Connecticut’s 8-30g regulation may be in for a change.
House Republicans have proposed a “technical adjustment” to the affordable housing law that allows developers to bypass most local zoning restrictions for new developments. unless a municipality has at least 10% of its stock designated as “affordable” under strict guidelines.
Westport’s housing stock includes “affordable” units that were built before 1990, but are not included in the formula because that is the law’s start date.
The proposed adjustment would “put many Connecticut towns well over the threshold that exempts them from potential legal action if they deny developers’ proposals for certain affordable housing — without any new housing going up or changes to zoning policy,” the CT Mirror reports.
It would add would add properties that are not deed restricted, but are affordable to people whose income is up to 80% of the area median income.
Click here for the full CT Mirror story.
Westport’s approval of a 187-unit apartment complex on Hiawatha Lane was driven in large part by 8-30g factors.
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Westport Police made 5 custodial arrests during January 19-25.
One — for burglary, larceny, conspiracy to commit larceny and failure to appear — dated back to an April 11, 2020 burglary at a residence. Approximately $70,000 in jewelry and personal effects were taken.
Another arrest for larceny and conspiracy to commit larceny was connected to a January 25, 2022 incident in which checks worth over $28,000 from a local business were altered and fraudulently cashed.
A woman was arrested for third degree assault, following an incident on December 7, 2022 in which she bit the arm of someone in the Walgreens parking lot.
A man was arrested for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol after he was seen speeding and driving erratically on Post Road West. When an officer caught up with him, he was driving extremely slowly in the left lane.
A man was charged with breach of peace after he took a neighbor’s cat.
Police also issued the following citations:
- Traveling unreasonably fast: 5
- Operating an unregistered motor vehicle: 2
- Speeding: 1
- Improper passing: 1
- Failure to obey control signal
- Failure to drive in the proper lane: 1
- Criminal mischief: 1
- Breach of peace: 1.
Not the stolen cat. But bad luck for the thief.
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Meanwhile, in related crime news:
On Tuesday, people got out of 2 vehicles in the Westport Weston Family YMCA parking lot, then smashed the windows of several cars and snatched laptops, credit cards and other items.
The Westport Police responded promptly, but no arrests have yet been made. The license plates on the vehicles were obscured; the thieves wore hoodies, and the car visors were down to further obscure their faces. They most likely made their getaway on the adjacent Merritt Parkway.
The Y offers this advice to members (but it applies to everyone):
Before you exit your vehicle, make sure:
- Your personal items and valuables are out of sight – including phone, cash, laptop/laptop bag, small electronic devices, briefcase, shopping bags, etc. Items visible on the seat, dashboard, floor may elicit unnecessary interest.
- You always lock your doors and close windows (including sunroof).
- Take your keys/fob with you.
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Since graduating from Staples in 2003, Jesse and Sefra Levin have been on a mission: preparing people around the globe to survive. They bring “readiness skills” to the veteran, disaster response and entrepreneurial communities.
Their company — Tactivate — outfits customers with gear, and offers advice and training, for every conceivable emergency. They call themselves “bespoke readiness outfitters. For a while, they had a pop-up shop on Church Lane.
They have been in Ukraine since February. They’ve assembled a team of 20 people, focused full time on efforts there and throughout Eastern Europe.
This Sunday (January 29, 7 to 9 p.m.), they’re hosting a “medical kit” maker space event at The Readiness Collective, in Norwalk’s SoNo Collection.
The goal is to build 600 kits, to be hand delivered next month to front-line units.
Everyone is welcome to help create the kits. Questions? Email jesse@tactivate.com.
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There’s a special, behind-the-scenes look this Saturday at the development and pre-production of “The Team Room” — a new play about Army Special Forces immediately before, during and after 9/11.
The sneak preview is set — very appropriately — at VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399 (Saturday, January 28, 3:30 p.m.).
Playwright Bill Raskin and producer Michael Hare will discuss the production and premiere in Washington, scheduled for this coming October.
The 501 (c)3 show will raise awareness for veterans’ services. Following the run, all net proceeds will be donated to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.
Saturday’s event is free. The production team is excited to share their story, and raise awareness of the show. Click here for more information.
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Generations of Westporters remember the Country Playhouse kids’ shows. For many, those weekday summertime events were their first introductions to live theater.
They’re still around — in a different form. Three family-friendly shows are on tap on weekends, to liven up the long (if snow-less) winter.
They include:
“Woof Woof” shadow theater; grades pre-K and up (Sunday, February 12; 1 and 4 p.m.).
“Pete’s Big Hollywood Adventure”; grades pre-K and up (Sunday, February 26; 1 and 4 p.m.).
“Scaredy Kat Presents”; grades 6-10; Sunday, March 5, 2 p.m. Click here for details.
All tickets are $25. Click here to purchase, and for more information.
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CronArt — a cool little pop-up gallery — enlivened Bedford Square in 2018.
Artist/owner Ryan Cronin is back in New Paltz, New York. But his many Westport fans may want to know that his “Obama” painting has been accepted into the Obama Presidential Center’s permanent art collection in Chicago.
The curatorial process took a year and a half. But now Ryan’s work lives forever.
Ryan Cronin, with his “Obama” painting.
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Staples High School Class of 1979 graduate David Halsey died unexpectedly in his sleep earlier this month. He was 61, and lived in New Canaan.
His family said in his obituary that he died of natural causes, and was active, healthy and happy in the days before his death.
The Kalamazoo, Michigan native spent much of his life in Westport. He was described as :a voracious reader with wide-ranging interests,” and “an avid rock hound.” He loved the outdoors, animals and music.
Dave is survived by his mother, Carol Halsey of Knoxville, Tennessee; Karen and brothers John and Peter. He was preceded in death by his father Philip B. Halsey of Underhill, Vermont.
No funeral services are planned.
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Rev. Demetrios Recachinas of Westport, protopresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne, died Sunday. He was 74.
Born on the island of Lefkada, Greece, he came to Washington in 1966. He graduated from Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, MA. Father Demetrios earned a master’s of theology from Princeton University School of Theology. He attended Catholic University, working towards a Ph.D. program
Father Demetrios was ordained as a deacon in 1977 and ordained into holy priesthood at Saint Paraskevi in Greenlawn, Long Island, four months later. He was assigned as Assistant Pastor at his home parish of Saints Constantine and Helen.
Father Demetrios served on several committees in the DC area, including the National Conference of Christian and Jews Executive Committee, the White House Conference for the Elderly and the President Reagan Inaugural Committee for the International Sector, Catholic University and Maryland University Ethnic Studies Committee, and the UN Environmental Program Committee. He represented the Archdiocese in many official capacities as well.
In 1983 Father Demetrios was appointed pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Bridgeport. His emphasis in his ministry was on youth. He served as president of the Orthodox Clergy Association of the Greater Bridgeport Area. He was a member of the Archdiocesan Youth Commission and the Advisory Board of Sacred Heart University, and a chaplain at St. Vincent’s and Bridgeport Hospitals.
Father Demetrios served on the Board of Trustees and Executive Board of Hellenic College and Holy Cross School of Theology and also served on the Board of Trustees of St. Basil’s Academy.
Father Demetrios represented the church at the Ecumenical Patriarchate during the Third Millennium first World-Wide Orthodox Ecumenical Conference, and represented the Archdiocese at the World-Wide Biennial SAE Conference in Thessaloniki, Greece.
In 2001, Father Demetrios was bestowed with the highest honor awarded to a married clergyman of the Greek Orthodox Church, “Protobresbyter of the Ecumenical Throne,” by Patriarch Bartholomew on his visit to Holy Trinity.
In addition to his wife Eleftheria he is survived children, Tassos Recachinas, Katerina (Daniel) Pergola and Emmanuel (Paige) Recachinas; grandsons Christopher, James and Nicholas; brothers, Dion (Laura) Recachina and Andrew (Sophie) Recachinasl sisters, Sophia Espanopoulos and Christina Plotas; sister-in-law, Haido Neda, and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Trinity Church. Click here for online condolences.
Rev. Demetrios Recachinas
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Harold Gross died peacefully at his Westport home on Tuesday. He was 96.
Born in the Bronx, he graduated from high school in 1944, then proudly served as an Army paratrooper in World War II. He remained in Japan with the occupational forces, and lived there for 13 years.
He saw the world through his work, selling medical and dental equipment and supplies to countries in need. He became fluent in Japanese and Portuguese.
Harold is survived by his wife Francine Schweiger; son David Grosz, stepson Jordan Schweiger (Wendi) and their children Chase, Mason and Sloane Schweiger and son-in-law Michael Collins; grandson Nick Grosz and nephew Daniel Gross. He was predeceased by his daughters Diana Gross and Debbie Collins, grandson Brian Grosz and brother Joseph “Lenny” Grosz.
A memorial service will be held tomorrow (Friday, January 27, 11:30 a.m., Abraham L. Green & Son Funeral Home, 88 Beach Road, Fairfield). Shiva will be observed immediately following services at Francine Schweiger’s home in Westport. For more information and to share a condolence message, click here.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Jewish National Fund to plant trees in Israel.
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“Westport … Naturally” can’t resist dogs-at-the-beach photos. From October 1 through March 31, that’s their playground.
The other day, Bobo had a blast.
(Photo/Sunil Hirani)
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And finally … the Army Special Forces featured in an upcoming play (story above) are also known as the Green Berets.
Perhaps, I’m mistaken.
Yet, isn’t this the 2nd time Suni’s stunning action shot of Bobo has been featured in “06880?”
It’s kind of an immortal photograph.
Unforgettable.
I could have sworn I’ve seen it here in recent days.
1/18 and 1/25 – an awesome photo of Bobo mid-stride – hard to capture. Yay Bobo!
The periodic police reports published in 06880 are a welcome addition. What the various offenses mean is not always that obvious so I inquired about these two:
“Traveling unreasonably fast” applies to vehicles traveling in excess of the posted speed limit up to 55 mph.
“Speeding” applies vehicles traveling in excess of 56 mph.
In Westport? Wow!
Not quite, Dick. As I explained in an earlier “06880,” “traveling unreasonably fast” is up to 20 miles above the posted speed limit (whatever it is on that particular road). “Speeding” is more than 20 miles over whatever that posted limit is.
So, question: if that 8-30g initiative gets approved and the appropriate definition of what constitutes a Town’s inventory of existing “affordable” units is implemented, how might this impact that Saugatuck McHamlet text amendment which was primarily approved on the basis of being held hostage to 8-30g threats?
Could that text amendment be immediately revoked and revised to comport with a more appropriate historical, architectural, environmental and safety cognizant scale?
Common sense tells us not to leave valuables in your vehicles where smash & grabbers can see them. And, if you’re pumping gas, lock your car as that is an easy target for purse snatchers.
Re the smash and grab car burglaries, that security cam photo is so sharp, it looks like it was shot by a pro. 🙂
I’m pretty sure property developers will be fighting the proposed 8-30g change with lots of donations to those in Hartford.
I do think it is interesting that this is coming from Republicans in the State Legislature On the surface it seems like something Jonathon would support (obviously, the devil is in the details – but if it is simply about eliminating the cutoff date, it seems like an sensible move).
While the GOP customarily gives gifts to business, Westport Republicans aligned themselves with Westport “preservationists” in order to eject the disastrous Ron Corwin-led “let’s sue the RTM for overturning one decision” P&Z, and it led (for a time) to gains for the GOP throughout Town boards.
Similarly, it will be interesting to see if the GOP will use this as an issue to regain suburbanites in this deep blue state. I personally hope suburban Democrats will avoid squandering the support of those voters by joining the effort to improve 8-30g.
Goodness. Where do people find the time for all of this conniving?
Same way you found time to post yours.