.)
Next steps for the project — a collaboration between the Artists Collective of Westport, the League of Women Voters Westport, the David T. Langrock Foundation and “06880” — include the possibility of a book with every photo, and other items.
In the meantime: Enjoy these selections. We live in quite a town!
Tunnel of Love (Miggs Burroughs)
Greens Farms Church (Emily Jennings)
Last Days of Summer (Lisa Gold)
Staples Soccer Car Wash (Lisa Bautista)
Challenger Baseball Winners (Beth Cody)
Low Tide Gymnastics (Danielle Harrison)
Aqua Fitness at the YMCA (Patty Kondub)
Jumping in the Water (Sophie Montagnon)
Life at Glendarcy House: Around the Kitchen Island (Tamika Thompson)
Outdoor Lunch at Old Mill Grocery & Deli (Pam Docters)
Last Swim of Summer (Debbie McGinley)
Soccer and Squishies (Maria Mulvehill)
A Sandbar Party at Old Mill Beach (Totney Benson)
Oslo Enjoying Saugatuck Island Beach (Gail Coykendall)
Cribari Bridge (Alison Wachstein)
Old Mill Sandbar Beach Party (James Delorey)
So Many Books, So Little Time (Lisa Tantillo)
Longshore Golf Course Clouds (Marion Pietrowski)
Kids Walking Across the Bridge (Gregory Lessans)
Leaping From Lifeguard Chair (Lynn Untermeyer Miller)
The initiative aims to reduce single-use plastics, and expand water-filling stations around town. The goal is to “turn shared intention into measurable, community-wide change.”
Once a month, we help them highlight an area of daily life where single-use plastic is most common, along with practical ideas to use. This month, we focus on a topic we all relate to: groceries.
Grocery runs are unglamorous. We do them often — and often without thinking.
But think about this: A surprising amount of what ends up in the cart is wrapped in plastic that did not need to be there.
To help Westporters cut down on the plastic entering their home, Sustainable Westport has released its UnPlastic Your Groceries guide. We break the store down, to show where the easiest swaps are.
Be a smart shopper!
One resident shows what that looks like in practice.
Sustainable Westport’s Gretchen Hoffmann took a camera along on a regular grocery trip. She walked aisle by aisle, pointing out plenty of plastic-free choices. Click here to see.
Produce: Choose loose fruits and vegetables over the pre-bagged multi-pack whenever there’s a choice. Skip the produce bag entirely for anything with a peel, like oranges or avocados. Or use your own reusable produce bags as needed.
Bulk Bins: Both the Westport Whole Foods and Fresh Market stock bulk bins for grains, nuts, snacks and more. Bring your own container, weigh it at customer service, and skip the packaging altogether.
Buy in bulk!
Butcher & Seafood Counter: A simple ask (paper instead of the pre-packaged plastic tray) that most counters are happy to accommodate, even if it’s not posted anywhere. Some stores only have the plastic-wrapped options, so make the best choice you can.
Condiments:Ketchup, mustard, mayo and others all come in glass as well as plastic. They’re usually on the same shelf — at a similar price.
None of this requires a special trip or specific store. It’s the same cart, same list — just a slightly different choice at each stop.
Every individual swap is minor on its own — one glass jar instead of plastic, one loose pepper instead of a bagged 3-pack.
But multiplied across carts, over months, across a town, it adds up to something bigger than waste reduction.
It’s a signal to local stores about what Westporters actually want on the shelf. That’s part of what shapes what gets stocked here in the first place.
To see Gretchen’s full grocery trip, follow along on Instagram: @sustainablewestport.
For the complete aisle-by-aisle breakdown, along with product recommendations for bulk shopping, produce bags and pantry staples, visit the fullUnPlastic Your Groceries guide on Sustainable Westport’s site.
(In 2026, the team’s goal is to turn shared intention into measurable, community-wide change. Plastic affects our health, our environment, and communities far beyond our borders, and recycling alone is not solving the problem. That’s why UnPlastic Westport focuses on reducing plastic at the source through education, practical swaps, and collective action. Follow along on Instagram (@sustainablewestport) or sign up for their newsletter for more tips.)
A reader writes: “The Ned Dimes Marina, and the pumps there, are still operating only on generator power.
“Eversource has yet to restore power to the marina (since the marina construction project). Why Eversource hasn’t restored power there in all of this time is crazy.”
“06880” contacted Public Works director Larry Roberts. He replied quickly:
As part of the Compo marina project, new switch gear was to be installed — this is the exterior cabinet containing the circuit breaker panel and other equipment that receives power from the Eversource transformer, and distributes it to the marina’s sub-panels.
“Load calculations performed during the design phase showed the new switch gear would not exceed what it was replacing; in fact, the calculated amperage called for a smaller panel than the existing one.
“During construction, we learned that Eversource would require a new transformer regardless of the smaller switch gear. That triggered a requirement to ‘harden’ the electrical service to meet updated code — for example, elevating the transformer above the FEMA flood plain.
“When we brought an appropriation request to the Board of Finance, but it was withdrawn due to inaccuracies in the accompanying materials.
“In any event, the work was not anticipated to begin until after the summer boating season.
“We’re now soliciting a competitive bid for the work, which I expect will produce savings — hopefully substantial — compared to the original request. The tradeoff is a longer timeline, partly due to design review by Eversource to confirm the new system meets their regulatory requirements.
“Our goal is to have bids returned and the work completed by late winter. Unfortunately, that means the marina will run on generator power for the rest of the boating season.
“The upside: once complete, the marina, South Beach bathrooms, and event power in the parking lot (Lobsterfest and others) will run on an electrical system that’s resilient to flooding and erosion for years to come.”
Ned Dimes Marina has used generators throughout the renovation project. (Photo/DinkinESH Fotografix)
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Time to get rid of your gun?
The Westport Police Department will buy it back.
On October 3 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Police headquarters, Jesup Road), Westport will participate in a statewide gun buyback and gun safe giveaway program.
It’s 100% anonymous. No identification is required.
Gift cards will be exchanged for operable firearms, while supplies last.
In addition, a limited number of free PIN-code gun safes will be available to pistol permit holders while supplies last.
Firearms must be transported in the trunk of the vehicle
Non-working firearms, black-powder weapons, flare guns, ghost guns, pellet/BB guns, ammunition, and magazine clips are not eligible for gift cards, but may still be turned in.
The program is sponsored by the Newtown Alliance Foundation. For additional information, contact Lieutenant Sereniti Dobson: sdobson@westportct.gov; 203-341-6010.
Residents who subscribe to the town’s government email list were surprised to learn yesterday that the Board of Finance is canceling 4 upcoming meetings: October 21, November 18, December 16 and January 20.
But that doesn’t mean they’re pulling a House of Representatives move, and not meeting at all.
Chair Danielle Dobin explains: “The Board of Finance traditionally meets monthly. Collectively, we decided to add a second monthly meeting to ensure that all follow-up appropriation requests could be heard in a timely fashion.
“However, we found that we were consistently canceling these additional meetings, so we are reverting to our traditional monthly schedule. Our regular monthly meetings, which were noticed this past January, remain on the calendar.
“Should a matter arise that requires more immediate consideration, the Board can always schedule an additional meeting as a special session.”
Don’t worry! The Board of Finance will continue to meet monthly, keeping an eye on all town expenditures.
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Families, friends, neighbors and individuals are invited to “Give Back Together” — and help Homes with Hope.
Next Saturday (September 26, 8 to 11 a.m., 10 Church Lane), volunteers will pack essential item bags — filled with household items, snacks and personal hygiene products — for people served by Westport’s supportive housing non-profit.
A $25 contribution covers the cost of 2 bags. All items will be provided. Click here to register. The event is sponsored by the Westport Downtown Association, FLB Law, David Adam Realty and Willo.
Westport Counseling and Therapy has just launched a new Young Adult Counseling Group. It’s aimed at people navigating the challenges of that stage of life: family and relationships, confidence and identity, stress management, communication, life transitions and change, and work-life balance.
The new group fills a gap in mental health support for young adults, who may not always have access to services designed specifically around the challenges of this period. Group counseling offers a supportive, confidential space to gain perspective, deepen self-understanding, develop effective coping strategies, and build meaningful connections with others who are navigating similar questions, experiences, and transitions during a pivotal life stage.
Lapde wanted to create a client-centered practice that accepts insurance, making quality mental health care more accessible to the communit. She and her 5 clinicians offer in-person counseling, as well telehealth,
Lapde’s team takes an integrative approach to therapy, drawing from psychodynamic, CBT, EMDR, solution-focused therapy, person-centered, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, and more. .
Westport Country Playhouse is famous for producing 2- and 3-week shows.
But they’ve gotten into 1-off programming too.
Up soon: “Rent Control” (September 28, 7 p.m.).
The Off-Broadway comedy, written and performed by playwright/actor Evan Zes, is based on his own story.
The play follows a struggling New York actor who devises a seemingly clever moneymaking scheme — only to watch it spiral wildly, and hilariously, out of control.
Zes finds himself caught up with a cast of internet scammers and low-level gangsters. In this wild-but-true tale of greed, survival and redemption, Zes brings 25 characters to life.
“Rent Control” enjoyed back-to-back sold-out runs, at its 2016 New York International Fringe Festival debut and the Fringe Encore Series at SoHo Playhouse. Zes has since taken the production internationally.
The Weston History & Culture Center kicks off their new speaker series, “Backstories & Breakfast,” with a bewitching topic.
Three days before Halloween (October 28, 10 a.m.), the topic is “Witches of Connecticut.”
Rebecca Gavin, director of education at the Connecticut Museum of Culture & History, will share stories of some of the women (and men!) accused, tried and executed as witches — and describe how Connecticut ultimately controlled the spread of accusations.
The trials and executions here predated the more famous Salem witch panic by over 40 years.
Fresh on the heels of their a cappella camp for kids, Westport musicians Danielle Merlis and Robert Kwan have organized a group of adulsts.
Aimed at people who love to sing, learn music and connect with others, A Cappella Central is for you.
All are welcome: former college singers, seasoned musicians, those who have not sung in years, and anyone brand new but eager to try.
There is no audition. All voice parts are invited. The group will be fun, supportive and friendly.
An open house (with pizza!) is set for September 30 (7 to 8:30 p.m., Trinity Episcopal Church, Southport. The group will continue meeting there on WEdesdays, at the same time.
Just in time for Halloween, Westport native Charlie Greenwald has published “Jeff O’Lantern.”
Aimed at kindergartners through 2nd graders it’s a “funny, heartwarming picture book about a shy little pumpkin.” (Jeff O’Lantern — Jack’s younger brother — is not quite as spooky.)
Readers can discover that being shy or gentle is not a weakness. and that kindness can be its own kind of bravery.
PS: Charlie will entertain young readers October 25 (1 p.m.) at Barnes & Noble, with a special Storytime session.
Don’t miss it. He’s as entertaining as the book!
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At least once a week, someone sends a photo of an eagle perched atop the communication tower by the Westport Police station.
Look! they say. How cool is this?!
It would be more cool if it were an actual eagle.
Unfortunately, it’s a decoy. It’s there — and has been for months, if not years — to keep other birds from flocking to the equipment.
Judith Katz was the latest reader to excitedly send in that photo.
Sorry ! replied. It’s a decoy.
But she followed up with the entire, uncropped image. It showed a second — and real — bird, nearby.
Maybe — after all this time — the birds have gotten wise to the WPD ruse.
(Photo/Judith Katz)
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A 2-car accident at 5:40 p.m. yesterday closed Imperial Avenue for a short time.
Westport firefighters, police officers and EMTs were on the scene, through 6:50.
Imperial Avenue (Photo/Westport Fire Department)
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Dave Briggs lends his substantial MC talents to many causes.
One of the best is Hero to Hero, the non-profit dedicated to transitioning servicemembers.
They, and the team behind the upcoming film “Blue Bunny,” host their 2nd joint fundraiser, “An Evening of Honor and Service,” on October 2 (6:30 p.m., Fairfield Theatre Company).
Guests will enjoy a sneak peek of footage from “Blue Bunny,” personal appearances from stars of the film, and powerful firsthand accounts from veterans whose lives intersect with the mission of Hero to Hero.
The evening also features food, wine, beer, and a specialty Hero cocktail. creating a warm and celebratory atmosphere in support of a meaningful cause.
But families still flock to Compo Beach, on weekend nights.
This was the scene last evening. If that’s a limbo stick, they have to lower it considerably.
(Photo/DinkinESH Fotografix)
Today, nearby, South Beach will be packed with 1,500 guests, and 200 volunteers.
It’s the Westport Rotary Club’s annual LobsterFest.
If you don’t have tickets … you’re out of luck. It’s been sold out since August.
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Bees are our friends!
As Jeff Manchester’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows, they are one of the best ways to eradicate spotted lanternflies.
Isn’t nature amazing?
(Photo/Jeff Manchester)
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And finally … in honor of the Weston History & Culture Center’s upcoming discussion of Connecticut witches:
(It’s not magic. Just click here to support “06880” — your hyper-local blog. We won’t put a spell on you if you don’t. At least, we probably won’t. Thank you!)
A reminder to all our visitors: Each week, many works are for sale.
We’ve revised our email notification system. Artists: Be on the lookout for a new address in your inbox when someone wants to purchase your work.
Remember: No matter your age; the style or subject you choose — and whether you’re a first-timer or old-timer — we want your submissions. Watercolors, oils, charcoal, pen-and-ink, acrylics, mixed media, digital, lithographs, collages, macramé, jewelry, sculpture, decoupage, needlepoint — we want whatever you’ve got.
Just email a JPG to 06880blog@gmail.com. And please include the medium you’re working in.
“A Yom Kippur Prayer To Be Written and Sealed in the Book of Life For a Peaceful and a Good Year” — watercolor (Steve Stein)
Untitled (Michael Chait — Available for purchase; click here)
“Westport Onions Ready for New York City” (Eric Bosch)
Untitled (Rowene Weems — Available for purchase; click here)
“The Footbridge Over Deadman Brook” (Michael Tomashefsky)
“Saugatuck Station Power Grid” (John Maloney)
“Rings of Life” (Jerry Kuyper)
“Once Upon a Time” (Dorothy Robertshaw — Available for purchase; click here)
“A Little Music” — June Rose Whittaker (Available for purchase — click here)
Untitled — acrylic and sharpie (Susan Celuch)
“Croatian Boy in Cavtat” Wendy Levy)
“Traffic” (Robbie Sumberg)
“This Ol’ Dawg Ain’t Gonna Learn Any New Tricks!” (Mike Hibbard)
Untitled (Duane Cohen — Available for purchase; click here)
(Entrance is free to our online art gallery –as it has been for 6 years. But please consider an anniversary donation! Just click here — and thank you!)
After Sunday’s 7-inch “rain bomb,” a neighbor of the proposed redevelopment of 55 Greens Farms Road — which would replace 1 of 2 office buildings next to Assumption Cemetery with 250 apartments, 30% of them affordable under state formulas — writes:
During Wednesday’s Conservation Commission hearing, members prudently chose to continue the review until October rather than vote on the application, for which the surrounding community is grateful.
A proposal of this scale and sensitivity deserves a dedicated hearing. It is difficult for both the Commission and the public to adequately consider such a complex application after hours of reviewing important but perhaps less consequential matters.
Wednesday evening’s presentation by the applicant’s team of professionals was impressive, visually compelling, and optimistic.
However, it also appeared to lack details that warrant further examination.
Aerial view of Greens Farms Road office buildings. The southern one (bottom) would be demolished, for 250 apartment units.
Several aspects of the proposal were presented, including but not limited to green spaces, walkways, plantings, water management and maintenance plans.
But it failed to elaborate on the true scale of the proposal in more detail — for example, number of units, coverage comparison and parking, under the rationale that they fall outside the Conservation Commission’s purview.
While that may be technically correct, some of these issues have significant implications for stormwater management, impervious coverage, and environmental impacts, all of which are directly relevant to conservation concerns and fall under the Commission’s oversight, in addition to the Commission’s request for a side-by-side comparison.
During the presentation, a consulting engineer stated that the property did not experience what was characterized as complete flooding during the recent 200-year storm event, contrary to the image below with a vehicle partially submerged in floodwaters.
Respectfully, it begs the question of what standard is used to define complete flooding. By any reasonable measure, substantial portions of the property, both above and below grade, were underwater.
The parking garage appeared to have flooded, roadways providing access to and from the property were inundated, and adjacent wetlands overflowed significantly, breaching abutting properties.
This was one for the record books — but will it be the last one?
Last Sunday’s flood, at 55-57 Greens Farms Road.
Equally concerning are the effects on neighboring properties. At least one concerned resident bordering the wetlands observed water levels extending well beyond that area. One would argue that these conditions constitute extensive flooding, and should be acknowledged when evaluating future development impacts.
Although parking may not fall directly under the Conservation Commission’s jurisdiction, impervious coverage and land disturbance certainly do. The proposal contemplates accommodating all required parking beneath the building footprint, rather than in traditional surface lots.
On paper, this is an attractive concept. However, can the required parking be fully accommodated under the building footprint as proposed? It doesn’t take long to understand the true scale of the proposal.
On the site plan provided by the developing team, as part of the meeting materials, you can see the existing back building that is planned to remain, at least for now, next to the new proposed larger building, shown in beige with pale green donut holes representing courtyards within the building. The 2 existing buildings are identical in size; the proposal is far from it.
The new building (bottom) would be substantially larger than the current one.
The question is not what’s under the Commission’s purview, but whether safeguards should be established now as the proposal is further detailed. Should the final site plan design deviate from the proposal as it moves through other agency approvals, no modifications should be granted without a comprehensive public review process, including notice and hearing requirements.
Too often, substantial project modifications occur later in the approval process when public scrutiny has diminished. If or when the development proceeds, all of Westport deserves assurance that future changes will not undermine the environmental commitments being presented today.
The broader environmental impacts of this development also deserve careful consideration. The proposal includes extensive native plantings, pollinator habitats, and attractive landscape features. While these elements are commendable, they do not eliminate the significant ecological disruption associated with large-scale construction.
Construction activity remains a major source of environmental disturbance through habitat fragmentation, waste generation, erosion, sedimentation, and impacts to surrounding ecosystems, particularly where wetlands are involved, even with protections in place.
Could the Sherwood Mill Pond watershed basin also be impacted, as it is connected through smaller waterways? Adaptive reuse rather than a redevelopment may not be appropriate here, but it provides many lessons not to be ignored.
Sherwood Mill Pond is not far from 55 Greens Farms Road.
The development team also referenced future maintenance plans intended to preserve the property’s environmental performance. Such plans are encouraging in theory, but they ultimately rely on consistent implementation and enforcement.
Who will ensure compliance years after approvals have been granted, construction has been completed, and the dust has settled?
Another voiced concern during the hearing: The town’s resources for monitoring private properties are limited. The site’s existing office park likely had maintenance obligations, yet residents have witnessed years of neglect, including recurring litter and debris entering the watershed from adjacent roadways and highways, using the roadway as a trash conveyor belt.
Another point articulated at the hearing: Many times, it is the residents who volunteer to go up and down this stretch of road and collect the garbage. A high-density development will only add to the problem.
A redevelopment could be inevitable; the owners have made a substantial financial investment and intend to seek a reasonable return, but at what expense?
The objective is not to prevent development (although it would be ideal), but to ensure that it receives even more rigorous scrutiny such a consequential project deserves.
We have not even touched on the traffic this will create on an already overwhelmed road, not to mention the everlasting debate about what will happen to the beloved Cribari Bridge once it’s further overwhelmed and likely becomes structurally inadequate.
This section of Westport may appear as the forgotten land, but it is home to families, many of whom have lived here for generations. They have repeatedly dealt with flooding due to poor upkeep of the waterways, never-ending traffic, and are bracing for additional impact. But they are hopeful for some reprieve.
Perhaps the new development will, in fact, improve the water management capability of the property and be a positive addition to the community.
But at the moment, the facts and scale are not feeding much confidence or conviction to those who will be impacted the most. Rest assured, the ripple effects of this not-so-small pebble in the pond will be felt far beyond the adjoining properties.
(“06880” Opinion pages are open to all. Send submissions to 06880blog@gmail.com. To make a tax-deductible contribution supporting our work, please click here. Thank you!
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