The Hamlet at Saugatuck — the retail/residential/hotel/marina proposal to remake part of Westport’s first commercial neighborhood — is moving through the regulatory process.
Yesterday, Matthew Mandell — the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) member whose District 1 includes Saugatuck — sent this report.
This Monday (March 24, 6 p.m., Zoom), Planning & Zoning Commission hearings continue with a staff report, questions by the P&Z, and the first of a number of town-hired consultants speaking.
The public might be gotten to, but there is time to absorb more before speaking
Earlier on Monday (noon), the P&Z will take a field trip to Saugatuck. If you are interested in watching the P&Z tour, come along. I am sure you will learn something. (NOTE: Only the P&Z may ask questions. This is not a public hearing.)
Drones will be flown to show the heights of the buildings.
Artists’ rendering of Hamlet buildings, on Riverside Avenue.
Here is a timeline. The Thursday (March 27) hearing has been canceled. Consultants paid for by the applicant (The Hamlet) have been hired to vet and double check the application and proposal. That’s part of the process.
A major consultant, though, has not begun their work, because the fee was paid only late this week.
As there is a statutory time constraint to this process, P&Z asked the developers for a 65-day extension (the norm). Their attorney gave them 35 days.
More extensions will be required, so why not just do it all now?
What happens if time runs out, and there is more to do? IMHO, the P&Z would deliver a denial without prejudice, and a new application would need to be filed. Better to get all the extensions than go through that hassle.
The Hamlet proposal includes “re-skinning” the 21 Charles Street building (opposite Zucca Gastrobar, at the corner of Franklin Street.
The Flood & Erosion Control Board will hear the application April 2. They will probably need this new consultant’s report to properly engage. So another hearing might be needed, as time is tight now for the consultant to do their work.
This would then go to the Conservation Commission, to weigh both waterway issues and the environmental clean-up.
Those hearings begin April 23 and continue to April 30, with a decision sometime in May.
These meetings are a big part of the process. I have seen slam dunk proposals get sidetracked by conservation issues.
P&Z will continue down its road, with another hearing March 31, probably April 7, and on into late April and May.
P&Z cannot close their hearing until a Conservation decision has been handed to them. It could be into June before a full decision is made, but late May is possible.
A view of the Saugatuck area proposed for redevelopment. Rememediation would be needed in the area of Minute Man Cleaners (above). Decades ago, it was the site of an automobile dealership.
All this is besides approvals by the state Department of Transporation and possibly other agencies, governing many of the things proposed. P&Z does not usually base decisions on future third-party decisions.
There are other pieces. An 8-24 for use of town property will also need to be filed with P&Z, which could slow the timeline.
The Historic District Commission will have to weigh in as well, as every building involved is under their jurisdiction — not just the historic ones on Railroad Place.
The Board of Selectwomen, acting as the town’s Traffic Authority, will also need to render decisions on traffic and parking issues.
This is a very large proposal. Much needs to be looked at. The public has already begun to engage, with letters into the file and opinion pieces in the press. I anticipate this will continue, and increase.
(To delve into the ever-expanding list of items concerning the proposal and application, click here.)
So happy to no longer live in THAT town. Although I live close enough I could easily visit every day.. I NEVER DO… The traffic, the parking and, yes the vibe is just wrong… for me….. This project will secure it as a distant memory and a place I never wish to revisit.
UG! The sleepy small farming town of the 50’s has been chewed up, spat out and resurrected as a mini-city. The Wonder Years have transcended into the Eternal Sunshine of the dollar bill. RIP Westport.
How about the sleepy farming community of the 1920s, 30s, 40s and 1950s. How about buying a house on Bauer Place for $3,000 after World War II.
In 1945, the average house in America sold for $3,450 with the average working wage of $1,450. I do not oppose change. But this town, following Covid, got busy in a hurry and in tune with DC, inclined to spend spend spend and then whine about the deficit.
This may have been addressed again, and l may have missed it, but aren’t the architects supposed to do a scale model of the entire proposed Hamlet. It seems to me that will give a much better idea of what their vision is of what they are proposing to do to Saugatuck. The renderings are pretty but seem inadequate.
Why are so many people tied to the past? Why long for “The sleepy farming town of the 50’s”. That era of our country was not so great for a whole lot of people. We cannot stop the clock. Time only moves forward. Let’s get The Hamlet built now! I will be 81years old in two months. I want to walk the five minutes from my home to Saugatuck center and no longer see that UGLY concrete monstrosity and then past a block of decrepit buildings all blocking a view of the river. START BUILDING ALREADY!
JD,
81!!! God Bless You. I’m trying to make it to 73. Let’s raise our glasses (beer steins not bifocals) and pray in unison that you live to see 100 (because it’s going to take until then before the T&G (that’s talented and gifted) leaders of Westport figure out whether or not to even approve anything, let alone a hamlet). For evidence, I offer the Baron’s South. See you on the other side!!!!
Many of us are tied to the past because Westport in the Wonder Years, of 50’s & 60’s, was truly a special place to grow up. For one, there was plenty to do for kids . . . . all you are building is condos for the aged. The Post Road will look like Milford, with its assortment of WalMart, Costco et. al. in ten years.
I thought this thought provoking letter published on the Westport Journal website yesterday summarized a number of concerns about The Hamlet project.
https://westportjournal.com/opinion/letter-hamlets-compliance-with-rules-does-not-make-it-good/
Thank you for linking to this. It is my letter to the P&Z that was also published by The Westport Journal. I encourage everyone with a view to submit your comments directly to the P&Z: pandz@westportct.gov.
Also, the developers provided a overview of the project at the March 10 P&Z meeting, the recording is available to watch here: https://play.champds.com/westportct/event/746
“Hamlet” is a deceptive misnomer and should be removed. It’s an outright lie‼️
Tom
It’s to intentionally beguile the public.
My god Jay, who would do such a thing?
Blame CT state representatives & senators (all of them, not just Fairfield County ones). TOD and 8-30g legislation created cudgels for developers to use against towns. The belief that residents in these areas will be taking the train everywhere is just silly.
Does it HAVE to be called THE HAMLET. First of all it’s not a hamlet. Secondly, Hamlet is a cliche assigned to cheesy condo clusters and wannabe upscale gated communities in the Sun Belt. Finally, the word doesn’t conjure up the unique historical and ecological essence of the place.
A quick interaction with ChatGPT suggested these alternatives. TIDAL CROSSING, PAUGUSSETT LANDING, TIDE’S EDGE, WICKAPAUG POINT, ESTUARY HEIGHTS.
I’m sure the combined creative talent of Westport residents can outshine an AI creation.
Westport “To thine own self be true”
Historically, a hamlet was a little cluster of houses in the countryside. Massive (for our town) buildings are being considered and the apparent density and significantly increased traffic and congestion (You think it is bad now? Just wait.) will plague us. River views will be blocked off by the new buildings. We won’t be able to gaze (however briefly) at the river while stuck in traffic unless we are on the bridge. That river ferry mentioned in the plans? So the Cribari Bridge might have to be opened multiple times daily? Have any people on all decision making committees (Westport, not the Hamlet team) done a written pre-mortem re Hamlet, in depth pros and cons followed by detailed lengthy discussions before all the committee(s) and published in their entirety for all town residents? This should be done by two people or teams, not the same person or team, and should have been done months ago. I hope this building scheme does not turn out to be FUBAR.
By the way, does anyone know where Minuteman Cleaners will be?
The CLOG😄
Snot’s Landing
Okay! That one made me completely LOL.
It’s the Kowloon Walled City of Connecticut.
Greed’s Heights
The Hamlet is going to be a major improvement to a town in need of destination centers. The downtown has languished for decades. So many obvious improvements needed but no one pushes forward because the vocal minority oppose change and the town’s bureaucracy can’t allow anything of substance to gain momentum. The Hamlet will bring an infusion of housing, dining and recreation to Westport. Sure, details will be debated but the vision is one to embrace.
Fun fact : saugatuck already is “a vibrant community with a restaurant scene that is unparalleled in the rest of the state”
That was how Matthew Mandell described it at a westCOG meeting, when the Hamlet was pitching an application I believe for $12,000,000 ( 12 million) for remediations needed on 3 sites, under their brownfields program.
The application was unanimously backed by the committee.
The moneys for these remediations come from your tax dollars.. article is here.. Feb 16 2024.
https://westportjournal.com/government/saugatuck-seed-money-cribari-bridge-hamlet-brownfields/
A touch ironic.
So do we need more restaurants in Saugatuck ?
I think not.
I may be completely misunderstanding the FAR( floor area ratio) but I read 1 parking space per 1000 sq feet.
Let’s imagine for fun, 5 large new restaurants at 4,000 sq feet each. 20,000 sq feet total. 20 parking spots, for 1250 people.
With indoor seating at about 150 and outdoor at (75%extra) so potentially 250 seats in each.
Staff will total almost 200 for those 5 restaurants.
Now just those 5 new restaurants have 1250 +200
Combined with the existing restaurants who arguably have been in business providing the community with amazing food and service for years, some for decades.
Throw in a function at the huge event barn being built on top of 60 (privately owned ) parking spaces (lost) and hamlet proposes to use railroad lot 1 ( 300 spaces).
Lot 1 is frequently full with commuter cars, until 7 pm.
Moving on to retail spaces. How many are we talking about ?
30. ? Will there be 30×1000 sqf retail spaces ?
So 30 more parking spots? Yet those 30 stores will have at least 2 staff each.
This mixed use development simply doesn’t work because of parking alone.
It only works if the hamlet is willing to build in about 2000 parking spots.
The Hamlet is not a TOD. Because true TOD’s are designed to improve access to the rail for ALL citizens regardless of how they get there (walk, bike, transit, car). And true TODs have mixed housing options (at various price points) for individuals, small families and seniors.
It is truly unfortunate that WestCog signed off on TOD grants for the Hamlet. But frankly there are a lot of unfortunate things about WestCog when it comes to transporation in SWCT.
how much are the developers getting in grants?!
Application by hamlet that was unanimously endorsed by westCOG and our first selectwoman was for $12 million..
3 sites.. 4 million each one.
I’m not sure if that number is still what they will get plus/minus.
Not sure when the money will be paid to them.
But yes 12 million of our tax payers money.
The irony.
Since The Hamlet is about 500 feet directly across the Saugatuck River from Westport’s Sewage Treatment Plant a safe and healthy execution requires coping with number of problems:
A 100-yard (300-foot) distance from a sewage treatment plant may reduce some concerns, but it is unlikely to eliminate all of them. Here’s why:
1. Odor Control – Modern treatment plants use odor mitigation systems, but smells can still travel beyond 100 yards, especially depending on wind direction and weather conditions.
2. Air Quality – Airborne contaminants like hydrogen sulfide (which causes the “rotten egg” smell) may still be present, though dilution over distance helps.
3. Noise Pollution – Pumps, aerators, and trucks moving in and out of the facility can generate noise, which could be noticeable at 100 yards.
4. Perception and Property Value – Potential residents be hesitant to live that close, affecting the marketability and desirability of the housing. The Treatment Plant will dominate the view from the upper stories of the East facing condominiums and hotel suites.
5. Regulations and Zoning – P&Z may require a larger buffer zone between wastewater facilities and residential development.
A greater setback (e.g., 500 yards or more) combined with strategic landscaping by the river’s edge, odor control measures, and proper site planning including a wide park on the West Bank would make the development more viable.
I’d really like to understand the significance of consultants/experts/studys.
If I hire a consultant or expert, and I’m paying them. Then clearly my goal and the consultants goal is to show/prove that I can do whatever it is I want to do. That I am correct. That this or that will work.
It’s like a rubber stamp of sorts. Yet it’s really not.
Because an opposing party can hire and pay a different consultant to literally give a polar opposite view.
So has a developer ever hired a consultant and not got the exact report they were seeking ?
Never I imagine.
Hi Woog! I have been a resident of Westport for the past 30 years.
In this time, Westport has changed significantly. I am deeply concerned that this ‘project’ will take away from the carm of our town. Do we really need more traffic in this area? Rush hour traffic is already a big issue. These structures will take away the light and the airiness the present space provides. Three -story buildings have a way of doing this! Another big concern is parking. I do hope that this plan does not go through.
UGH
More traffic and less parking.
Sounds like a winning combination!
Why oh Why?
IMHO Saugatuck is delightful just as it is, and it does not need this imperious “Hamlet” monstrosity.
I know a city about 10 exits south down I95, that this “Hamlet” would be perfect for…
This renark/attitude is why we all hope westport gets what it deserves.
From this old resident gone through the school system and graduated Staples in 1971, watching my town turn into a city is sad.
Indeed!
I moved here in 1984 to find block parties, kids playing baseball on my tennis court and my pool open to anybody on my block. Everybody was friendly and liked to party. Now? Since Covid and the NY Aliens, people barely go outside and if so, they play with their kids on their driveways. No interaction, no manners. Nannies, food delivered. They seem afraid. They also have turned North Avenue into a major thoroughfare. I think it is fine and fun to remember the good ole days. Our future in this country certainly looks rather bleak with Westport following its model: bickering and spending! Peace and love. JM
So I’ve been here since 1972, and yes, this town has changed tremendously since then. It was an idyllic place for those of us lucky enough to have grown up here. But when references are made that those were not necessarily the “good ole days” for everyone, I can agree. But these types of changes continue to make Westport unaffordable for those same folks who weren’t able to live here 50 years ago. Many small and beautiful homes have been torn down and replaced with cookie homes that are way too large for the scale of the neighborhood. But I understand that they are within their rights… But this monstrosity being suggested will do nothing to add value to Westport, and its beauty. It would be a sad day if this got approved IMHO.
The developers have had the upper hand in Westport since the 60’s, probably longer than that. I remember when the beautiful old mansion on the corner of Wright St. and the Post Rd. was torn down in the 60’s. Before we knew it we were faced with the monstrosity that still exists. Time hasn’t done much to improve its aesthetics. The townspeople were horrified and went to the P&Z only to find that the permits had been granted years before and nothing could be done. I’m sure this is the same thing with “The Hamlet.” There isn’t enough lipstick at Revlon (the Baron’s company) to make this pig look good.
Moving here in 1952, my family lived in the same house for 50 years before they tore it down for a huge mansion in 2002. I sort of liked it: our family the only one to live in the house and all. But there seems to be no continuity in the homes, big, small, western style, big lots,. houses behind houses, etc. The developers just throw up these houses, four on one acre on North Maple. Where is P&Z? We didn’t even have zoning in Houston proper and the deed restrictions were far more severe and enforced than here. YIKES!! http://WWW.CARLADDISONSWANSON.COM