A big crowd filled a small room at the Westport Library last night, to discuss a hot topic: the future of downtown.
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee hosted a public charette for “all stakeholders.”
That group — including elected and appointed officials, real estate owners, merchants and their representatives, architects, and plenty of residents — examined aerial photos, maps and plans for Parker Harding Plaza, Jesup Green, the Imperial Avenue parking and environs.
Plus 3 possible sites for a parking deck.
A large aerial photo showed the location of a possible parking deck on Elm Street.
They wrote their ideas on dozens of Post-Its and note cards.
Opinions were all over the lot. It was hard to find unanimity — even on beloved Jesup Green.
Plenty of attendees urged, “Don’t touch it!” Others recommended swapping it with the current Taylor parking lot, closer to the Saugatuck River.
The table devoted to plans for a parking deck at the the police station/Bay Street/Gillespie Center site adjacent to Jesup Green drew typically mixed responses.
“Does data show actual need?” one person wrote. “I always see open spots at midday.”
“A good spot,” a second said.
Architect and longtime Westporter Joe Vallone brought his own plan for an Elm Street parking structure. A Myrtle Avenue resident suggested instead that Town Hall was a better site for parking.
For every Westporter who suggested better use of an outlying lot — Imperial Avenue, say, or Town Hall — another countered that people do not want to walk more than they’re used to.
Then a third would point out that in Europe — and New York, where many Westporters residents lived not long ago — folks walk all the time.
One of many Post-It notes on the Parker Harding Plaza plan.
A public survey will be conducted next month. Downtown Plan Implementation Committee chair Randy Herbertson will present those results, and recommendations from consultants, after the holidays.
Metered parking? Moving the Farmers’ Market closer to downtown?
Last night, all ideas were on the charette table.
(Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella says, “The town was well represented by our elected and appointed officials. The involvement of residents was positive. I wish more were involved.
(“However, this is only the beginning of a long process. I look forward to the public being involved from near and far. Send comments to rtm-dl@westportct.gov,”)
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Attendees at last night’s charette. (All photos/Dan Woog)