Jesup Green
This is a photo of Westport’s Riverwalk, where we walk with Max regularly. Westport is walkable, with some treasured “green space” such as our riverfront, and what we call Jesup Green. Jesup Green is a green hill in front of our great Library and next to the Police Station. It lies on what used to be a solid waste dump. If you didn’t know that, you wouldn’t know that.
Anyway, there is a perceived need that 1/3 of Jesup Green should be paved into a parking lot for 44 cars and SUVs. The matter is, suddenly, being discussed after a long and controversial debate about our downtown parking areas. Suddenly, paving Jesup Green is the answer? I don’t like it and I don’t like unwelcome surprises. So I wrote a letter:
March 30, 2024
TO: RTM Transit Committee & Planning and Zoning Commission
After reviewing the most recent to-and-fro on the town’s uncertain plans to address downtown parking, I am compelled to voice my strong objection to proposed plans for the Jesup Green and adjacent parking areas, and further to express my concern once again for a less-than-transparent process.
THE JESUP GREEN PLAN
I am strongly opposed to the Jesup plan for the following reason: It will pave over 1/3 of the green space known as Jesup Green. That is a travesty. The town’s Plan of Conservation and Development puts a priority on green space. We are losing green space in Westport at an alarming rate.
I am aware of the counter argument that Phase 2 and Phase 3 will restore the green space lost. However, that is a pipe dream contingent on Westport getting $400 million in capital projects approved (so that the Police Station is moved out of the Jesup area). There is NO GUARANTEE Phase 2 or 3 will ever see the light of day, be approved, or be funded.
Until there is a concrete plan that includes the immediate replacement of green space, the Jesup plan should be rejected.
TRANSPARENCY, AGAIN
Second, to pre-empt the expected protestations about lack of transparency claims: The public was not made fully aware of the Jesup Green parking plan until mid-March when a schematic was first made public for Planning and Zoning Commission §8-24 hearing.
Here is the tick-tock:
In October 2023, the Planning and Zoning Commission expressed reservations about Parker Harding parking plans, citing among other things a lack of a holistic plan for downtown parking in general and at Jesup and Imperial lots.
On Jan. 12, 2024 -- unbeknownst to the public -- two town agencies acted in accord to write up appropriations requests for studies:
Fire/EMS to study proposals for a new joint headquarters with the police dept., and
2. Public Works design appropriation to pave 1/3 of Jesup Green into 44 parking spots and modify parking spaces at the Imperial lot.
On Jan. 17, 2024 the public got its first cryptic glimpse that the town would pave over 1/3 of Jesup Green when the Chairman of the Board of Finance issued its agenda for its Feb. 7, 2024 meeting, with items #8 and #9 as follows:
· Upon the request of the Fire Department Deputy Chief, to approve an appropriation of $110,000 from the Capital and Non-Recurring Fund Account 31502220-500188 for work to update and merge FD conceptual plans to include PD and EMS in a new concept analysis for a Joint Public Safety Facility.
· Upon the request of the Director of Public Works, to approve an appropriation of $630,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Fund 51003310-500189-13012 for design and permitting of the redevelopment of Jesup Green and the Imperial Lot.
On Feb. 7, 2024, both agenda items #8 and #9 were withdrawn from the Board of Finance Meeting. It seems the items were a surprise to more than just myself.
On Feb 8, 2024, the Downtown Plan Implementation Committee, the hardworking appointed body charged with all things downtown, held an in-person-only meeting at 8:30 a.m., which I attended and at which no detailed information was given on the Jesup Green plan other than additional parking was being considered. Members of the public and even a member of the DPIC who is also on RTM expressed surprise by the sudden appropriation requests that appeared out of nowhere. We all had a lot of questions. The answers pointed to one person who was not there: The First Selectwoman.
On March 6, the BOF reviewed these items and approved the appropriations. There was no specific detail or schematic posted or presented in the BOF meeting packet on where the additional parking would go. A specific plan was not shared though some questions were answered verbally,
The Jesup schematic plan was drawn Feb. 15, 2024 but was not made public until posted in mid March as part of the Planning and Zoning’s March 24 meeting process.
On March 14, DPIC again held an in-person-only meeting, which I was not able to attend. There is no specific Jesup Green Parking Plan posted in conjunction with the meeting.
On March 24, the Planning and Zoning Commission heard the 8-24 requests for Jesup Green and Parker Harding. Though much has been publicized on Parker Harding Plaza, this was the first real look at what was planned for Jesup Green. I believe once the public comprehends the paving plan for Jesup Green, they will be outraged. The P&Z did the right thing by continuing the matter to April 8 – at which time I suggest they issue a negative 8-24 report.
FINAL THOUGHTS
I live on Evergreen Parkway, in District 9, in what I consider a downtown neighborhood. I love the location of my home because I can – and do -- walk downtown to shop, dine, and recreate. There is much ado about parking, but it’s not a problem for us (though I empathize with downtown merchants and support their stance). This is a walkable town and one BIG reason why I choose to live here. I walk my dog Max nearly every day past Town Hall, along Main Street, through Parker Harding Plaza and along the River, then across the Post Road down the Riverwalk around the Library and the Levitt Pavilion over to the Imperial Lot and up Imperial back over to my neighborhood. Sometimes Max detours us over to the Winslow dog park on our way home. My Westport is a walkable Westport. Please preserve our green space.
Sincerely,
Toni Simonetti
Westport, CT