“Where We Stand”: P&Z Candidates Look Ahead: Westport, 4 Years From Now

An informed electorate is the greatest bulwark of democracy.

Westporters understand this is a very important election. “06880” is doing our part, to help Westporters understand candidates’ perspectives on a variety of issues.

Once a week, between now and Election Day, we’re asking the men and women running for 3 important boards — Selectmen/women, Planning & Zoning, and Education — one specific question.

We’ll print their responses verbatim.

This week’s question for the Planning & Zoning Commission is:

If elected, how different will Westport look and feel at the end of your 4-year term? And how similar to today?

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Michele Paquette is a candidate with endorsements from 3 organizations. She will be listed on the ballot under both the Republican Party and The Coalition for Westport. Additionally, she has earned the support of the Westport Alliance for Saugatuck. She says:

If elected, Westport will look and feel both thoughtfully evolved and reassuringly familiar by the end of my 4-year term.

I believe in progress that honors our past, development that reflects our values, and governance that listens before it decides. My goal is not to reinvent Westport, but to steward its growth with transparency and community at the center.

Michele Paquette

Let’s start with what will feel different. First and foremost, I will champion in-person forums and enhanced communication.  I will be one of 7, and seek for the Planning & Zoning Commission to make the residents feel heard and a partner in the process.

Second, Westport will begin to reflect a more balanced approach to development. I will advocate for appropriate growth that respects our town’s character while addressing real needs — reduce potential for additional congestion, maintain density, address affordable housing, environmental resilience, and economic vitality.

That means a resident focused, thoughtful update to our 10-year development plan, the zoning code to match it, and then I will follow it.  It means encouraging maintenance of our town character, adaptive reuse of existing buildings, thoughtfully evaluating development in wetlands and on the river while protecting open space. It means asking not just “what can we build?” but “what should we build — and why?”

You’ll also see a stronger alignment between planning and sustainability. I will push for zoning that supports green infrastructure and flood resilience. Westport’s natural beauty is one of its greatest assets, and we must plan with climate realities in mind. From coastal neighborhoods to inland woodlands, our policies must reflect long-term stewardship—not short-term convenience.

And finally, the tone of civic engagement will shift. I bring decades of experience in strategic leadership, stakeholder alignment, and courageous decision-making. I will foster a culture of respect, collaboration and accountability — both within the commission, and across town and state government. I will seek to help residents feel empowered, not sidelined. Disagreements will be met with dialogue, not division. We will lead with facts, listen with empathy, and act with purpose.

Now, what will remain the same? Westport’s character. Our shoreline sunsets, our vibrant arts scene, our cherished neighborhoods and schools—these will remain the heart of our town. The charm of downtown, the bustle of Compo Beach in summer, the quiet dignity of our historic districts—these will continue to define us. I will protect the essence of Westport while guiding it toward a future that is resilient, and forward-thinking.

Our commitment to excellence will also endure. Westport has long been a town of high standards — whether in education, public services or civic pride. I will uphold those standards.

In short, Westport will feel more intentional and more prepared for the future. But it will still feel like home. My leadership will be rooted in listening, learning, and leading with integrity. I’m not running to impose a vision — I’m running to elevate yours.

By the end of my term, I want residents to say: “We were heard. We were respected. And we helped shape the future of our town.”

That’s the Westport I believe in. That’s the Westport I will fight for.

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The Democratic Party has endorsed Michael Cammeyer, Bre Injeski and Craig Schiavone. Schiavone is also running on the Coalition for Westport ticket, and has been endorsed by the Alliance for Westport. They say:

Westport will look and feel like Westport. And that’s the point.

Four years from now, our town should remain a vibrant coastal community with the same charm and sense of belonging that make Westport such a great place to call home. Our team’s pragmatic and disciplined approach is essential to reconciling state mandates that push for dense development with our town’s commitment to thoughtful growth and environmental protection.

Our town’s interests are not advanced by P&Z commissioners acting as though the rights of private property owners to develop their land under state law can be ignored or undone by wishful thinking. Equally important, this conversation must include a realistic vision for what we strive to achieve, not only what we will protect against.

From left: Bre Injeski, Michael Cammeyer, Craig Schiavone.

How Westport will look and feel different:

If elected, we will update Westport’s Plan of Conservation and Development to responsibly guide future development with a focus on sustainability, preservation, and right-sized growth.

By the end of our next term, our goal is to have worked collaboratively and effectively with the next first selectman’s office to advance projects that strengthen our town: re-paving downtown parking areas while preserving parking where we need it, modernizing our schools, lighting our fields (especially for our girls sports teams), approving a community garden, creating a fenced dog run, developing town-led, low-density affordable cottage clusters, implementing flood mitigation infrastructure, and establishing an updated town maintenance facility in an appropriate location.

Our team doesn’t just talk about keeping Westport vibrant; we deliver on it. If Democrats maintain our seats on the P&Z, we’ll keep championing policies that strengthen small businesses and community life, from the seasonal closure of Church Lane and expanded outdoor dining to second-floor retail and converting office space for medical uses. Each of these initiatives has been divided along party lines, and could be lost if Republicans take the majority on the P&Z.

Finally, we welcome the opportunity to work with a new administration to put Westport’s 5-Year Affordability Plan into action. With new leadership in the first selectman’s office, it’s not too late to create thoughtfully designed, low-density affordable housing, like the cottage clusters our team has already legalized through zoning reform.

We’ll keep using our planning and zoning tools to encourage housing options that diversify opportunity without overwhelming the town. By planning carefully, we can meet our state affordability goals while preserving Westport’s scale and beauty.

How Westport will stay the same:

We’ll protect the small-town feel, architectural variety, and open spaces that make Westport unique. The Saugatuck River will still be the heart of downtown. Compo Beach will still bring families together. Our neighborhoods will still have that distinct Westport mix of creativity, warmth, and pride.

Westport’s schools, arts, and community spirit are unmatched. We’ll continue to make land-use decisions that support them. That means incentivizing thoughtful density instead of massive 8-30g projects. Our record of supporting right-sized office-to-residential conversions and affordable housing for our vulnerable residents, and adaptive re-use of historic properties (like at 136 Riverside Avenue) exemplifies our commitment to smart affordable housing growth.

Just as important, we believe in transparency and public participation. We will continue to listen, work through subcommittees, and engage openly with all residents and applicants who come before us.

Our team reads every letter. We hear you. We listen. We care. We will always be honest about what the P&Z can and cannot control given state law, and we will never mislead you about the consequences of our decisions.

At the end of our 4-year term, we hope residents will feel that Westport doesn’t just look well-planned, but it feels well-planned. That traffic got a little better, local businesses a little stronger, and housing a little more inclusive, all without losing the beauty and balance that define us.

We are genuinely excited about the opportunity to work with a new Board of Selectmen to preserve what makes this town special while planning responsibly for what comes next. This is our commitment to Westport.

Click here for last week’s “Where We Stand” responses.

Click here for the 2nd “Where We Stand” responses.

Click here for the first week’s “Where We Stand” question.