In just 5 years, the “06880”/Westport Downtown Association Holiday Stroll has become a cherished tradition. It’s coming soon: Saturday, December 6 (4 to 7 p.m.).
The Staples Orphenians carols, Santa (selfies, and a box for letters), a DJ, face painters, Nômade’s s’mores, our own piglet, and over 50 special offerings from stores and restaurants (click here to see) draw hundreds of residents to Main Street and environs every year.
Don’t forget the Westport Police “Toys for Tots” drive. There’s a collection box for new toys at the corner of Main and Elm Streets.
But it’s really an all-Westport event. Retail and non-profit vendors will be there too, with booths filled with giveaways and fun.
They include Cobs Bread, Real & CO Candies, The Clubhouse and more.
There is something for everyone at the Holiday Stroll. See you there, a week from Saturday!
Staples Orphenians: a Holiday Stroll favorite. (Photo/Stacie Curran)
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Yesterday’s gorgeous weather drew hordes of Westporters outside. They ran in Pequot Runners’ Turkey Trot. They played in Staples soccer’s annual alumni contest. They headed to Greenwich for the Wreckers’ football game.
They took walks: at Winslow Park. Around their neighborhoods. At Compo Beach.
Molly Alger took this photo (below), at Schlaet’s Point on Hillspoint Road. “Must be no one left at home cooking,” she says.
(Photo/Molly Alger)
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House Bill 8002 — a revised version of a controversial housing bill vetoed earlier — was signed into law Wednesday by Governor Lamont.
CT Mirror says it “expands fair rent commissions, eliminates most off-street parking requirements for smaller housing developments and requires towns to create housing growth plans, among other measures.”
Lamont said, “This bill tells mayors and first selectmen ‘What do you want your town to look like in five or 10 years? Start planning accordingly. Where do you want that housing to go? Are you going to zone accordingly? What else do you need? We want to be your partner.'”
Click here for the full CT Mirror story.
Governor Lamont — shown here at the dedication of Westport’s 122 Wilton Road apartments in 2024 — has advocated for affordable housing legislation. (Photo/Dan Woog)
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Today’s eye-catching early Thanksgiving morning “Westport … Naturally” photo comes from Rayfield Road, thanks to always-intriguing photographer Jerry Kuyper:
(Photo/Jerry Kuyper)
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And finally … in honor of today:
(Sure, you can spend all your money on gifts that will break or become obsolete. Or you can toss a few bucks our way: to “06880,” the hyper-local blog that keeps on giving. Thank you!)
How about this instead? https://youtu.be/neJorQci-wI?si=1VxahlDPb39Q0E4v
Here’s what I don’t understand – and I’d be thrilled to have someone enlighten me:
It seems like the only thing these “affordable housing” bills accomplish is mass construction of high-priced apartments along the major thoroughfares that towns have little control over and creating a traffic and infrastructure nightmare … with just a small handful of affordable options tucked out of the way.
What am I missing?
Not missing much. That’s pretty much it. Can’t really have affordable housing with 1 or 2 acre zoning. Economics just don’t work.
No need to worry on that score, Bill; won’t be long before the state says 1&2 acre zoning prohibits DEI, so every residential building lot must allow 4 ADU’s with no parking requirement…it’s just a matter of time.
What we (state of Connecticut ) seem to be ignoring is the advantage and efficacy of cooperative housing—where, as in Westport’s initial senior affordable housing at The Saugatuck—the units’ selling price are kept afforable, maintenance and ownership costs are kept lower than equivalent rentals (by a lot), and developers do not reap exorbitant profits.