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March 30, 2004
The Hour:
Wall Street development plan praised, questioned at hearing
Hour Staff Writer
Robert Koch
Speakers praised the concept but questioned the details of the Wall Street Redevelopment Plan on Monday night.
"Do you have any plan for garbage?" asked Michael Mcguire, who is renovating a building at 64 Wall At. "There's garbage blowing all over the place."
Nearly 20 people attended the third presentation and public hearing on the plan, held by the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency at City Hall. Presenting the plan were Munro Johnson and Michael Moore of the agency.
The plan calls for revitalizing Wall Street -- Norwalk's historic center before the 1955 flood -- with office, retail and residential uses. City officials hope to lure private developers to build around municipal parking lots.
The plan is based on the Norwalk Wall Street Area Planning Update, as prepared by the Cecil Group of Boston last year. Unlike the update, the plan would actually implement redevelopment and give the city statutory powers of eminent domain.
Based on comments heard, neither McGuire nor other speakers expect to lose their buildings to eminent domain. McGuire ultimately praised the redevelopment plan, which he hopes will add vigor to Wall Street, where he owns a business.
Timothy T. Sheehan, redevelopment agency executive director, suggested that the trash problem is surmountable. He said the redevelopment plan would create a special services district, holding landlords accountable. In addition, city officials plan to beef up an anti-letter ordinance, he said.
Laurel Lindstrom, president of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association, praised the redevelopment plan but asked the agency not to overbuild the intersection of Main and Cross streets.
"Adding more lanes just adds more traffic," Lindstrom said.
Michael DiScala, owner of a real estate investment business at 10 Wall St., asked how the plan would led to actual development.
Agency officials hope the Common Council will approve the plan this summer. Requests for proposals would be sought from private developers afterward and priority would be given to the Isaacs Street parking lot and the areas along Main and Smith streets.
"I like the mixed-use plan. I like the historical preservation part," DiScala said. "It's not a scorched-earth plan."
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March 15, 2004
The Hour:
Neighborhoods to create own master plans
The documents will help the Planning Commission create the city's Master Plan
Hour Staff Writer
Robert Koch
Cranbury neighborhood residents are concerned about over-development. Their neighbors in Silvermine are focused on power lines.
To the south, many Rowayton residents are smarting from their new property valuations. And in East Norwalk, it's all about zoning and traffic Congestion.
For these and other reasons, Norwalk's 19 or more neighborhood associations have good reason to mind Norwalk's unfolding Master Plan, which the Planning Commission is working on.
Paying close attention to the city's effort is the Coalition of Norwalk Neighborhood Associations. Next month, member association hope to have finished "mini" master plans for their neighborhoods. The information eventually will be passed to the commission.
"I think the planners will learn from us. We know things about the neighborhood that they would never learn ... because we live here," said Leigh Grant, coalition board member and president of the Norwalk Association of Silvermine Homeowners.
The coalition formed in January to provide a common voice on larger Norwalk issues, inform its members about important city issues, events and meetings, and to solicit fair and equal participation from each member association.
The East Norwalk Neighborhood Association is at least 20 pages into its mini master plan, Laurel Lindstrom, association president and coalition board member; said more input is needed from residents.
"It's very daunting task, but hopefully we'll have a draft in place in April," Lindstrom said.
Jerry Crowley, Harbor View Association president, said his neighborhood is concerned about the sewer treatment plant, shellfish beds, swimming and other water-related issues. As a member of the coalition, the Harbor View association will stay abreast of meetings and events related to the city's Master Plan, he said.
The finished Master Plan will be the city's first since 1990 and comes after many delays and much questioning of the process.
In December, newly elected Common Council member Richard A. McQuaid voted against a $50,000 contract with Massachusetts consultant Chan Krieger & Associates to develop a Norwalk Mid-Harbor Master Plan.
McQuaid described the approach as pocket planning. He and other Republicans generally concur that dollars and energies should be put toward the Planning Commission and not outside consultants.
Walter Briggs, commission chairman, said the Master Plan will incorporate the Mid-Harbor Master Plan and urban renewal plans for Wall Street and the Webster Street Superblock. He hopes the commission will have the larger Master Plan finished by year's end.
Until then, Briggs is encouraging Norwalk's residents and neighborhood associations to engage themselves.
He and commission member Bill Kraus attended the coalition's organizational meeting in January.
"If the coalition wants to meet with us, it is not a problem. We want as much public input when were done with the Master Plan as we can possibly get," Briggs Said. "This is not a Master Plan for eight members of the Planning Commission. It's a Master Plan for the whole city."
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February 29, 2004
Neighborhood leaders weigh in on budget
By Brian Fraga
Hour Staff Writer
With the Board of Estimate and Taxation poised to submit a tentative 2004-05 operating budget to the Common Council on Monday, several neighborhood group leaders are assessing their views of the budget-making process thus far this year.
Some voice concerns over the state-mandated property revaluation and what they said is the disproportionate amount that property taxes fund the city's operations, while other voiced their approval of the budget management the city has shown thus far.
Dennis Brookshire, president of the France Street Assocaiton, lauded Mayor Alex Knopp's adninistration for what he said has been its sensible manner of negotiation the challenges of the budget season.
"Overall, I think this administration is headed in the right direction," Brookshire said, "It would have been great if this administration would have been here 15 years ago, because I think we would have had a lot less problems today."
Rowayton Civic Association President Mike Barbis, however, voiced his concern over the impact that revaluation will have on Rowayton's property taxes and said the city's budget season should be adjusted to factor in expected state revenues.
"How can you determine a budget when you don't know what your state funding is going to be?" Barbis said. "We cannot be so reliant on property taxes. This is destroying our neighborhoods.
"(City officials) need to adjust the timing of this budget," Barbis said. "I think they're between a rock and a hard place, but something's got to give. We can't continue on like this."
Base on proposed reductions by the Board of Estimate and Taxation, Norwalk's 2004-05 operating budget is hovering around $223 million. That is down from an earlier proposed spending level of $238 million, which was a 12.2 percent increase over current spending.
Jerry Crowley, president of the Harbor View Association, said he felt Knopp's administration was steering the budget in the right direction, commenting that the city was being run more like a business than in past years.
"They're trimming the fat as (Knop) likes to say," Crowley said. "Seriously, I think this mayor's policies are producing accountability on the part of department heads that are responsible for budgeting. Hopefully, we'll hold overall tax increases down."
Laurel Lindstrom, president of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association, said she agreed with the Knopp administration tactic of using "placeholder caps" -- using last year's spending as a guide -- rather than using artificial hard caps to limit overall city spending.
Lindstrom said, however, that she believed the budget process could still be done more effectively by a cardrul review of each department's spending requests and a better estimate of state revenues in the operating budget.
"To understand where the money is going makes sense," Lindstrom said. "But it is too early, we still have public hearings coming up and nothing is final yet. I think at this point it's a matter of waiting to see how it all falls out." .......
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February 13, 2004
The Hour (letter to editor): Working together can solve problems by Gordon Tully, ENNA
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January 5, 2004
The Hour: Big turnout urged for power line hearings by Jill Brodach
Article publicizes the January 5 public hearing before the Connecticut Siting Council on the Power Line proposal from Norwalk to Middletown profiling the ENNA and the Resolution passed by the Board of Directors stating that the board supports underground lines where power lines are deemed necessary. Article also covers the ENNA's recent involvement in the formation of a Coalition of Norwalk's Neighborhood Associations.
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December 18, 2003
ENNA Power Line Resolution (presented to the CT Siting Council on January 5, 2004)
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November 29, 2003
The Hour (letter to editor): Tipping fee will lead to more illegal dumping by Laurel Lindstrom & Gordon Tully, ENNA
At the last
board meeting of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association we discussed the
imposition by Waste Management Incorporated of a $76 minimum tipping fee at the
Norwalk plant.
As the Norwalk transfer station does not accept construction waste many citizens
doing odd jobs on their homes are faced with paying an exorbitant price for
tipping a small amount of waste. One of our board members loaded his car to its
weight-bearing capacity, and still could not bring enough material to justify
the fee.
The results are already in evidence as citizens break up incidental construction
waste, place it in black plastic bags where it cannot be identified, and take it
to the transfer station or include it in their waste pickup. In addition, there
will inevitably be an increase in construction trash dumped on roadsides, and
there is some indication that this is happening already.
We believe that WMI is instituting the fee precisely to keep residents other
than contractors off their property. One solution would be to accept small
amounts of construction waste at the transfer station; another would be to
persuade WMI to lower the minimum fee to discourage small drop-offs, but not to
severely penalize do-it-yourselfers from working on their homes. A minimum fee
of $25 is reasonable.
As it is, Norwalk will receive small amounts of construction waste, and illegal
dumping will increase.
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November 21, 2003
The Hour: Association protects East Norwalk's quality of life (Another view article) by Laurel Lindstrom
Violation of
the zoning code in commercial properties mixed in with residences can
destabilize and erode a neighborhood. The natural friction that exists between a
business and adjacent home owners is made substantially worse by acts of the
Zoning Board of Appeals that do not consider the need for preserving a
neighborhood's residential character. Examples of erosive ZBA actions include
automatically approving variances, allowing businesses to continue to operate in
violation of 'cease and desist' orders, repeatedly postponing public hearings,
and worst of all, denying the public the right to speak at hearings. Such
actions by the ZBA do a serious disservice to the community which it is supposed
to serve.
On Bouton Street in South Norwalk, contractors yards continued to operate in
violation of 'cease and desist' orders issued by the city's zoning inspector.
Repeated delays in proceedings were approved by the ZBA. The 'letter to the
editor' of October 25 written by a Glasser Street resident expressed well the
health and safety risks that exist for the neighbors due to excessive truck
traffic, noise and dust. When one of the cases was finally heard the residents'
statements held no significance for the ZBA as the decision was rendered.
In East Norwalk a landscaping business operating as a contractor's yard on
Strawberry Hill Avenue was the focus of similar complaints by neighbors,
beginning more than a year ago. Without allowing the public to speak at the two
hearings that were held, the then chairwoman of the ZBA decided that the owners
could operate without any restrictions on their property.
Despite this roadblock, the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association, of which I am
the president, remained determined. We asked officials at City Hall to institute
and enforce conditions of operation for this landscaping business. Negotiations
between the zoning inspector and the owners of the landscaping business began
and have been going on for the past couple of months. A written agreement has
now been drafted that will regulate operation and contain expansion.
On behalf of the concerned residents and of the East Norwalk Neighborhood
Association, I want to express sincere appreciation for the work of the zoning
inspector in his recent negotiations, and also appreciation for the willingness
of the owners of the landscaping business to modify operations to fit in with
the residential setting within which their business is located. Peaceful
coexistence is possible and desirable. We are very hopeful, but still waiting
and watching for solid and enduring change.
The mission of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association is to foster and
preserve the residential character, natural and historic resources, and quality
of life in the East Norwalk community. For purposes of the Association, "East
Norwalk" is the area south of the Post Road to the Long Island Sound and east of
the Norwalk River to the Westport Town Line. We encourage the residents of this
area to actively participate in achieving the goals of the organization.
Laurel Lindstrom, president
East Norwalk Neighborhood Association
Printed in the Norwalk Citizen-News on November 14, 2003
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November 13, 2003
The Norwalk Advocate: Neighbors, contractor near deal over yard activity by Lisa Chamoff
Article describing the ENNA's involvement in negotiations taking place to contain the expanded use.
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October 29, 2003
Neighborhood news, and it's good news: email sent out to ENNA members from Laurel Lindstrom
Some
excellent news! Actually two pieces of good news I want to share with you.
First
Tonight the Traffic Authority, chaired by Mayor Knopp, voted to approve speed
bumps on sixteen streets, pending the 66% approval by the streets' property
owners. Streets within our East Norwalk Neighborhood Association area are: First
Street; Gregory Boulevard (Tonetta Circle to Dorlon Street); Melrose Avenue;
Rome Street; and Sunlit Drive. Congratulations to those of you who live on these
streets!
The Public Works Department will be sending out letters to the homeowners. The
way it's worked in the past, a month or two has been allowed for the streets to
get the letters back before the 'votes' are tallied to determine if streets
return 66% in favor. An informational meeting is then held by Public Works for
the residents of those streets.
Once winter begins the bumps can't be placed because the asphalt doesn't adhere
well to the street in the cold weather. The plan, therefore, is to start placing
the bumps in the spring. To review the steps of the speed bump process click
--->
Traffic Calming Guidelines
Streets in the association area that are scheduled for traffic counts, which is
the step before going to the Traffic Authority for approval of speed bumps are:
Emerson Street; and Park Hill Avenue. Association streets that already have
speed bumps are: Myrtle Street; Pine Hill Avenue; and Raymond Terrace.
Second
Another excellent news item that I want to share has to do with the landscaping
business on Strawberry Hill Avenue, located just south of the I-95 next to Fitch
Park. Working to contain this expanded contractor's yard has been at the center
of the neighborhood association's efforts for the past 18 months. After not
getting anywhere with the Zoning Board of Appeals we renewed our efforts with
city officials and with the Zoning Department. Negotiations subsequently began
between the Zoning Inspector (Jim Bradley) and the owners of the landscaping
business, and have gone on for the past couple of months.
Last week I got a phone call from Jim Bradley that a verbal agreement on
conditions and restrictions that the owners will abide by has been reached. The
agreement will be in writing by middle to late November.
To be included in the agreement: no retail or wholesale operations; reduction of
material stored at the rear of the property; limit on trailer truck delivery;
recording and reporting to Zoning each shipment received; mafia blocks and
storage containers to be moved five foot back from fence line; and screening
with evergreen trees.
Successes are worth waiting for!
I'll get the written agreement out to everyone once it's available so that
everyone knows what changes we can expect.
Other
The minutes of last Sunday's Neighborhood Issues meeting are posted on the
website now, and the next Issues meeting is November 23. These monthly meetings
are open to everyone. I'll send out a reminder in the week before the meeting.
Keep in touch.
Laurel
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October 19, 2003
The Norwalk Advocate: Neighborhood group branches out to handle growing issues on East Ave. by Lisa Chamoff
Article describing the ENNA's progress.
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October 14, 2003
The Hour: Letter to the Editor: E. Norwalk Neighborhood Association expanding
If you
reside anywhere in Norwalk east of the Norwalk River to the Westport town line,
or south of the Post Road to the Long Island Sound, you're living within the
boundaries of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association and automatically become
a member.
Before incorporating in August for nonprofit status, forming a board of
directors and adopting bylaws the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association was
known as the East Avenue Neighborhood Association.
The change in name was made to more accurately define the expanded number of
neighborhoods in which our active members reside, and the specific issues that
residents identify and ask that we address. Our association works with elected
officials and as a liaison between the residents and the city departments.
The East Norwalk Neighborhood Association is neighborhood-based, and our issues
are the issues that arise in our monthly meetings with residents and in the
communication we receive from them. Whether we are working to resolve a zoning
or traffic issue, conducting a City Scan, writing and presenting a proposal to
restore a wetland, advocating with other nonprofit organizations and individuals
to save a historic house, speaking at a public hearing for the City's Plan of
Development or maintaining an Adopt-A-Spot, we remain neighborhood-based.
The East Norwalk Neighborhood Association Home Page link can be found at http://calmtraffic.org.
From the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association home page you can browse to
several dozen pages that provide information about our committees, previous
meetings and issues that are on the horizon. The latest 'Sea To The Green'
newsletter for Fall 2003 introducing the new Board of Directors has just been
posted. You may also phone 855-7668 for information on the upcoming monthly
Neighborhood Issues Committee meeting and about how you can become an active
member of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association. It's an exciting time to
get involved.
Laurel Lindstrom, President
East Norwalk Neighborhood Association
(The letter also was printed in the Norwalk Citizen-News)
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September 17, 2003
The Hour: Parking, housing Wall St. concerns by Amrita Dhindsa
Article covers the public hearing before the Planning Commission for the Wall Street Master Plan and quotes ENNA president, Laurel Lindstrom, regarding our input into the plan
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August 28, 2003
Dear Mayor
Knopp:
I'm sorry you could not make the neighborhood meeting last Sunday afternoon. I
know that you are interested in the concerns that the Olmstead Place residents
have with the gridlock on East Avenue at Olmstead Place. You asked that we
discuss the potential negative impact that fixing the problem with an enforced
abrupt stop south of the intersection could have on further slowing the traffic
that is backed up on St. John Street.
Prior to the meeting I placed a call to a resident of St. John St. He said he
would need to think about it more before deciding if traffic conditions would
worsen as a result of fixing the problem at Olmstead Place. He said he would
talk to at least two other households on his street and get back to me if they
saw it as a problem. Since I have not heard from any of them I imagine that
they do not see any impact.
Also prior to the meeting I phoned an Olmstead Place resident. He believed
there would be little or no impact on the traffic flow on St. John Street. His
suggestions were: to alter the timing of the traffic lights to improve traffic
flow; narrow the perceived entry width of Olmstead and move the stop line on the
south side of the intersection further north so that the intersection is only
two car lengths rather than four as it is now; have police regularly monitor the
intersection initially to enforce the "don't block the box" rule right after the
new signage and painted lines go in.
At the meeting there was robust discussion from those present. Changing the
timing of the traffic lights to improve flow was at the top of the list. No one
believed that enforcing a "don't block the box" at Olmstead Place would have any
impact on the traffic flow on St. John Street. There was general agreement,
however, that the amount of traffic on St. John Street is unmanageable and is
destructive to a residential street. There was discussion about the proposed
traffic light on East Avenue at Fort Point that would result in the traffic
flowing to this commercial street rather than St. John Street. The consensus
was that we strongly favor a traffic light at this location and hope the city
can find a way to install the light that is not dependent on awaiting the State
of CT plan to redo the railroad bridge at that intersection.
Very Best,
Laurel Lindstrom, president
East Norwalk Neighborhood Association
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August 28, 2003
Dear Mayor
Knopp:
You have shown real interest in Andrews Park, but I am contacting you, at this
point, to ask that you provide a commitment.
Andrews Field is a valuable piece of city-owned land that could, if restored and
enhanced, be more fully utilized by the residents of Norwalk. Other than the
main field the property is no longer maintained by the city. The pond and its
perimeter are overgrown with tall invasive weeds and vegetation. Even the
maintained field is developing hazardous sinkholes
At a recent neighborhood association meeting those present expressed several
concerns that involve the health and safely of the residents, and liability for
the city. A concern put forward was regarding the neighborhood children that
play in Andrews that might reach the pond and be in need of emergency
assistance. It is doubtful if the emergency response personnel could get through
the overgrown paths in time to assist. Another concern is that a pond that has
been left to stagnate with large amounts of sediment and algae is more likely to
breed mosquitoes, and the potential for the West Nile Virus, then a pond that is
receiving attention and restoration efforts.
For some time it's been clear that the proposal that our neighborhood
association presented for Andrews Park can't proceed further without a
commitment from the city.
We have found that because the property is city-owned any grants that might be
available would require the city to be the fiduciary. Even before any grant
applications are sent the city departments can start the process of site
assessment. When we met with directors of city departments to present our
proposal we were given verbal support and agreements regarding specific work
that their departments could do. But, since then we have not been provided with
anything further in writing.
When we met with Pam Stark last week, she asked that we meet with the department
heads and get from them a basic line item budget that states what each city
department will do, how many man-hours it will take and what it will cost. The
plan would then be to provide you with this information so that you could make a
decision regarding authorizing the work.
My concern is that I don't believe that we will be any more successful at
getting a written budget from any of the departments with a second meeting then
we were at getting it with our first meeting. Even putting this information
together will require time and commitment that won't be forthcoming unless you
ask your department directors to do so.
We will be happy to meet with any of the department staff to provide more
information on the proposal to help them formulate a written plan once we know
that they have received direction to do so from you.
Please let me know how ready you are to take steps toward an Andrews Park. If
you are not prepared to move forward at this time please let me know.
Best Regards,
Laurel Lindstrom, president
East Norwalk Neighborhood Association
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