April 20, 2006

 

 

 

Members of the Continuing Legislative Committee on

State Planning and Development:

 

The Honorable Eric D. Coleman

The Honorable Lewis J. Wallace, Jr.
The Honorable Jonathan A. Harris

The Honorable Leonard Fasano

The Honorable Craig A. Miner

The Honorable Joseph J. Crisco, Jr.

The Honorable Bill Finch

The Honorable Antonio (Tony) Guerrera

The Honorable Jack Malone

The Honorable Richard Roy

 

 

Dear Senators and Representatives:

 

The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) has received an application on behalf of ARS Poplar Plains LLC (ARS) for an interim change to the Conservation and Development Policies Plan for Connecticut, 2005-2010 (C&D Plan).  ARS is the owner of 55.8 acres of property located between Newtown Turnpike and Partrick Road in the Town of Westport. 

 

ARS requests a change to the C&D Plan’s Locational Guide Map designation from Rural Land to Neighborhood Conservation Area for only the northwestern portion of its property, in order to accommodate the extension of public sewer infrastructure to serve a proposed thirteen unit development (see attached map).  The applicant further states that the 22.24 acres located to the east of Poplar Plains Brook will be deeded outright to a conservation organization for open space, while the majority of the 33.56 acres on the westerly side of the Brook will be placed under conservation restriction – with the exception of the thirteen common interest ownership units that will be built within the requested Neighborhood Conservation Area.

 

The proposed project is the subject of a Stipulation for Judgment among the property owner, various Town commissions and neighbors, resulting from a negotiated settlement of several appeals to Superior Court of the decisions of Westport land use agencies on prior development applications submitted by ARS.  The applicant states that the settlement provisions formalized in the Stipulation for Judgment resolve the various appeals, but that approval of the interim map change is required in order for it to be entered by the Court.  A copy of the ARS application materials is attached.

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Pursuant to state regulations, the Town of Westport is afforded the opportunity to request a public hearing on this matter within twenty (20) calendar days from receipt of this letter.  If requested, OPM would schedule such a hearing at the earliest convenient date.  The hearing would be held jointly by the Continuing Legislative Committee on State Planning and Development (Continuing Committee) and OPM.

 

Within ten (10) calendar days following a public hearing, or ten (10) days following the town’s waiver of this option, OPM must make a recommendation on the application to the Continuing Committee.  The Continuing Committee has the authority to make the final decision on interim changes to the C&D Plan within thirty (30) days of receipt of OPM’s recommendation.

 

 

                                                                        Sincerely,

 

 

 

                                                                        W. David LeVasseur, Undersecretary

                                                                        Intergovernmental Policy Division

 

 

Attachments

 

 

Cc:       Gordon F. Joseloff, Westport First Selectman

Senator Judith G. Freedman, 26th District

Representative Joe Mioli, 136th District

            Robert Wilson, South Western Connecticut Regional Planning Agency

Laurence Bradley, Westport Planning and Zoning Department

Stephen J. Edwards, Westport Department of Public Works

Alicia Mozian, Westport Conservation Department

William Hogan, DEP

Gregory A. Sharp, Murtha Cullina LLP