In the worst days of the pandemic, restaurants were in peril.
Sitting indoors, a foot or two away from strangers, was the last thing on anyone’s plate.
Outdoor dining saved the day. The timing was right — spring and summer — and Westport acted quickly. All over town, socially distanced tables sprang up on sidewalks and in parking lots.
One of the most successful spots was Church Lane. The Board of Selectmen voted to close the road, from Elm Street to the Post Road. Spotted Horse and nearby restaurants put tables in the street. On weekends, musicians played.
Eating out was one of the few activities residents could enjoy. It was a rare COVID joy.
Outdoor dining on Church Lane. (Photo/Dan Woog)
In the years that followed, the closure of Church Lane became an annual tradition. The time frame lengthened, from May 1 through October 15.
In good weather, tables — of Spotted Horse, Pink Sumo, and last year the new Blondinit — were filled.
But other times, they were not.
Some merchants were happy with the foot traffic, and the relaxed, traffic-free ambiance. Others were unhappy to lose 16 parking spaces, in front of their stores.
Some drivers disliked the lack of easy access to the Post Road, through Church Lane.
No cars meant kids could dance in the street. (Photo/Jordan Schur)
As the 6th summer approaches, the Westport Downtown Association — the group that first requested the Church Lane closure, and which has managed it since 2020 — wants to hear public opinion, before requesting approval by town bodies.
The WDA has developed a 5-question survey. It asks:
- How often do you typically visit Church Lane when it is closed? (Daily, weekly, monthly, rarely, never)
- Do you believe the closure of Church Lane is a benefit to the town during the summer months, and something you would like to contineu? (Yes, no)
- Would you prefer Church Lane to remain closed 7 days per week throughout the summer, or only Friday morning 8 a.m. to Monday morning 8 a.m. to allow for parking during the week?
- The current Church Lane closure is from May 1 to October 15. Do you like this timing, or would you prefer only during the summer months from Memorial Day to Labor Day?
- Please provide some information about yourself (Single, family with children, empty nester).
The survey is comprehensive, clear and quick. It’s a proactive approach to a Westport lifestyle issue that has impacted many.
Click here to take the survey. “06880” will report the results — and follow up on the final decision by the WDA and town officials on what’s next, this summer, for Church Lane.
Weekend music on Church Lane. (Photo/Dan Woog)
(If it happens downtown — or anywhere else in Westport — you’ll read about it on “06880.” We rely on support from readers like you. Please click here to make a tax-deductble contribution. Thank you!)
Closing Church Lane has its undeniable charms. But there’s a cost: diverted traffic backs up into the already congested Myrtle/Post Road intersection. This, in turn, causes access issues for residents and shoppers. And of course, there is the matter of cancelling all the parking spaces (including every handicap space) on Church. There’s a reason that expensive Downtown Masterplan of ours specifically recommended NOT closing Church Lane. Like so many controversies around here, it all comes down to whose ox is being gored. And whose isn’t so much.
WHAT is this survey????!!!!!!!!
you can’t answer how you feel!!!
all the choices are keep the lane closed at some point!!!!
Where are there choices:
1. don’t think it is fair to other business in the area?
2. do you think it impacts traffic?
3. do tou get trapped at the light on Myrtle to turn right and for decades prior used church lane to head right?
4. when you looked for parking in years past did you use church lane to loop around?
Bad survey/ should not have been posted/ does not reveal true info.
there at least should have been a box for comments.
Full Disclosure: I built out the space now pink sumo when it was Zest Cafe and Restaurant.
I would vote open the lane now.
it’s not fair. but if businesses have chosen that space because of the lane being closed to traffic in years past, the town/ DMA has misrepresented the use of that space.
Closing Church Lane in the summer can be a nice attraction for the town in certain circumstances. However, the current configuration denies access to any of the current handicap parking on Church Lane. Consequently, people with special needs all of all ages have to park in the Baldwin lot which is down and then up a hill making it a potentially difficult task. Perhaps they can reconfigure the closure and permit the handicap parking as it exists on Church Lane.
Jim – You are spot on. No ADA access and no ADA parking. It’s difficult for my wife when we are meeting friends at the Church Street restaurants and have to park in the Baldwin lot. Proprietors have offered to move the barricades, but the street is so full of pedestrian activity that it just doesn’t work. Survey was extremely one sided with no place for comments.
Public: do not answer this slanted survey. let them build a real survey and repost!
Keep it as is…Summer months! We visit frequently and the fact that it is closed to cars is a draw. The music, the outdoor dining, the communal relaxed atmosphere enhance our town.
This survey is kinda mickey mouse. The disposition of Church Lane really belongs before the Traffic Authority as agents for the lane’s actual owners: the taxpayers.
That is a good point. Do you know if the town charges those that make use of the public sidewalks and street an appropriate commercial rent for the space? One would think they should rather than subsidizing commercial operations.
To my knowledge, the Church Lane businesses at issue are currently enjoying 100% free use of the town ROW. So, whether declared or not, they’re receiving a fairly valuable subsidy from the town. However, to your point, I can picture a reasonable argument in favor of a use fee. In any event, the policy on the use of town-owned land is that the net proceeds derived from same must be donated to a local charity. I wonder how that’s working out.
Survey design is science. A better designed survey would allow respondents to rank what’s most important to them. The data from this survey will be of little use except to show how residents choose from the limited options given to them.
The kicker for me was the last question, which asks you to describe yourself using only these three categories:
Single
Family with children
Empty nester
It seems that married people without children (and others who don’t fit the three allowable categories) aren’t expected to complete the survey.
I agree. Survey design is a science, and so by the way is tabulating survey results.
Janine Scotti is correct. This survey is extremely slanted. Where is the box for keeping it open year “round. Why is the town involved in subsidizing businesses? Are we considering shutting down Riverside Ave. from the stretch of the VFW to Bridge St. (town owned) for the benefit of The Boathouse Rest, Viva Zapata, Renato Pizza, The Bridge , and Rizzuto’s. ?
By intentionally leaving off the option to leave Church Lane open year round (or don’t close it at all), whoever drafted or approved this survey wanted to avoid hearing what residents actually think. It’s a means to collect “data” that can be used to endorse someone’s bias to close Church Lane as if that’s the inherent baseline obligation when it’s not.
By not providing the option “never”, it’s intended to purposefully force a controlled conclusion in order to give the appearance of doing what residents want.
Not that surprising all things considered.
Janine is 100% correct. This is a BS survey, like others that the WDA has done in the past.
Here’s my survey:
Q. Should we close Church Lane?
A. No.
Q. Why?
A. Because we have a parking problem downtown and need the parking spaces. Plus, it causes traffic congestion in my residential neighborhood.
Q. But the kids like to dance in the street?
A. They can dance on the sidewalk, or on Jesup Green.
Q. What about the music nights?
A. Move them to Jesup Green.
Q. What about special events like the art fair or First Night?
A. So close it twice a year for those singular events.
While I acknowledge the survey could – and should – be revised to remove implicit (explicit?) bias, I’d like to add a comment in favor of striking a balance between the opposing viewpoints evident in the Comments here.
Personally, I am an advocate for open spaces that benefit the community at-large, especially al fresco dining that is not contained to a sidewalk. I acknowledge my perspective is that of a patron with young children; eating outside only on a sidewalk is not much of an issue until young, restless kids are involved. The peace of mind offered to parents and caregivers with a closed street should be considered amongst all stakeholder input.
And, so, I completed the survey in favor of a weekend closure across the expanded dates (although, I’d suggest a window that kicks off the weekend of Memorial Day (Saturday AM prior) and goes through the end of October (surely one of – if not the – nicest times of the year). While I would personally love to see it closed all seven days, I acknowledge that would be unnecessarily selfish to my own interests and believe it is a fair and appropriate compromise with all stakeholders to limit closure to days of highest demand when the justification is greatest.
Further, I’d encourage all stakeholders to consider whether the preservation of sixteen parking spaces (a number I’ve read here and have not verified), which benefits perhaps tens of people each day, outweighs a street closure to benefit up to hundreds of patrons on a daily basis.
Finally, I believe there are reasonable and sound perspectives from the many stakeholders involved; all should be considered with the assumption of good intent. My hope is that a middle ground can be reached.
I think safety is important. all the restaurants have food to go and therre are stunning parks and playgrounds to take children to while parents can sit at the picnic table. other restaurant goers don’t really want to eat near kids running around tables anyway. staff also find it dangerous and distracting when children leave their seats.
Survey is poorly designed – easy enough. Big picture – creating a more pedestrian downtown would be a major boost to a decaying Westport downtown environment. One that better includes the river into the experience a major plus. Closing Church Lane probably helps the Spotted Horse the most since it’s a good restaurant and takes advantage of the expanded seating outside – major plus in summer. Real question is how would the town use the street itself more effectively if it’s shutting down traffic for months?
For the parkers, Church Lane provides little parking space overall so not the issue. Traffic redirects aren’t that problematic either unless you’re circling on Main Street for some reason. It’s a minor event. Bigger fish for the town to work on.
22 spaces is a lot. they almost tore down trees to gain 40 (aprox)
Church Lane should remain closed, whether year round or not also in the winter months should be decided by the police. Most of us are fully aware of all the lovely closed streets in other countries. That has occurred for a long time and it is only in the last forty or so years that the appeal and the absence of serious negative has been realized in our country. Our attractive towns, Westport is one of them, should have more closed streets. The impact on parking is most often negligible. In truth, the whole issue of parking is one that is distorted, overblown and for those many who want to always park where they wish they will never be satisfied.
With all due respect.. spoken like someone who has never owned nor invested in a retail business in Westport.
Actually irritating in the extreme for you to even opine on the business district since you don’t own a retail business nor have you invested in one. Aka, put your money where your mouth is.
First point.
Church lanes closure means the loss of 22 spaces, not 16, and on a town street ( not a private parking lot)
That closure surely attracts more patrons to eat at those few restaurants who directly benefit, again causing more pressure negatively on parking.. and causing other restaurants to struggle.
be careful what we wish for here.
Speaking as a merchant. A heavily invested merchant, responsible at least in part for the total turnaround of our once dead main street, I suggest your read on parking is incorrect and pretty damn ignorant.
Closing off a street and 22 spots absolutely affects precious parking, not to mention the creation of hundreds more seats on a public roadway.
Those folks have to park somewhere to come and fill the extra created tables. Extra parking pressure.
That is kindergarten mathematics.
Next up -who do you suppose pays the property taxes in the downtown ?
Yup you guessed it residents or not- the merchants.
Next – second floor retail chipped away at parking as did the redo of Baldwin lot and the building of Bedford square ! And the saving of the Kemper Gunn ( Serena and lilys) property.
When you count the knock on effect on parking it’s hundreds of spots.
It makes the argument over parker Harding look like a drop in the bucket.
At the end of the day, like it or not the overwhelmingly largest stakeholders in the downtown shopping area are the merchants.
We pay all the downtown taxes, we make all the investments in the buildings, we have staff to pay and businesses to run.
And it is we who know what we need to succeed.
We ( the merchants) are all largely, incidentally, on the same page. There’s no argument between merchants. Other than of course the few who directly benefit from this closure.
Why dont you walk around the corner and ask Capuli, or Mrs londons how the closure of church lane affects their business.
I already know the answer.. it screws them. Plain and simple.
I suggest Don, that you walk a mile in a merchants shoes before opining on something you know nothing about.
We are not , not for profit businesses.
And quite frankly Westport is lucky to have such amazing businesses.
Dan how about a survey for the “four seasons”shed down at Longshore ?
The 7 million dollar monstrosity being multiplied by 10 to do who knows what.
I’d love to see if there is a single resident in this town who wants to see Longshore land destroyed with this monstrosity which should very clearly be moved off premises.
Let alone pay for it !
It’s time to air all the dirty laundry !
Why is the shed currently used 1/10 of the size of the next one proposed and has been adequate for 50 whole years. Why the need for more space.
It’s for a few leaf blowers( gas powered) and a lunch place for staff.
40,000 sq feet ????? For WHAT ?
Please do someone enlighten me.
This is yet another example of spending our money like drunken sailors and destroying our open space.
2 RTM have taken it upon themselves to attempt to overturn the PZ decision. They should both be fired !
I believe 90% of this town would side with the PZ vote.
But I think the Pz decision angered our FSW. Hard for her I accept I guess when the autocracy gets rocked.
Did I mention the drawing for the same shed is a mere 220,000
LUDICROUS.
Poorly designed survey. Sloppy attempt at getting real community feedback.
Shakespeare lives, despite what you may have heard.