A draft of Westport’s new Plan of Conservation and Development is online.
It’s 140 pages long, and covers things like:
- Community character
- Open space
- Coastline
- Business and economic development
- Residential development
- Sustainability
- Cars, pedestrians, bikes and other transit
- Infrastructure
- Future land use
The Planning and Zoning Commission will refine it. There will be a workshop in June, and a public hearing on its adoption in September.
Right now, the P&Z invites public comment. Click here for the document; then email myoung@westportct.gov, with “POCD” in the subject line.
But hurry! The deadline for comments is Thursday, May 11.
The P&Z Commission has given the public three days within which to comment on an important 140 page document> The following is what I submitted to the P&Z yesterday:
I have just read the P&Z press release which allows three days for public comments to the draft POCD.
This very small window of opportunity for the public to review the draft and submit thoughtful comments gives the unfortunate impression that the draft is being railroaded through. It is not uncommon for regulatory bodies to go out for public comment to proposals and allow a minimum of 30 days within which to respond.
The statement that the public will have additional opportunities for input is not satisfactory. Those opportunities will be severely circumscribed both as to topic and again, as to time.
The POCD is meant to be a reflection of the community’s desires. It will not be considered as such if the community’s involvement is severely curtailed. The P&Z should give adequate notice and provide adequate time for the public to respond. A thirty-day notice period is appropriate and necessary for a document of this importance.
Michael Nayor
Michael,
You and I both know this is political posturing.
There will be a public hearing in early June…30 day notice. The commission decided to post a DRAFT to solicit constructive comments.
If you have comments please email them to Mary so we can consider specific suggestions regarding the future of the town.
Sorry for brevity but sitting on a plane.
The scope of this document’s awfulness almost makes me not care.
What’s the rush….I read fast but not that fast….I smell a rat!
The POCD has just become a bloated yet oddly empty vessel.
In that spirit, I’ve decided to think of it as a colonoscopy; yes it’s the very definition of unpleasantness but you’re asleep for much of it and, with any luck, nobody is going THERE for another 10 years.
It is an unreasonable time frame for any studied feedback. We should be given a wider window to weigh in.
Art Schoeller
President
Greens Farms Assocation
Cathy,
Chalking up negative comments about Commission actions as political posturing is just a smokescreen. The fact is the Commission has given three days for the public to review and comment on a 140 page document. Your actions speak volumes about the Commission’s desire for genuine public input. What harm could result from extending the deadline by at least two weeks? That would still give the Commission time to review the comments and submit information to the consultant for further analysis.
I urge you to do the right thing.
you do not need much time to figure out it proposes two cities within a small suburban town.
Friends and Neighbors I caution us about any spending for a development plan at this time. The State of Connecticut is going thru a real fiscal crisis. You will shortly read that the City of Hartford filed for bankruptcy. That is only the beginning.
As residents of Westport we could face higher property taxes as Governor Malloy tries to balance a whopping $5 BILLION deficit starting July 1. Westport, known as a town with a sound budget, could be asked to help fund the state by taking on responsibility for part of the Teachers pension plan or help pay for financial issues in Bridgeport as an example. No matter what, if significant changes are not made immediately to state expenses, CT will have to balance the state budget with much higher taxes.
Please be cautious of any extra spending until the decisions regarding the state budget are made. We should expect more news by late summer are early fall.
Bart,
I applaud your long time efforts to put the spotlight on the current and future fiscal crisis in our state. I truly believe that the wealthy in Westport think they will hover safely over the mess. I describe the town we live in to my family and visitors as la-la land, totally indifferent to the current state fiscal issues. Some simply don’t get it. Another very wealthy close friend of mine is packing his bags, selling his house and moving to Florida….the reason overtaxation. There simply does not seem to be awareness or appreciation for the fiscal issues as we continue to plan to spend money before we know how hard or where the state shoe will drop.
Tom
Well said, Bart.
To your point about avoiding frivolous spending, it troubles me that the much derided Downtown Westport Master Plan enjoys pride of place in the draft POCD.
The Downtown Westport Master Plan, which is filled with lavish, pie-in-the-sky infrastructure boondoggles, is described on page 63 of the draft POCD as “a vision for the future of Westport”.
It better not be.
Morley,
All the comments on this blog will be discussed tomorrow night in our work session. Thanks to you and the rest of the commentators for your participation in the process.
Thanks very much Cathy, I will attend that work session and listen to the discussion.
Excuse me, what town are we talking about ?