It’s the dog days of August.
With many Westporters out of town in the final days before school resumes, most boards have canceled meetings.
Not the Planning & Zoning Commission.
And their August 17 meeting (6 p.m., Zoom) is nothing to sniff at.
They’ll consider a text amendment submitted by Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella. He explains, “The text amendment would allow a form of recreation to be conducted on designated open space where active leisurely use already occurs, providing the option for a fenced dog area to be located within a park.
“It is important to understand that this is not an approval of a specific dog park or a final site plan. Rather, it is a change to the zoning regulations that would permit the use to be considered. Any specific proposal would still be subject to additional public review and approvals.
“The P&Z is not being asked to decide whether Winslow Park should have a dog run. It is being asked whether the zoning regulations should allow a fenced dog area as a permitted recreational use on designated open space where active recreational uses are already appropriate. The merits and details of any specific location remain separate questions.”
Colabella and Westport Youth Commission member Emme Dorfman have designed a concept, and been given an OK for their pre-app.
“The concept will either be supported or rejected by the Parks & Recreation Commission, and is within respect to outside expert analysis by the Parks Master Plan to be located at Winslow, after carefully reviewing all viable parks and town properties throughout Westport,” Colabella adds.
Click here for background information. Click here (and then scroll down to Text Amendment #874) for additional materials.
Westport resident Mark Mathias says that, according to Planning & Zoning director Michelle Perillie, the P&Z can either keep the matter open or close it.
If they vote to approve — either that night or at a later meeting — the petitioners must submit an 8-24 Municipal Improvement Request, and Special Permit Site Plan, to the P&Z. The Parks & Recreation Department would also be involved.
Details including exact location, funding, design, and management of the space would still need to be proposed and approved.
Rendering of a possible “Dogport” at Winslow Park.
==================================================
The 64th annual Westport PAL Chief Samuel Luciano Golf Tournament tees off August 31, at Longshore.
A major fundraiser, proceeds fund the organization’s scholarship program. To register, or join as a sponsor, click here.
================================================
Speaking of the police and scholarships: Classic cars, custom vehicles, local vendors and community members come together this Sunday (August 9, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) — all in support of a great cause.
The 8th annual Charity Car show (148 East Avenue, Norwalk) benefits the Vincent Penna Scholarship Program for high school students. It honors the memory of the late deputy chief of the Westport Police Department.
Sunday’s event — hosted by the Italian American Police Society — includes a raffle with over $35,000 in prizes, donated by more than 100 sponsors. They include automotive parts and accessories, tools, gift certificates and specialty items.
Vincent Penna Jr.
=================================================
Speaking (still) of sports: TOPSoccer — the program for youngsters with physical or learning differences — returns for another season.
Blake Serotta — a rising sophomore player at Staples — leads the program, in conjunction with the Weston Soccer Club and Westport Soccer Association.
TOPSoccer is open to boys and girls in grades K-8. It runs Saturdays, 11;30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., from September 12 through November 7 at Morehouse Farm Park in Weston.
The program includes fun games, drills, and small-sided games. Each child is paired with a buddy, who stays with them on the field. High schoolers are welcome as volunteers and buddies.
To learn more, and sign up as a player or buddy, click here. Questions? Email blake.serotta@gmail.com
==================================================
Speaking yet again of sports: Congratulations to Northeast Elite Water Polo Club.
The Westport-based youth program won the 14U Boys Gold Division championship at the USA Water Polo Junior Olympics, the nation’s largest youth water polo tournament, in Dallas.
It was not easy. The team lost their first 3 tourney games, before rallying to win 5 straight. They finished with 74 goals in 8 matches, over 5 days.
Northeast Elite was founded in 2024 by Staples High School coach Danilo Sierra-Giraldo, and Kade Ramirez-Zimmerman. Winning players include Julian Urist, Alexander Vandenberg, Sagan Feder, Sascha Bowtell, Oliver Melnichok, Yash Mani Lorenzato, Calvin Jahansouz, Santos Infantino, Ben Scanlon, Cullen Shope, Aaron Bhuyan and Joshua Smith.
Northeast Elite water polo champs.
==================================================
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport is hosting another humongous tag sale.
And everyone is invited.
The event is Sunday, August 15 (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; early birds 8 a.m., $20).
They missed last year, due to building renovations. So now there are 2 years’ worth of all kinds of stuff to check out.
And buy.
A small part of the big crowd at the Unitarian Universalist tag sale.
==================================================
The curtain has fallen on the last show of the Westport Country Playhouse’s 2025-26 season.
But the stage is set for more entertainment.
“Cruel Summer” — a live band playing the music of Ariana Grande, Olivia Dean, Taylor Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and more — rocks the theater on Friday, August 28 (7 p.m.).
Click here for tickets, and more information.
Taylor Swift will not be at the Westport Country Playhouse this month. But her music will be.
Westporter Peter Van Heerden took the helm of Pequot Library a little over 4 months ago.
But he’s already infused new energy into the 132-year-old institution, and forged community partnerships and collaborations.
One example: On September 10 (7 p.m.), Broadway legend and area resident James Naughton joins Mia Dillon, Jill Eikenberry and Michael Tucker for a reading of historic documents tied to the Declaration of Independence. A Q-and-A follows. Click here for details. and to register.
The program is part of the Pequot’s summer Special Collections exhibition, Unfinished Revolution: 250 Years of Marking American Independence.
On September 25 (7 p.m.), Naughton and friends return for a Closing Exhibition Celebration featuring another reading, Q-and-A, and a live band performance. Tickets ($50 per person) support exhibition programming. Click here for details.
And on September 19, the Pequot’s benefit features the famed Paul Taylor Dance Company. Limited to 300 attendees, the event launches the library’s new Summer Stage plan to bring top-tier talent to the region. Tickets start at $100, and sponsorships are available. Click here for details.
James Naughton
==================================================
Of all the plants we’ve plastered in this “Westport … Naturally” series, none may be better named than “elephant ears.”
Richard Fogel spotted these guys near Webb Road:
(Photo/Richard Fogel)
==================================================
And finally … in honor of Taylor Swift’s (non)-appearance at the Westport Country Playhouse (item above):
(Okay, so Taylor Swift won’t be on the Playhouse stage. But Westport still has “06880.” Please help keep us here, by making a tax-deductible contribution here. Thank you!)
When Dan Woog mentions Taylor Swift, I must comment on former Staples graduate and a former acquaintance of mine, Mike Borchetta, who discovered Taylor at age 14, and signed her at age 16.
Not Mike, it was his son Scott, who started his own independent record label with her in 2005.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Borchetta
It was the son and I think Dan Woog once published a picture of the son and Taylor. I knew Scott’s grandparents really well because I’d stop by their deli multiple times a week.Mike I only met a few times. By the time Scott was born, Mike left Westport.
The problem with Text Amendments such as this is that it opens the slippery slope for further consideration of potentially unpopular development actually already envisioned.
It’s bad enough that developers, with the assistance of Westport’s zoning-expert(s)-for-hire can wantonly cram
legislation permitting one property down the Town’s throat.
Proponents of this T.A. argue, and the P&Z can hide behind the fact that of course there’s no specific fenced in area under official Town consideration and it could apply on any Town park that happens to meet its exact criteria that happen to be present at Winslow.
The Dogport diagram is just a “serving suggestion”. Right.
Please, P&Z, stop spot zoning.
A far as Dogport, one thing no one involved seems to want to answer, despite being asked directly, is whether its opening would then mandate the remaining entirety of Winslow be on-leash-only. The Text Amendment and the P&Z conveniently do not have to answer it either.
Ken, I have answered this in meetings and on here. The on-off leash areas would remain unchanged.
as for the text amendment, it simply would allow a fenced in area, to be considered. it does not approve Dogport, a specific location, design or construction.
All of those steps will need public input from Parks & Recreation commission with a SUGGESTED location in Winslow if chosen for site, and from there, a design and specific location based off of elected officials’ suggestions as well as most importantly, the public.
Those decisions would still require their own public process and approvals. This concept brought forth by Emme Dorfman, Karen Kramer, Mimi Duvall-Sajda and I is exactly that.
Andrew, are there any experts working with this group to help design and find a site for this? As an experienced dog owner, my initial impression is that there is a lack of proper guidance. The initial proposal to site this park alongside the off-leash area was alarming to me due to the obvious issues with barrier aggression it would create. It’s also not clear to me that this group appreciates how much work it is to clean and maintain these dog runs. Do they have any kind of budget proposed yet? I personally think these small, fenced dog runs are incredibly problematic, but if they’re going to do it, they need some expert advice.
“A far as Dogport, one thing no one involved seems to want to answer, despite being asked directly, is whether its opening would then mandate the remaining entirety of Winslow be on-leash-only.”
The entire southern portion of Winslow Park and the Saugatuck Congregational Church property to the west are already on-leash areas.
Only the Dog Park area north of the picket fence is currently off-leash.
Not that many users respect the existing rules, anymore than they clean up after their dogs.
Yes, I’m aware of the posted signage elsewhere within WInslow. Perhaps instead of “remaining entirety of Winslow” I should have rephrased as “areas of Winslow currently allowing off-leash”. My concern regarding that area’s future permitted use remains.
Thanks, Andrew, for taking the time to respond. I stand corrected regarding your having answered the “rest-of-Winslow” question, since you now have as well.
Note that Ms. Dorfman’s survey, which I filled out when published, does not address the “rest-of-WInslow” question at all. I did add it in the “additional thoughts” box…
However, I’m still concerned that somewhere down the rules&sausage-making process your sentiment regarding that question could just…drop out of the process. It would make sense for it to be codified.
I’m just a Westport family dog-walker of a quite well behaved small dog who has never caused any issues whatsoever in Winslow’s off-leash areas. It provides both of us concurrent exercise.
I have no other issues with Dogport, in fact, logic might dictate that “misbehaving” dogs owners (ambiguity intentional) would tend to gravitate to within Dogport, tending to leave the rest of the park to off-leash “behaving” dogs.
I’ll leave the question of “what could possibly go wrong” within Dogport to others to opine…
Thanks again.