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 ______________________________________________________________________

                                                                                                                                            August 2003 

                    Sea To The Green      

    An Update of the East Avenue Neighborhood Association ______________________________________________________________________

 

Meeting:  Regular monthly EANA meeting, combined with the Organization meeting of the ENNA, was held on Sunday, August 24 at 3:30 PM at 20 Raymond Terrace. 

 

Attendees at August 24 meeting: Laurel Lindstrom (President), Tony Rossi (Raymond Terrace), Marie DeLeo (Sunlit Drive), Marija Bryant (Morgan Avenue), Anthony Halim (Roxbury Road), Ellen Tully (Walnut Avenue), Gordon Tully (Walnut Avenue), Laurel Anderson (City Scan Coordinator)

 

Update since July 27 meeting

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EANA president spoke with Assistant Director of P&Z Mike Wrinn July 28 regarding regulations, if any, to keep historic homes from destruction by neglect.  He says that nothing can be done. Example: The clock doesn't start ticking until a decision is made on the appeal by the owner of the historic structure at 93 East Avenue.  And once a decision is made, if it's in the owner's favor he has a year before he is required to get started on any construction.  

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EANA president introduced proposal for traffic light at Strawberry Hill Avenue and Tierney to Chair of Public Works Committee, Councilman Chris Perone, on August 5.  He may place it on the agenda of the September meeting.

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EANA continues committed to doing everything possible to have the Postal Substation reopened at the Rite Aid on East Avenue. Click here to view letter to US Rep. Christopher Shays from EANA president on August 8. A meeting with local officials was subsequently set up for August 20.

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The EANA Adopt-A-Spot Committees have been busy.  The Exit 16/East Avenue Adopt-A-Spot Committee (Tony Rossi, Peter Hughes and Jason Leventhal) with a lot of hard work in rocky terrain have the sign up. Next the plantings!  The City Hall/East Avenue Center Median Adopt-A-Spot Committee (Marie DeLeo, Oliver Lawrence and Laurel Lindstrom) with lots of digging up of weeds and sweeping of street sand now have the sign in place and the Chrysanthemums planted.  There's still watering to be done every couple of days in the heat!

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The EANA Andrews Park Committee met on August 16.  Planning: meeting with Pam Stark (City Clerk) on 8/22 to work on budget; promoting 'Friends of Andrews Park' and next meeting with neighbors; publicity; and September 17 meeting of the Recreation & Parks Committee of the Common Council

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EANA Andrews Park Committee met with Pam Stark on August 22 to discuss commitment abilities of city departments, and others, to the project

 

Minutes/Key items discussed at August 24 meeting  

 

   Preliminary Laurel L. informed group that:

 

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The Planning Commission had scheduled two public hearings on the Wall Street Revitalization Plan for September 9 and Sept 16

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The Norwalk Citizen-News published the annual 'Discover Norwalk' that once again this year listed the 'East Avenue Neighborhood Association' and 'Advocates for Calm Traffic'.

   

1.  Neighborhood zoning concerns

 
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181 East Avenue ‘used cars for sale’ Cars are still for sale but the 'for sale' signs are no longer on the vehicles.  The next step would be to contact the police to check if vehicles are unregistered.  General consensus is that it has improved, but EANA members will continue to monitor

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93 East Avenue, neglect of historic structure Maria Bryant discussed issue of 'demolition by neglect' and the possibility of Norwalk passing an Ordinance to prevent it.  Discussion on 'Anti'blight' Ordinances from Laurel Anderson.  Other towns have both.  Marija will have Norwalk Preservation Trust address the issue.

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71 & 73 Osborne, construction of housing units on the river bank Consensus  that the construction would need to be monitored since it is in the river flood plain and in close proximity to the houses on the property

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East Avenue Pizza cars parked on sidewalk.  Consensus of those at meeting is that no one felt strongly about it, but individuals had the option of calling the police

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Nat's Garage on Second Street at Cove Laurel L. read parts of a letter from a resident that complained of the streets being like a garbage dump and of oil changes being done on the street.  The letter has gone to the Mayor who will review it at the Task Force meeting on September 3.

 

2.  Traffic discussion

 
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Speeding on Strawberry Hill Avenue, update on possibility of traffic light at Tierney. Laurel L. brought the problem to the attention of Chris Perone, chairman of the Council's Public Works Committee. He will discuss same with Dick Linnartz, director of Public Works.

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Tierney speeding. Laurel L. presented the concerns, as per an email from a resident.  Speeding up the hill occurs.  The difficulty of the terrain discussed.  The steps that the DPW has already taken were reviewed.  A traffic light at SHA and Tierney could better regulate the vehicles, and perhaps slow the vehicles. Marie DeLeo suggested that the curb at the northwest corner on the intersection of SHA and Tierney have a sharper angle.  The current rounded angle encourages speeding for vehicles turning from SHA onto Tierney.

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Olmstead Place gridlock Email sent August 28 to Mayor Knopp re Olmstead Place gridlock.  Click here to read.  It provides information on the discussion at the meeting

 

3. Two Adopt-A-Spots that EANA has taken over

 
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On East Ave. at westbound entry to the I-95 (on the left at entry to the expressway); and Center median on East Avenue at City Hall. Tony updated others on the difficulty with the East Avenue/I-95 site.  Extremely rocky terrain made it difficult to put sign up.  Complaints came in that it was crooked and need to be straightened, which Tony and the other committee members did.  It won't be possible to plant anything in the soil.  Marie DeLeo suggested a pile of woodchips, free from the city, at the base of the sign.  Then potted 'mums' can be planted in the chips.  The chips will turn to soil over winter for better planting next spring.  Laurel L. will phone for delivery of wood chips

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Invitation still stands for Volunteers to tend sites

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Thanks to the great work done already by the Adopt-A-Spot Committee members:  Tony, Peter, Jason, Marie, Laurel and Oliver!

 

4.  Closure of East Norwalk Post Office at Rite Aid (East Avenue and St. John Street) update

 

bullet Letter sent by EANA to US Rep. Shays to have it re-opened
bullet Rite Aid and Norwalk’s Postmaster met with Officials (Mayor Alex Knopp, Councilman Fred Bondi, Third Taxing District Commission Chair David Brown, State Rep. Bob Duff & staff from US Rep. Christopher Shays’ office)  discussed reopening. Key Postal Service person not at meeting.  Another meeting to be scheduled.  But, so far, the Postal Service are not willing to reopen the site.

 

5.  Andrews Park Restoration Committee Update

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Meeting took place with Pam Stark, city clerk, on August 22.  Email sent August 28 to Mayor Knopp re moving Andrews Park forward. Click here to read.  It informs the Mayor of discussion from the July EANA meeting

 

6.  2nd Annual Police Activities League Pumpkin Festival in October, discussion

 
bullet EANA ran pumpkin decorating and contest for the festival last year, and has been approached by PAL to do it again this year Laurel L. provided information.  Gordon Tully volunteered to help.  Anthony Halim volunteered to be the contact person for the East Avenue Methodist Church.  He says that the church does something similar each October.  It may be possible to combine efforts and have it all at the Pumpkin Festival.  Laurel will find out the date of the event and more details.

 

7.  City scan

 

bullet Plans for ‘Mailing’ to our membership, discussion

 

8.   Phase II Power Line Proposal, discussion

 

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 Planning Commission’s resolution of 8/12/03 recommends putting all lines underground in Norwalk

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Forum on August 21 at 7 PM at Westport Public Library.  Area Officials hosted CT Siting Council Chair Pamela Katz to answer questions from the community. Fairfield area towns, including Norwalk, favor all underground.  Mayor Knopp was present and spoke. The City of Norwalk favors underground along the Post Road, to minimize the affect on residential neighborhoods.  It's still early in the process, but not too early for neighbors to start organizing and looking at the historically significant and environmentally sensitive areas that they want to see avoided.

 

9.  EANA re-Organization Update/ENNA Organization Meeting

 

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Organization meeting for the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association.  The unincorporated East Avenue Neighborhood Association became the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association. The meetings that have been scheduled the 4th Sunday of every month will continue as before, but will be named the 'Neighborhood Issues Committee (NIC) Meeting'.  The NIC is one of the standing committees of the ENNA.

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The Board of Directors are: Laurel Lindstrom (President), Marie DeLeo (Treasurer), Richard Brousseau, Jr. (Recording Secretary), Marija Bryant, Erik Nees, Anthony Halim, Gordon Tully.  The first Regular Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for September 29, 2003.  Laurel L. has created a Constitution & Bylaws draft that the other directors provided feedback regarding.  Adoption will be on the September ENNA Board meeting agenda.

 

Next ENNA-NIC meeting:  Sunday, September 28 at 3:30 PM at 20 Raymond Terrace

 

Contact numbers:

Phone: 855-7668                                                                                     

E-mail: SeaToTheGreen@cs.com                         

Website: CalmTraffic.org

 

     

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