P&Z wants green transit development
NORWALK — Planning and Zoning Director Steve Kleppin promised that green infrastructure will be required under the East Norwalk Transit-Oriented Development plan as the proposal took another step forward on Tuesday night.
The assurance comes weeks after the Common Council “strongly” recommended green building techniques and eco-friendly infrastructure improvements be required in the transit-oriented development plan
and not just an incentivized suggestion.
Under the TOD plan, green infrastructure is among many “amenities” that developers can choose to include in future proposals for
the East Avenue corridor to offset increased building heights or densities.
Speaking before the Planning Commission on Tuesday, Kleppin assured the public that any future zoning regulations proposed under the transitoriented plan would include green infrastructure as “a baseline” measure, though there have been no physical changes made to the document as of yet.
“You can hold me to my word that when we come back for a vote by all the town bodies that are going to look at it, that it will be amended to include green infrastructure as a baseline,” Kleppin said. “I’ve said it publicly, and I’ll say it again, if I don’t keep my word, it’s pretty easy to call me out on it.”
Diane Lauricella, a city resident and one of the most vocal proponent for the inclusion of green building in the plan, said she was “pleased” by Kleppin’s announcement, but she still thinks the city needs to go a step further.
“Mr. Kleppin needs to embrace green building design standards, not just green infrastructure,” Lauricella said.
Green infrastructure, Lauricella explained, is specific to water management through things like permeable pavements, rain gardens and bioswales. She believes the city should instead broaden the transitoriented plan’s requirements to include other green building techniques, such as renewable energy and the incorporation of open spaces, as well.
“This city needs to expedite its efforts and lead by example in green building,” she said.
While green infrastrucure appears to be included now as a baseline measure for any future transit-oriented developments, Kleppin said the amenity schedule will continue to be part of the plan. What form the amenity schedule will take, though, is still being discussed by planning and zoning officials, along with input from the Common Council, according to Kleppin.
“(The developers) will have to do some kind of green infrastructure as a baseline, and then if they want to get something else, they’ll have to provide some of the other amenities,” Kleppin said.
Following a nearly twohour public hearing, the Planning Commission voted to approve the amendment to the citywide plan, with Tamara Shockley being the only opposing vote.
Shockley agreed that East Norwalk needs improvement along East Avenue, but said she was concerned about a potential surge of developers buying property in the area and the possible gentrification of a “diverse” neighborhood.
“This is an area, which is close to water and has water views for apartments, restaurants in South Norwalk and is located in between two train stations. It is a developer’s dream. These families and small businesses will need to leave in the name of waterfront views,” Shockley said.
She also cited residents’ concerns about traffic as another reason why the plan should not move forward.
“There are legitimate community concerns about traffic, and traffic contingencies need to be considered in the plan, especially if the traffic increased beyond predictions included in the plan,” she said. “We need to plan for the future impact of additional cars and people in the municipality, which needs further review.”
Shockley’s comments mirrored those of nearly a dozen East Norwalk residents that spoke out against the plan at Tuesday night’s meeting.
Despite some objections, the amendment to the citywide plan is now headed to Mayor Harry Rilling, who is expected to approve it.
After approval, Kleppin said the city will hire a consultant to review the city’s zoning regulations and aspects of transit-oriented plan. The plan will then head back to the Zoning Commission, which will review its draft design guidelines.