BFJ Planning + THA Consulting delivered that verdict — and a 9-page document — to the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee on Thursday. The study cost $46,900.
After observing parking occupancies during summer, fall and winter 2024, the consultants observed:
Peak occupancy downtown occurs on weekdays around 1 p.m.
Occupancies are highest in the “Core Parking Zone.”
Demand for all-day spaces in the core is at “practical capacity.”
Public lots outside of the core are “generally under-utilized.”
The “core zone” is the area north of the Post Road between Myrtle Avenue and Parker Harding Plaza, and south of the Post Road between the Taylor lot (lower Library parking) and Imperial Avenue.
The core downtown parking zone.
The consultants offered these goals:
Spread long-term parking demand out of the core lots. This could be done by creating all-day permits and permit areas. There would be one permit for a spot in the core zone, and a less expensive alternative for an outlying lot.
Increase hourly parking opportunities in the core.To do this, 3-hour spaces would be converted to 2- and 8-hour spaces; some all-day spaces within the core parking zone would become 2-hour spaces, and “occasional 15-minute parking” would be introduced in the core zone.
(The selectwomen recently changed 2-hour parking limits to 3 hours, at the urging of downtown merchants and restaurant owners.)
A parking management app could manage hourly parking. The consultants noted that there are already 13,000 ParkMobile users in the 06880 ZIP code.
License plate readers would be used for parking enforcement.
The popular Park Mobile app.
Increase the efficiency and security of the Police lot.Used primarily by the Police Department now, this could be expanded, restriped and clarified as a public parking area.
The consultants did not recommend a parking deck — a recent discussion in town for, among other places, Elm Street — due to its cost: estimated at $4.9 to $5.25 million.
Though noting they are “not anti-deck,” Georges Jacquemart, principal of BFJ Planning, said that introducing the parking management strategies outlined above should be the first steps for town officials.
He added that funds collected from parking fees could be used to improve pedestrian access from outlying lots, and perhaps be used for other downtown parking projects.
Perhaps a deck?
(Since 2009, “06880” has covered parking — and everything else that goes on downtown. Plus everywhere else in Westport. If you enjoy this hyper-local blog, please click here to support us. Thanks!)
Now in its fourth season as a Westport Library Verso Studios production, the dynamic, well-respected and always-on-the-money Westport financial expert — and an impressive array of guests — teach youngsters (and their parents, guardians, and grandparents) everything they need to know about financial literacy.
This year, the podcast will include video. That makes a lot of cents.
The first episode features University of Virginia professor Chuck Howard discussing expense prediction bias. Future episodes will focus on compound interest, borrowing and credit, college savings and more.
Alert, and warm, “06880” reader Jonathan Berg writes:
“This is no longer any of my business, as my last kid graduated from Staples last year.
“But I just drove past the school bus stop. There’s a wind chill of 16 degrees right now.
“I know from my kids that no one uses lockers, and they don’t want to drag a coat around all day.
“So they’re out there waiting for the bus in 16 degrees with no coat on, shivering.
“There’s a lot of sickness going around. I would think kids are going to get sicker out there every morning. I don’t really have a solution here, other than maybe drive your kids to school when it’s this cold if you can.
“Just a thought from a habitually concerned father.”
I don’t have kids, so I’m just a habitually concerned random guy. But here’s another solution: Tell your kid to wear a coat, toss it randomly in the cafeteria along with all the sports equipment and other stuff kids leave there, then pick it up at the end of the day.
Brand Nu Apparel popped up last summer, on Post Road West. Marcello DeAguero’s temporary shop offered athletic wear and street wear, “designed for creators of all kinds — athletes, artists, entrepreneurs, and dreamers.”
Now Marcello has taken the next step: a long-term retail location in Westport. Brand Nu Apparel is now open at 877 Post Road East (the building between Pizza Lyfe and the Sherwood Diner). Click here for details.
The Westport Business Networking International chapter’s next Visitor’s Day is January 23 (United Methodist Church, 7 a.m.; networking, business meeting, coffee and homemade baked goods).
Westport BNI has 55 members, with only 1 per category. Classifications available now include estate attorney, residential contractor, salon, restaurant, hotel, home security, personal trainer, photographer, caterer or bakery, commercial real estate, florist, event/wedding planner, travel/tour operator, automotive repair, roofer, nutritionist, physical therapy, promotional products and more.
In the past year, the group has passed over $3.3 million in closed business.
All visitors must pre-register. Contact Matthew Cummings of M&T Bank at (mcummings2@mtb.com) to sign up in advance. Click here for the BNI website.
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee has released the results of its most recent study.
What do 1,955 respondents, plus attendees at focus groups and a townwide charette say>
Surprise!*
Most want Jesup Green to be untouched, for parking or any other use. Some people would even like the open space expanded, toward the river.
The Imperial Avenue parking lot, while used for the Westport Farmers’ Market, Westport Woman’s Club, Levitt Pavilion and Westport Library, is not utilized for downtown shopping and dining.
Presented with 3 sites for a downtown parking deck, nearly 50% favored the Baldwin lot on Elm Street.
For details on those results, and other questions like parking limits, click here.
*Not really.
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Speaking of downtown: With Japanese, Israeli and French cuisine — plus Spotted Horse, Emmy Squared and Mrs. London’s — Church Lane is already a food mecca.
Soon, there will be an ice cream place too.
Van Leeuwen will open in the space previously home to Franny’s Farmacy.
It’s the 4th location in Connecticut for the chain, which features ice cream (including vegan), chocolate chip cookies, cookie sandwiches, sundaes and milkshakes.
The other sites are New Canaan, Darien and Greenwich.
Van Leeuwen also operates shops in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, Colorado, Texas and California.
Nothing there sells for $6.2 million, however. To pay that amount for art, you need to go to Sotheyby’s, and be a Hong Kong crypto entrepreneur willing to pony up for a duct-taped banana.
But wait!
What was that, duct-taped yesterday to a utility pole, outside the Riverside Avenue gallery?
The Representative Town Meeting Environment and Health & Human Services Committees meet together on Monday (November 25, 7:30 p.m., Zoom).
They’ll continue their discussion about “concerns related to a potential artificial turf field being added to Long Lots School property, during the new school construction.”
The athletic fields at Long Lots Elementary School are now all grass.
Speaking of the environment: Next year marks the 95th anniversary of the Greens Farms Garden Club.
Members got a jump on the celebration Tuesday. The warm, sunny morning was perfect for palnting daffodils, at Machamux Park on Greens Farms Road.
The name comes from the Mohawk and Wallup Native Americans who settled in the area. They called the area overlooking Long Island Sound “Machaux” (“the beautiful land”).
In the mid-1600’s, colonists arrived. The 5 “Bankside Farmers” bought land along the shore from the Wallups.
It named Greens Farms in honor of John Green, one of the Bankside Farmers. A large memorial rock in the park will be surrounded by daffodils and grape hyacinths next spring — the Greens Farms Garden Club’s contribution to this “beautiful land.”
Second Selectwoman Andrea Moore and Westport parks superintendent Michael West helped prepare the garden bed for the volunteers.
In a few months, we’ll all enjoy their work.
Greens Farms Garden Club members, at Machamux Park.
That was the title of last night’s sold-out Westport Country Playhouse show.
Actor Alan Cumming (“Cabaret,” “The Good Wife”) and American journalist and singer Ari Shapiro (NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Pink Martini) joined forces for an evening of entertainment.
The event’s title paid homage to Cumming’s Scottish and Shapiro’s Jewish roots. It was a night of thought-provoking conversations, slightly bawdy musical numbers and personal storytelling.
Alan Cumming and Ari Shapiro: Och and oy! (Photo/Susan Garment)
And finally … Vic Flick, the delightfully named guitarist whose “driving riff in the theme for the James Bond movies captured the spy’s suave confidence and tacit danger,” says the New York Times, died November 14 in Los Angeles. He was 87. and suffered from Alzheimer’s.
(New businesses, art, gardening, sports, schools — it’s all here, just like it is every day, in our “06880” Roundup. If you rely us on for news you can use, please click here to support our work. Thanks!)
The Sunrise Rotary and Westport Rotary Clubs have pledged $2,500 each, to Ukraine Aid International.
Rotarian Ken Bernhard is seeking more funds, which the national club will match. The goal of $15,000 would purchase water filtration systems, for use in the war-torn nation.
The need is critical, in areas where Russian forces have destroyed water supplies.
UAI founders Marshall and Brian Mayer — who grew up in Westport — described the water filtration systems, and other aid their non-profit provides (including communications equipment, vehicles, and funds for children’s therapy camps) on Sunday, at a special dinner provided by Nômade.
Among the attendees: Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congressman Jim Himes. Both provided insights into the current status of US aid to Ukraine. Blumenthal — who has traveled there 6 times — noted the bipartisan support, with ties forged on his trips with Republican senators like Lindsay Graham.
Senator Richard Blumenthal and Congressman Jim Himes at Nômade. (Photo/Dan Woog)
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee holds a public meeting this Thursday (November 21, 8:30 a.m., Town Hall Room 307-9).
The agenda includes reviews of the parking lot project, a review of the public engagement process, and an update on the parking study and feasibility analysis.
Meanwhile, the Long Lots School Building Committee meeting scheduled for today (Tuesday) has been canceled.
The Westporter debuted his stunning new documentary, before a large Westport audience crowd.
“Pat Tillman: Life, Death, Legacy” is a profound and impactful look at the life and legacy of the NFL star who volunteered to serve in Afghanistan, then was killed by friendly fire.
Missed it? Click here for details on how to stream the video.
Jeremy Schaap, at the Westport Library. (Photo and hat tip/Dave Briggs)
Also last night: A nearly sold-out audience enjoyed the Westport Country Playhouse’s latest Script In Hand reading.
“A Danger to Yourself and Others” took place — appropriately — the week before Thanksgiving, It involved a gas station robbery, library card revocation, love, and much more.
Script in Hand readings are regular — and very popular — Playhouse events.
Script in Hand readings give a great flavor of interesting plays. This is a scene from “A Danger to Yourself.” (Photo/Dave Matlow)
But there was plenty of Staples blue in Cary, North Carolina on Sunday.
Goalkeeper Paddy Donovan — a 2022 Staples High School grad — saved one penalty kick, in the ACC men’s soccer final.
But 2 Clemson teammates missed theirs, and Wake Forest captured the league championship, 7-6, after regulation and overtime ended 1-1.
Among the other local connections: Clemson is coached by 1979 Staples grad (and former state champion) Mike Noonan. He’s led the Tigers to 2 national titles in the past 3 years.
In the stands: Paddy’s parents, Dan and Nicole Donovan. Both are SHS alums too. Dan is a former Wrecker soccer state champion. And his late brother Doug was Noonan’s teammate, on that ’78 state title squad.
Also on hand: former Staples teachers Dave and Marianne Harrison (social studies and physical education, respectively). Both now live in North Carolina.
Next up for Clemson: The NCAA tournament. Donovan and his teammates earned a first-round bye.
From left: Nicole Donovan, Dave and Marianne Harrison, Dan Donovan. All sport Clemson orange.
Speaking of sports: The Staples girls rugby program hosts a clinci for all current interested girls, in 8th grade and above, on November 24 (12:30 to 2 p.m., Staples football field).
Players from the University of New Haven Women’s Rugby Team will be lead the event. It’s a chance for girls (and their parents) see what rugby is all about, ask questions, and meet athletes. No prior experience is required.
The Staples girls rugby season runs from March through June.
Staples High School girls rugby. (Photo/Dylan Chatterjee Photography)
And finally … on this day in 1493, Christopher Columbus landed on an island he first saw the day before. He named it San Juan Bautista. Today we know it as Puerto Rico.
The island has given the world many great gifts. Among them: our neighbor, longtime Weston resident José Feliciano.
(“06880” is where Westport — and Weston — meet the world. If you enjoy the connections you find here, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport is hosting a “Candlelight Vigil for Hope and Peace” tonight, from 7 to 9 p.m.
The invitation says, “Come together for a collective sigh, some tears, laughter and mutual support.”
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Compo Acres Shopping Center specializes in several types of businesses: food, fashion and fitness.
Row House is closed. But a different kind of fitness “house” moves in next month.
SweatHouz is the brainchild of longtime friends Adam Peterson and Brian Liberty.
It will offer private contrast therapy suite, each with an infrared sauna, cold plunge and en suite Vitamin C shower.
The goal is to reduce inflammation, manage pain, improve immunity and sleep, boost mood, improve recovery, burn calories and improve performance.
SweatHouz plunge tub.
Anderson describes a “boutique, high-end, hotel-type feel.” Users can set the temperature for their cold plunge through an app.
Sessions — available singly, or through packages — are 60 minutes. Clients choose whatever options they like, from contrasts to just a sauna and shower.
Liberty learned about SweatHouz, and franchise opportunities, while recovering from a golf injury.
The Westport owners like their new neighbors, including SoulCycle and the bizarrely punctuated [solidcore].
“We’re not competing with fitness centers,” Peterson says. “People work out elsewhere, and get their recovery here.”
It doesn’t hurt that there are a couple of spots for healthy food nearby, like Sweetgreen (next door) and Pokeworks. (As well as Cobs Bread, and of course Trader Joe’s.)
Brian Liberty (left) and Adam Peterson, outside SweatHouz.
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee meeting scheduled for November 14 has been rescheduled for Thursday, November 21 (8:30 a.m., Town Hall room 201/201A).
Meanwhile, the Long Lots School Building committee announced yesterday that they will hold a special meeting today (Wednesday, November 6, Town Hall Room 309).
They’ll hear a project update, convene a work session to review conceptual parking concepts and conceptual elevations, and open the meeting up to public comment.
(Another day, another few “06880” stories. No matter what happens in the world, we are your window on Westport. If you appreciate our work, please click here to support us. Thank you!)
Check below, for this great (today only) offer from WEST (117 Post Road East):
(Hat tip: Dave Briggs)
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Want another chance to weigh in on Jesup Green, the Imperial Avenue parking lot and “structured parking”?
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee’s new survey is now live.
It’s open through Monday, November 11. Click here, then follow the prompts.
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Veterans Day is an important — and often overlooked — holiday.
Westport’s ceremony is always meaningful, and well worth attending.
The Town of Westport and VFW Post 399 will host Veterans Day services next Monday, November 11 (Town Hall auditorium).
At 10:30 a.m., the Westport Community Band will perform marches and patriotic tunes.
The services begin at 11 a.m. The time and date are significant. The armistice ending World War I — “the war to end all wars” — began at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.
After the ceremony, all veterans and other community members are invited to VFW Post 399 for food and drinks.
Donations will help pay for refreshments (click here; then click “Donate”). Extra funds will help pay for permanent flag stands on graves throughout town.
The VFW has already decorated 500, at Assumption Cemetery. There are 700 more to go in Westport.
The Doughboy statue honors Westporters who served and sacrificed in World War I. It’s at Veterans Green, across from Town Hall where Veterans Day ceremonies are held. (Photo/Topsy Siderowf)
Donate your “pre-loved Lego, Duplo, Technic, mini-figure and/or baseplate pieces.” Sustainable Westport volunteers will package and send them to Lego Replay — and arm of the Danish company — to ensure they find their way out of landfill, and into the hands of kids who need them most.
Full collections, partial sets, random pieces — nearly all are welcome. For information about accepted pieces and how to prepare your bricks for donation, click here.
Donations can be dropped off at:
MoCA Holiday Artisan Marketplace (November 15 and 16, noon to 4 p.m.).
Wakeman Town Farm(November 22 through December 8, when open)
Earthplace(December 9 through 15, when open)
Westport Moms Holiday Event at Birchwood Country Club(December 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Westport Weston Family YMCA(December 13 through 22, when open).
The 84th annual Candlelight Concert is set for Staples High School Friday, December 13 (8 p.m.), and Saturday, December 14 (3 and 8 p.m.). Tickets will be available soon (keep reading “06880” for details!).
Meanwhile, the Staples High School — which offers the beloved event as a gift to the town — welcomes businesses and individuals to purchase ads in the program, to help offset costs (and fund the Music Department’s programs for over 300 students).
The National Charity League fosters mother-daughter relationships through a 6-year program of community service, leadership development and cultural experiences.
The Westport chapter has more than 275 members — women and their daughters in grades 7-12 — and provides volunteer support to over 30 non-profits.
Rising saxophone star Sarah Hanahan brings her talent to this Thursday’s “Jazz at the Post” (November 7, 7:30 and 8:45, VFW Post 399; dinner service at 6:45 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 veterans and students; click here for show tickets).
Hanahan — named one of NPR Jazz Night in America’s “30 under 30 Youngbloods” — will be joined by bassist Mikey Migliore, guitarist Tony Davis and drummer Mike Camacho.
After touring the 4 homes on Sunday’s “Historic Homes of 06880” tour, Nicholas Eisenberger thought he’d seen it all.
But passing Nyala Farm, he saw something else fascinating:
“What a beautiful sight, place, and day!” Nico says, of the bobcat (and tour) — and today’s captivating “Westport … Naturally” image.
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And finally …
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A big crowd filled a small room at the Westport Library last night, to discuss a hot topic: the future of downtown.
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee hosted a public charette for “all stakeholders.”
That group — including elected and appointed officials, real estate owners, merchants and their representatives, architects, and plenty of residents — examined aerial photos, maps and plans for Parker Harding Plaza, Jesup Green, the Imperial Avenue parking and environs.
Plus 3 possible sites for a parking deck.
A large aerial photo showed the location of a possible parking deck on Elm Street.
They wrote their ideas on dozens of Post-Its and note cards.
Opinions were all over the lot. It was hard to find unanimity — even on beloved Jesup Green.
Plenty of attendees urged, “Don’t touch it!” Others recommended swapping it with the current Taylor parking lot, closer to the Saugatuck River.
The table devoted to plans for a parking deck at the the police station/Bay Street/Gillespie Center site adjacent to Jesup Green drew typically mixed responses.
“Does data show actual need?” one person wrote. “I always see open spots at midday.”
“A good spot,” a second said.
Architect and longtime Westporter Joe Vallone brought his own plan for an Elm Street parking structure. A Myrtle Avenue resident suggested instead that Town Hall was a better site for parking.
For every Westporter who suggested better use of an outlying lot — Imperial Avenue, say, or Town Hall — another countered that people do not want to walk more than they’re used to.
Then a third would point out that in Europe — and New York, where many Westporters residents lived not long ago — folks walk all the time.
One of many Post-It notes on the Parker Harding Plaza plan.
A public survey will be conducted next month. Downtown Plan Implementation Committee chair Randy Herbertson will present those results, and recommendations from consultants, after the holidays.
Metered parking? Moving the Farmers’ Market closer to downtown?
Last night, all ideas were on the charette table.
(Representative Town Meeting member Andrew Colabella says, “The town was well represented by our elected and appointed officials. The involvement of residents was positive. I wish more were involved.
(“However, this is only the beginning of a long process. I look forward to the public being involved from near and far. Send comments to rtm-dl@westportct.gov,”)
(“06880” is your hyper-local source for Westport news. We rely on reader support. If you enjoy our coverage, please click here. Thank you!)
Attendees at last night’s charette. (All photos/Dan Woog)
Hours have been extended for dropping off donations for victims of Hurricane Helene today(Tuesday), at Stop & Shop.
Items will be accepted now through 2:30 p.m.
The drive is being conducted by the Westport Rotary Club and Westport Sunrise Rotary.
The list of desperately needed items is long. It includes food and other supplies; tools and equipment; other essentials, and medical supplies. Click here for a full list.
In other Helene news, the Y’s Men of Westport/Weston have raised enough money to buy 10 generators for North Carolina.
Jaden Waldman is spending his fall afternoons playing freshman soccer at Staples High School. The team is great, but they don’t attract many fans — just a few parents and friends.
Jaden will be seen by exponentially more people this fall in another role: as the younger Dr. Oliver Wolf, Zachary Quinto’s character on NBC’s new series “Brilliant Minds.”
Based on Dr. Oliver Sacks — the exceptionally gifted neurologist who suffers from a rare condition that gives him a unique perspective on care — it airs Mondays at 10 p.m., then streams the following day on Peacock.
The teenager — who goes by Jaden Myles Waldman professionally — is equally at home on the soccer pitch and the stage. He debuted in 2021 (after a pandemic delay) in “Caroline, or Change.”
His other credits include “Ne Zha,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Plot Against America,” “Give or Take,” “Confetti,” and as Peter Pinkerton in “Pinkalicious & Peterrific.”
Jaden may be best known for his voice role as TO-B1 in the Emmy-nominated “Star Wars: Visions,” and Kun in the Oscar and Golden Globe-nominated movie “Mirai.”
Next up: a guest role on “Law & Order: SVU” October 24.
But we will say this: His father, David Pogue — a noted TV personality himself — is proud.
Very proud.
Jeffrey Pogue (right) on Scrabble TV.
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Yesterday’s Roundup included an item about signs from Huntington Learning Center and the Patch Boys that marred Kings Highway Colonial Cemetery.
Brian Rivel, who owns Huntington with his wife, notes that he did not place or dispose of his sign there.
“I was dismayed to read that,” he says. “We would never put a sign in a cemetery.”
Huntington Learning Center on Post Road East.
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The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee will hold a public meeting this Thursday (October 10, 8:30 a.m., Town Hall Room 201/201A).
Agenda items include the Jesup Green, Imperial Avenue and police station parking lots, and the parking study and feasibility analysis.
Remote and in-person comments from the public will be received as time is available. Comments can also be emailed to DPIC-comments@westportct.gov.
The future of the police station is one key to the development of a new downtown parking plan.
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Speaking of local politics: The Board of Finance regularly votes on big appropriations — our tax dollars at work.
But they don’t just study spreadsheets and grill town officials. Sometimes, they take field trips to better understand funding requests.
This Friday (October 11, noon), BOF members head to Old Mill Beach. They’ll walk on the pedestrian bridges and examine the tidal gates. It’s part of a request for $5,580,000 from the Public Works Department director, to rehabilitate the walkway and structure.
One of the 2 Sherwood Mill Pond tidal gates. (Photo/Phil Delano)
Early voting takes place Monday, October 21 through Sunday, November 3, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Town Hall auditorium.
On October 29 and 31, the hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting on Election Day (Tuesday, November 5), is from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., at regular polling places. Click here to view a district map.
Registrations done online, at the Department of Motor Vehicles or by mail must be completed (postmarked or received by the Westport Registrar of Voters by October 18.
All applications to register to vote after October 18 must be done in person at Town Hall, Room 107, in order to vote on November 5.
Citizens may also register and vote in person during the early voting period or on Election Day through same-day registration at Westport Town Hall, Room 107.
Meanwhile, the registrars of voters will begin memory card and tabulator testing this Thursday (October 10, 9:30 a.m., Town Hall, Room 212D. The public is welcome to observe on Thursday, or until completion
Questions about any of the above? Email the registrars of voters: Deborah Greenberg (Democrats): dgreenberg@westportct.gov, 203-341-1116; Maria Signore (Republicans): msignore@westportct.gov, 203-341-1117.
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Add this to your little kids’ Halloween activity list: a “fa-boo-lous”time at Wakeman Town Farm.
Youngsters ages 0-5 are invited — in costume — for a fun event October 25 (2 to 3 p.m.). Click here for tickets.
Lynette Washington headlines this week’s Jazz at the Post (Thursday, October 10, VFW Joseph J. Clinton Post 399; shows at 7:30 and 8:45 p.m.; dinner begins at 7 p.m.; $20 music cover, $15 for veterans and students).
Her extensive career in jazz, R&B and gospel has taken her around the world.
Lynette will be joined by pianist Amina Figarova, bassist Will Goble, flutist Bart Platteau and drummer Vinton Hines, Jr. Click here for tickets, and more information.
Spice — a gift shop specializing in fashion, home, entertaining, and baby and child goods — will move into the Sconset Square space recently vacated by Bespoke Designs.
This is Spice’s second location. The first is in Delray Beach, Florida.
A bit of needed rain came and left yesterday morning.
The sun quickly came out. But not before Celia Campbell-Mohn captured this scene, at the Westport Weston Family YMCA, for today’s “Westport … Naturally” feature.
(Photo/Celia Campbell-Mohn)
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And finally … in honor of the arrival of Spice, Westport’s newest store (story above):
(Whether you’re scary, sporty, baby, ginger or posh, you’re part of our great online “06880” community. And we rely on you — our readers — to support our work. Please click here to help. Thanks!)
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee invites all stakeholders to a public charette on October 23 (6 p.m., Westport Library).
Attendees can learn about current plans for Jesup Green, the Imperial Avenue parking lot, and a possible parking deck, with time for questions and feedback.
Meanwhile, the next Traffic and Pedestrian Safety public meeting is October 17 (7 p.m., Town Hall auditorium).
Police and other officials will present the results of the safety action plan survey, and offer updates on road, traffic and pedestrian initiatives.
Traffic safety map, showing residents’ input and ideas.
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Yesterday, “06880” reported that Planning & Zoning Department director Mary Young is retiring, effective Friday.
1st Selectwoman Jen Tooker praised Young for her 22 years of “outstanding service to our community. We are incredibly grateful for Mary’s unwavering dedication throughout her tenure, which has greatly contributed to the growth and development of Westport. Please join me in expressing our heartfelt thanks to Mary and wishing her the very best as she embarks on her next journey.”
Young’s position will be filled by deputy P&Z director Michelle Perillie.
Tooker said, “Michelle has served the Town of Westport as a planner for over 20 years, working with all aspects of land use planning with a special concentration in environmental issues.
“She became a licensed Professional Planner as qualified by the American Institute of Certified Planners in 2006. In 2020, she was qualified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be a Certified Floodplain Manager.” (Click here for an “06880” story on that achievement.)
“Michelle has excelled in a variety of roles, and steadily advanced within the department…. I am excited to see her lead the department with the same professionalism and expertise that she has always demonstrated.”
Amanda Trianovich, current town planner, will take Perillie’s place as deputy director.
Gymnastics & Cheerleading Academy is helping support victims of Hurricane Helene.
And they need our help.
Donations can be dropped off at:
Alina’s Cakes & Cookies, 1252 Post Road East
Norfield Grange, 12 Good Hill Road, Weston
GCA, 85 Mill Plain Road, Fairfield (Sportsplex)
277 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk
Sacred Heart University, inside the Church of the Holy Spirit, 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield.
Items needed include:
Non-perishable foods
Sports drinks (powdered packets)
Cleaning supplies
Hydration packs (powder form)
Toothbrushes, toothpaste, and toiletries
Diapers (children & adults)
Baby formula
Pet food (dog & cat)
Bug spray, sunscreen, hand sanitizer
Feminine hygiene products
Manual can openers
Heavy-duty work gloves
Trash bags (13-gallon or contractor)
Socks and underwear (new, in packages)
Sanitizer wipes
Plastic utensils
Baby wipes
Teens interested in volunteering should email Hannah.YasmineEvans@gmail.com.
Businesses and individuals who would like to become drop-off locations should email Kami.evans@icloud.com or call 203-212-9910.
Hurricane Helene has left a path of devastation.
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“The Apprentice” — the movie written by Westport native Gabriel Sherman, exploring a young Donald Trump’s rise to power, beginning in the 1970s with attorney/fixer Roy Cohn — has gotten a lot of buzz recently.
Now — a few days before its October 11 release – you can hear about it directly from Sherman himself.
He was interviewed recently by David Remnick, for a New Yorker podcast. Click here to listen.
Gabriel Sherman
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When the Survivor Rowing Network andHead of the Charles host the first Survivor Row on October 19 — celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month — the Saugatuck Survive-Oars will be there.
And they’ll compete in their new pink boat.
Eleven 8+s of cancer survivors — women and men — from 15 rowing clubs have entered the race, from as far as Italy and France.
The Saugatuck Survive-Oars is our local breast cancer survivor rowing organization, based out of the Saugatuck Rowing Club.
Amy Bauer calls it “a life-changing organization and experience for many women in various states of treatment and recovery. Through the generosity of the SRC, the Survive-Oars is in its seventh year. They provide instruction and opportunities to learn and row.
“Its impact cannot be overstated for the benefits of health, camaraderie and support.”
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Saugatuck Survive-Oars are participating in the Pink the Boathouse Challenge. proceeds will help maintain and grow the Survive-Oar program.
Speaking of breast cancer: Sorelle Gallery’s online art sale includes original works by over 70 artists in 4 price categories: $2500, $2000, $1500, and $750 and under.
The event opens at 7 p.m. on October 23, and ends 7 p.m. on October 25. Click here to browse, and add to your wishlist.
It’s for a good cause, too. 5% of proceeds will be donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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Though all of us face obstacles, some of us are better problem solvers than others.
Want to improve that skill? Mike Hibbard — co-author of “Thinking it Through: Coaching Students to be Problem Solvers” — offers a breakfast presentation on the topic tomorrow (Saturday, October 5, 9 a.m., United Methodist Church of Westport & Weston).
Now retired, Hibbard has taught creative and critical thinking throughout his career.
And finally … as you get ready to offer your thoughts on our next downtown ideas:
(Another day, another Roundup chock full of news you can use. If you appreciate our coverage of all things Westport, please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
The Downtown Plan Implementation Committee will hold a public meeting this Thursday (August 22, 8:30 a.m., Zoom).
The agenda item is: “To take such action as the meeting may determine, to review with the Director of Public Works the RFP submission for Public Engagement and the current in-progress RFP for Parking Structure Feasibility, and to make recommendations. This will be a work session of the DPIC, and no public comment will be taken.”
Following recent rains, Mark Cooper — director of the Aspetuck Health District — notes that users of private wells that might have been flooded should evaluate their water before using.
Wells located in pits or low-lying areas subject to flooding, should be disinfected, then tested prior to consumption or use. Wells that are not tightly capped might be contaminated by sediment and flood water.
Do not assume that water from a flooded well is safe to drink. If there is any discoloration and/or odor coming from water out of a faucet, or flood waters overtopped the well casing, the well should be inspected by a professional to make sure there is no damage to the well casing or electrical wire going to the pump, prior to disinfection.
After disinfection, pump the water until it runs clear to get rid of any groundwater. Use a hose connected to an outside faucet so the flushed water flows to a nearby drainageway rather than into your septic system or public sewer.
For more information about the flooding of private wells and clean-up, click here.
Chartwells — the Westport Public School’s food service provider — has raised the standard meal rates at all levels by 45 cents. The increase is due primarily to rising food costs.
The new rates are elementary schools, $2.90; middle schools, $3.15; high school, $3.25.
Elementary and middle school meal prices last changed in the 2015-16 school year. Staples’ last price increase was in 2013-14.
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Five new Westport Fire Department recruits will be sworn in tomorrow (Wednesday, August 21, 3 p.m., Town Hall auditorium): Peter Crosley, Kyle Sanzo, Ryan Colon, Lamont Bagley and Marco Monteiro.
The public is invited, to welcome them into the Westport Fire family.
New Westport firefighters.
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Wreaths: They’re not just for Christmas.
Faith Sargent’s Wreathing for Community project brings people together through the art of giving.
The groups collects donations of high-quality faux florals, ribbons and other wreath-making materials from the local residents and businesses.
The materials are transformed into beautiful wreaths and decorative items like centerpieces. They’re donated to community members in Westport, and organizations in Fairfield County.
Those groups can use the wreaths for fundraising activities or as gifts to volunteers. Either way, it’s a cycle of giving that benefits both donors and recipients.
If you’d like to donate materials, or your organization would like a handmade wreath for a fundraising event, click here. Follow the instructions to join the Wreathing for Community group on Facebook.
Registration is now open for Wakeman Town Farm’s youth programs this fall. Ages range from infants to teens.
Offerings include Little Farmers, Curious Sprouts, Fantastic Farmhands, and a Green Teen Club.
Youngsters have fun learning about nature through organic gardening, crafting, seed-to-plate cooking classes, and interactive lessons — plus caring for chickens, alpacas, sheep and playful goats.
Spaces are available on a first-come first-served basis. Click here for details, and registration information.
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“06880” has chronicled Ben Casparius’ rise, from AAA Oklahoma City, to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ MLB team.
The 2017 Staples High School graduate and state champion baseball player joined the club in St. Louis on Sunday. Before the game, he was joined on the Busch Stadium field with his father Phil, mother Stacey and sister Cate.
Congrats, Ben. Here’s to a great career in the big leagues.
Matt Murray spotted this unusual scene yesterday, at Compo’s South Beach.
It looks like quite a grilling session.
(Photo/Matt Murray)
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Recent weather kept most Westporters from the beach last weekend.
But Compo Beach gulls were as happy as clams, as today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo shows.
(Photo/Cynthia Nigro)
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And finally … following up on the need to check your well for contamination after all the recent rain:
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