More waterfront development? Stamford zoning change means goodbye oil company, hello high rise
Veronica Del Valle
STAMFORD — Selling a South End property that houses oil
tanks on the waterfront could bring Stamford closer to a 100-year-long goal.
The city’s zoning board approved changes unanimously on
Monday to a waterfront property owned currently by oil company Sprague
Resources. Sprague hopes to sell the lot, which was zoned for industrial uses
tied to Stamford’s port. But instead of another industrial site, high rise
development is set to take its place.
The city also gets a bonus — access to the waterfront that
could mean a continuous greenway from Downtown to the South End, a perk that
Sprague Energy and its land use consultant, Richard Redniss, made clear.
“This is all about how can we leverage future development to
make that connection that the city wants,” Redniss told the zoning board.
Until this week, the Sprague oil terminal meant a gap in
public access to the waterfront from the South End. To the south of the
terminal lies Harbor Point and its boardwalk system. Directly to the north,
Waterside Park hugs the Long Island Sound behind houses.
Sprague Energy selling its property presents an opportunity
for the city that dates back to the early 20th century.
Stamford first floated the idea of maximizing public space
meant for walking in 1926, when it passed the city’s first Master Plan. At the
time, city planner Herbert Swan emphasized the need for public parks throughout
the city. Even as more people ditched leisurely days in the park for long
drives meant to admire nature, Swan saw the public park as an asset for public
good.
“There is no diminution in the need for large city parks,”
Swan wrote. “The need for them is increasing. Never before has there been a
keener appreciation of the need for public recreation than to-day.”
Swan’s dreams of large parks throughout the city evolved
over the course of a century. Eventually, the Mill River Collaborate took on
Swan’s lofty goal. On top of rebuilding Stamford’s own Central Park, the Collaborative
has another objective — connecting public spaces across the city with a
continuous greenway.
Under then-Mayor Dannell Malloy, the Collaborative published
the Mill River Park & Greenway Master Plan in 2007. The park formally
opened in 2013, and a trickle of advances have come since then.
But the Sprague property’s rezoning and sale could usher in
a new era.
“It’s really a milestone agreement,” said Mill River
Collaborative Chair Arty Selkowitz. “The Collaborative has been working on it
since the summer with Sprague and all the interested parties. It’s really a
terrific win-win for everyone, and it will bring us one step closer to a
continuous greenway from Scalzi Park to Harbor Point.”
Selkowitz said there have been other wins for the greenway
too, like a private donor who agreed to renovate Waterside Park. Construction
of the new Charter Communications headquarters in the South End is also slated
to end this year, and the project comes with public access along the Rippowam
River.
The city’s Master Plan maintains that “All shorefront
development shall include meaningful public access to the waterfront except
where public safety would be a risk.”
Sprague has yet to sell its Stamford location, even though
the company already plans to move to a new site in Bridgeport. The most
interested buyers so far, according to Redniss, have been senior living
facilities. But the new zoning rules could change that.
“The secret to land use, in terms of development, is
reducing the unknown,” Redniss said. “Now you know what Master Plan category,
you know what zone you’re in, you know what it allows — the floor area, the
density, the height, the setbacks. There’s a lot more known than we knew
before.”
Residents, developers clash over environmental impacts of North Haven school proposal
Meghan Friedmann
NORTH HAVEN — Environmental consultants warn the
construction of a proposed
private school on Ridge Road would harm nearby wetlands, threatening
vulnerable species and leading to possible algal blooms.
But the project applicant, Slate School, which already has one North
Haven location, contends the project would have no negative wetlands impact,
and claims calculations used to inform the concerns are “erroneous.”
The environmental
analysis and calculations, which suggest the development would load
nitrogen into adjacent wetlands at concentrations significantly higher than a
healthy stream can handle, were commissioned on behalf of residents opposed to the construction.
With a vote set for Wednesday evening on whether to forward
the project to the Planning & Zoning Commission, members of the North Haven
Inland Wetlands Commission will decide which side they believe.
A petition opposing
the development has gained roughly 150 signatures from residents of North Haven
and neighboring Hamden, according to Gary de Simone, who lives next-door to the
proposed site and has helped lead efforts against the development.
If approved, Slate School would repurpose a decommissioned
church at 5100 Ridge Road and construct a second building to create Slate Upper
School, serving approximately 90 students in grades 7-12.
The campus would act as the counterpart to Slate Lower
School, Slate’s nearby K-6 campus at 124 Mansfield Road, which also
drew opposition when it was proposed in 2017.
Slate School’s learning model is centered around the
environment. The organization has won multiple awards for environmental
stewardship at its Mansfield Road campus, according to an email signed by
founder Jennifer Staple Clark and Head of School Julie Mountcastle.
“As we had done since inception at our Lower School campus
at 124 Mansfield Road, we are specifically working to improve the ecological
health of the property at 5100 Ridge Road,” the email said, also pointing out
the project had received more than 200 letters
of support.
Environmental concerns
To the north of the Ridge Road property, a narrow stream
makes its way past a row of pine trees. According to Sigrun Gadwa, a soil
scientist, botanist and former executive director of the Quinnipiac River
Watershed Association, that watercourse feeds into a larger stream that
supports vulnerable species including caddisflies, black flies and stoneflies.
The surrounding wetlands also are home to native plants
including fern, skunk cabbage, sedge tussocks and a variety of trees, she said.
Megan Raymond, a wetlands scientist advising Slate School,
testified at an IWC public hearing that there will be no negative consequences
to the wetlands system northwest of the site.
“There’ll be no adverse impacts on the physical
characteristics of this wetlands system as a result of the proposed project,”
she said during the Feb. 24 meeting, online
footage shows.
She further argued that the existing development, which
includes the church and a parking lot, has no stormwater management system.
“We’re seeking to implement modern and effective management
tools to protect the water quality of this receding wetland that does exist to
the northwest,” she said.
But Gadwa believes the proposed development could seriously
damage the wetlands.
While she did not testify at the public hearing, Gadwa is an
associate of George Logan, a consultant hired by those opposed to the project,
who offered the IWC an assessment similar to hers.
If Slate School goes forward, according to Gadwa, nitrogen
loading from the septic system could overfertilize adjacent wetlands, causing
invasive species such as phragmites to outcompete native plants. Nitrate
contamination of the headwater stream also likely would lead to eutrophication
and algal blooms, she said.
Gadwa based her analysis on calculations performed
by Clinton Brown of Loureiro Engineering Associates, a firm hired on behalf of
the residents opposed to the project. Brown estimated that under proposed
conditions, nitrates would enter the wetlands at a concentration of 32.4 mg/L.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s safe drinking water
limit is 10 mg/L. And according to Gadwa, clean streams typically have nitrate
levels of 1 mg/L or less.
A dispute over calculations
Thomas Daly, an engineer working on the Slate School
proposal, called Brown’s calculations “erroneous.” He said they failed to
account for an offsite watershed area that would further dilute the nitrate
concentrations before they reached the wetland.
He also challenged Brown’s methodology, which was based on a
2006 manual from the Department of Energy & Environmental Protection,
titled “Guidance
for Design of Large-Scale On-Site Wastewater Renovation Systems.”
“The methodology can’t be extrapolated to such a small
system,” he said, contending that method is intended for systems handling more
than 7,500 gallons per day, as opposed to Slate School’s proposed 990 gallons
per day.
The engineer likened the scenario to applying the Department
of Transportation’s highway construction guidelines to a parking lot.
On the other hand, Brown, who did not return requests for
comment, defended his calculation methods during the February public hearing.
“It is the opinion of the authors of the 2006 (DEEP)
documents that the principals of that document apply to all systems …regardless
of size,” he said, according to footage of the meeting.
Meanwhile, Logan said Slate School could have performed its
own nitrogen loading analysis.
“They could have counteracted it and said, ‘you’ve done it
wrong,’” Logan said.
But Daly said the project size did not require such an
analysis.
“Why should we be held to a standard that nobody else in the
state of Connecticut is held to?” he said. “The reason why you don’t do that is
because the public code for smaller systems has been developed in a way that’s
… highly conservative.”
Next steps
If the IWC approves Slate School’s proposal Wednesday,
approval from the Planning & Zoning Commission represents the last major
hurdle to construction, according to North Haven Town Planner Alan Fredricksen.
The project’s septic system also would need final approval
from the Quinnipiack Valley Health District, according to Director Karen
Wolujewicz.
An exemption from the state Department of Public Health,
which is required because the project would use a single septic system for two
buildings, already has been granted, the agency confirmed.
Staff for the DEEP were not aware of any proposal elements
requiring the agency’s approval, according to spokesman Will Healey.
“Wetlands are in the town’s jurisdiction,” he noted.
Because the proposed site is within an Aquifer Protection
Area, however, the DEEP did seek assurances from the town that “the groundwater
will continue to be a priority and protected,” Healey said.
Information on how to view Wednesday night’s IWC meeting,
scheduled to be held at 7 p.m. via Zoom, can be found on North
Haven’s website.
Online forum will discuss arts magnet school progress
Susan Corica
BRISTOL – The Memorial Boulevard Intradistrict Arts Magnet School Building Committee will host a community forum webinar on Thursday, March 25, at 6:30 p.m. via the Zoom meeting platform.
The community forum will offer building project updates and descriptions of work completed thus far, preliminary enrollment and lottery process information, and the opportunity for the community to share its preferences for the magnet arts school colors. Members of the district’s office of teaching and learning will discuss academic pathways and building timelines as well.
In addition, the committee will share room design mock-ups, offering the community a glimpse inside the newly-designed spaces. Public participation is encouraged. Please submit questions or topics for discussion ahead of the webinar via email at MBIAMS@bristolk12.org.
Memorial Boulevard first opened as a school 1922. The building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally a high school, then a junior high, and finally a middle school when it closed at the end of the 2011-12 school year. It’s now being completely updated and transformed into an arts magnet school.
The city and the Board of Education are collaborating on the project, which will be open for grades six through 12. The total cost of the project is $63 million, of which 60% will be paid by the state. It’s on track to open for the 2022-23 school year.
The building is approximately 106,000 square feet. The main work is being done by the D’Amato+Downes Joint Venture, which includes D’Amato Construction Co. of Bristol and Downes Construction Co. of New Britain.
Once the school opens in the fall of 2022, grades six through eight will attend fulltime at the new campus. Students in grades nine to 12 will take their academic core requirements at their home high school and then choose a pathway of electives to take at the magnet school.
“All students will receive discipline-based academic coursework during half of each day,” said Deputy Superintendent Michael Dietter, who is chairman of the project’s building committee. Arts magnet courses will include creative construction; visual arts; musical arts; television, video and theatrical production; entertainment, sports and event management; and marketing and communications.
Dietter recently joined a Bristol Press podcast to discuss the project. To listen, go to http://www.bristolpress.com/BP-Bristol+News/386439/podcast-deputy-superintendent-of-bristol-boe-discusses-memorial-boulevard-school-renovations-reopening.
For the March 25 community forum webinar, to join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device click this URL:
https://zoom.us/j/99546729902?pwd=Ni80bll4SVRwVUJVOXMvTEFjb0NpUT09
Passcode: 046827
Or iPhone one-tap:
+13126266799,,99546729902#,,,,*046827# US (Chicago)
+16465588656,,99546729902#,,,,*046827# US (New York)
Or join by phone:
Dial (for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):
US: +1 312 626 6799 or +1 646 558 8656 or +1 301 715 8592 or +1 346 248 7799 or +1 669 900 9128 or +1 253 215 8782
Webinar ID: 995 4672 9902
Passcode: 046827
Lake Compounce amusement park in Bristol undergoing makeover
Sean Teehan
ristol amusement park Lake Compounce will have a new look this season, as the park expects to mostly complete a multimillion-dollar construction and rebranding project by its May 8, seasonal opening day.
Lake Compounce, which first opened 175 years ago, is undergoing a makeover that includes updates to its main gate and entry tunnel, a new custom burger restaurant called Timber Jack Chow House ‒ in place of the erstwhile Parkside Diner ‒ and a new waterslide called the Venus Vortex, spokesperson Paige Schmitt said.
The bulk of the work should be done when Lake Compounce opens in early May, Schmitt said, but parts of the project like the Venus Vortex won't be complete until Memorial Day weekend. Construction on the waterslide began before COVID-19 , but was delayed amid the pandemic, Schmitt said. Most other construction began at the beginning of this month.
Lake Compounce is gearing up for a season that hopefully won't be hampered by COVID-19 like last year, Schmitt said.
“It's been a tough road, last year we were only allowed to open at a 25% capacity," Schmitt said. "Nobody knew what we were dealing with.”
Schmitt didn't disclose Lake Compounce's annual revenue.
Beginning April 2, amusement parks in Connecticut will be allowed to open at 50% capacity with a cap of 10,000 people, as part of an easing of restrictions by Gov. Ned Lamont's administration.
Lake Compounce had previously expected it would open Memorial Day weekend, but will start hosting customers about a month ahead of that, Schmitt said. The park is currently hiring for its approximately 1,400 seasonal positions.
Fact Check: Claims that TCI money will go into the Special Transportation Fund are not accurate
Marc E Fitch
In a March 11 op-ed for the Connecticut Post, Sen. Christine Cohen, D-Guilford, wrote that “All proceeds from [Transportation and Climate Initiative] will be deposited in the Special Transportation Fund lockbox to be invested in reducing transportation emissions.”
Similarly, Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Commissioner Katie Dykes said she believed TCI funds would be protected from legislative raids by the STF’s constitutional lockbox in an interview with CT Mirror.
However, these claims are not entirely accurate based on the legislative language or the governor’s budget proposal.
The Transportation and Climate Initiative would require gasoline producers and wholesalers to purchase carbon credits at auction. The proceeds of the auction will be forwarded to participating states to invest in green energy, climate justice and public transportation.
The state expects the program to bring in between $80 million and $110 million per year, but the funds will not be placed into the Special Transportation Fund, according to the governor’s proposed budget and the legislative language.
TCI funds will be deposited into a separate dedicated fund created under the umbrella of the Transportation Grants and Restricted Funds Account.
According to the authorizing bill, TCI funds will be deposited into a Transportation and Climate account “established by the Comptroller as a separate nonlapsing account within the Transportation Grants and Restricted Accounts Fund.”
According to state statute, the Transportation Grants and Restricted Accounts Fund “shall contain all transportation moneys that are restricted, not available for general use and previously accounted for in the Special Transportation Fund as ‘Federal and Other Grants’. The Comptroller is authorized to make such transfers as are necessary to provide that, notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, all transportation moneys that are restricted and not available for general use are in the Transportation Grants and Restricted Accounts Fund.”
The enabling legislation — Governor’s Bill 884 — specifically indicates that proceeds from TCI auction sales “shall not be considered pledged revenue” to the STF.
The governor’s transportation budget does not list TCI funds as revenue into the Special Transportation Fund, but rather as an expense reduction because TCI funds would be used to supplement public transportation costs.
Starting in 2023, Lamont’s budget shows an expenditure reduction of $24.3 million, growing to $69 million by 2026. There are no listed revenue changes in the STF from the inclusion of TCI funds.
TCI revenue will be invested by both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection with the approval of the Office of Policy and Management.
Thirty-five percent of the TCI funds will be “invested in a manner designed to ensure communities that are overburdened by air pollution or underserved by the transportation system,” under the advisement of an Equity Advisory Board. The equity board will be made up by stakeholders chosen by the commissioners of DOT and DEEP.
The legislation also allows for a maximum of 5 percent of the proceeds to go toward state agency administrative costs for Connecticut to reach its goal of reducing emissions to 80 percent less than 2001 emissions levels by 2050.
Claims that TCI revenue will go into the Special Transportation Fund are meant to reassure the public that the money they pay in higher gasoline costs will actually go toward the intended purpose of lowering vehicle emissions and other climate initiatives.
Money in the Special Transportation Fund is protected by the constitutional lockbox, which was approved by voters in 2018 and prevents the legislature from sweeping funds out of the STF to close General Fund budget gaps, ensuring the money is spent on roads, bridges and transportation infrastructure.
However, the lockbox does not prevent the redirection of funds meant to go into the STF, as demonstrated by Gov. Lamont’s diversion of sales tax revenue from the STF in 2019 and 2020.
Connecticut’s long history of sweeping money from dedicated funds to bridge budget gaps is well documented and creates concern that TCI funds would likewise be used for things outside its intended purpose.
TCI revenue will not be pledged revenue to the Special Transportation Fund and instead will be placed in a new dedicated account. A sizable portion of the revenue will be used for environmental and climate justice goals with the remaining funds will off-set public transportation costs.
Money in the STF, according to state statute, “shall be expended solely for transportation purposes.” Since TCI revenue will not be used solely for transportation purposes the funds will have their own dedicated account. The Connecticut Department of Transportation says the Transportation Grants and Restricted Funds Account enjoys the same lockbox protections as the STF.
However, as demonstrated in the past, the STF’s lockbox protection can be bypassed by a future governor or legislature through the redirection of funds. The fact that the Transportation and Climate Account will have lockbox protection also means the it is subject to the same loopholes.
Lack of materials delays Naugatuck River construction
Michael Puffer
WATERBURY — The first leg of a long-awaited path along the Naugatuck River is going to be delayed a bit longer due to shortages of building material that stems from issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to city officials.
The city planned to start this spring on a 2.2-mile stretch of the pathway, which will eventually be part of a 7.5-mile greenway that will run from the city’s border with Naugatuck through to the line with Thomaston.
Now, Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said he expects to begin work in mid-June.
“We’ve been waiting 10 years and the point is, we want to make sure we get it right after all the work and all of the of the effort and all of the commitment that has gone into this project,” O’Leary said.
On Nov. 19, the city opened bids from 20 companies vying to build the first phase of the greenway, which will begin at the Naugatuck line, along with a new riverside park along Platts Mills Road.
Bids for the work ranged between $4.6 million and $8.6 million.
O’Leary said the city learned that building materials, including Black Locust wood, called for in the plans would be unavailable due to COVID-19 related production difficulties. O’Leary wouldn’t say how the city became aware of the shortage, how much material was called for in plans or how it was to be used. State and federal grants are paying for most of the project, and state and federal bidding rules would preclude sharing that information, he said.
O’Leary said that information can be released after the second round of bids is opened, on April 26.
The city’s Board of Aldermen agreed to borrow $9.5 million for Phase I of the Naugatuck River Greenway in 2017. At the time aldermen were told construction would begin in spring 2019.
The original bid package called for Phase I construction work to be completed in 410 days.