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                                                                                                                                         January 2003 

 

                    Sea To The Green      

    An Update of the East Avenue Neighborhood Association ______________________________________________________________________

Last meeting:  Regular monthly EANA meeting will be held on Sunday, December 22 at 3:30 PM at 20 Raymond Terrace

Attendees at Dec 22 meeting: Laurel Lindstrom (President), Kathleen Morrow (Willow Street), Anthony Halim (Roxbury Road), Mary Kiniry (President of Glasser Street Neighborhood Association) and Laurel Anderson (City Scan Coordinator)

Actions update since November 24 meeting

bulletDec 5 ZBA hearing regarding expansion on property at 89B Strawberry Hill Avenue cancelled because of snow.  Rescheduled tentatively for January 9
bulletZBA public hearing on 89B SHA confirmed for January 9 (only item on agenda) 7:30 PM at City Hall 3rd Floor Council Chambers
bulletThe Planning Commission voted approval of the East Avenue Village District at its December 10 meeting.
bulletPublic informational session was held by Spinnaker (Norden Park owners) on December 11 to respond to questions related to proposed change to the zoning regulations to allow educational use on the site.  Members of Woodfield Commons Association and EANA present to voice concerns and ask questions of the developers and Gibbs College president.  Zoning Commission Public Hearing is scheduled for 7:30 PM on December 18 at City Hall, 3rd Floor Council Chambers
bulletOn December 18 the Zoning Commission voted to change the zoning regulations so that educational facilities would be allowed at Norden Park.  Public participation included area concerns presented by EANA president

Key items discussed December 22 meeting

bulletEast Avenue Village District. Approved by Planning Commission on December 10.  EANA appreciative. Common Council to approve after public hearings.  Then it goes to Zoning Commission for refinement.
bulletCity Scan. Laurel Anderson presented update of scans throughout Norwalk and those conducted by EANA. Discussion took place by those present.  Norwalk at large: Abandoned cars totaled 87 to 89. Review committee not as successful as hoped.  Mayor has indicated that City Scan report will be first item at each monthly Neighborhood Preservation meeting. Sidewalk problems documented. By city ordinance homeowners, not city, are responsible for repair and maintenance of sidewalks. City Scan will provide letter for neighborhood associations to send to homeowners nicely alerting them to the problem identified with a sidewalk in front of their home. County Street/ Sunlit/Post Road Scan: Sidewalk curb-cut on Westport Avenue is State of CT responsibility since it is a state highway.  Connecticut Avenue Scan: Litter is State responsibility. Letters have been sent to State re its responsibility.  Andrews Field: Parks and Rec said they would repair fence, trim trees and pick up litter. EANA president reported that she had alerted the chair of the Historical Commission (Diane Rochelle) re the storage trailers used by the commission that appeared to have been tampered with. Diane checked them out and reported back that all were secure. She's appreciative that neighbors are keeping watch. EANA president in contact with Diane Lauricella (Sierra Club of Fairfield County President) and Marie DeLeo of Sunlit Drive with plan to present a proposal to the Conservation Commission for cleanup of Andrews wetlands. Norwalk High School and Strawberry Hill Avenue: Crosswalk requested not indicated according to city because there are two other crosswalks in close proximity. Blinking crosswalks a possibility. Safety concerns for students crossing to cars on waiting parents persist. Fort Point Street:   Yellow centerline striping won't be done for 3 to 4 months because the city contracts out and rotates striping on regular basis and is conducted every 3 or 4 months, but not in winter.  The stop sign requested requires a written request so that the city can notify the State to start the approval process.  EANA president will work take necessary steps. Discussion re also putting in a stop sign request on Willow Street. Myrtle Street:  City won't put in 25 mile per hour sign because statistically it has been found that drivers go 10 miles per hour over the posted signs.  Speed bumps are scheduled to go in next spring and should take care of most of the traffic problems identified.  The Norwalk Green:  First Taxing District Commissioners contacted by both Laurel Anderson and Laurel Lindstrom re lack of trees.  A dozen new trees have just recently been planted.
bulletSpeed Bump Update:  The 10 streets budgeted for speed bumps have the Speed Bump signs but won't get the speed bumps until spring when the cold weather ends. Laurel Lindstrom provided information to the others present re the process for requesting speed bumps and the criteria followed by the city.
bulletBudget season:  Discussion re city budget process.  City departments have now put in their requests for money for specific projects and expenses for July 2003 through June 2004.  The Mayor, Finance Department, Planning Commission, Board of Estimate and Taxation and the Common Council will make decisions on how much and where money goes.  During the next 3 months the decisions will be made.  Therefore, this is the time to contact officials to let them where the money should be allocated.
bulletKnow Your Town 2003.  Directory put out each year by the League of Women Voters of Norwalk will have some new sections including Neighborhood Associations.  EANA president has responsibility for this year's KYT through her position on the LWVN Board of Directors.
bulletZoning Items. Discussion and update on area concerns.  195 East Avenue:  Neighborhood Business Zone allows increased height and size of new construction on site even if it appears too large for property.  Variance approved by ZBA earlier in year allowed owners to eliminate the 15 foot landscaped buffer at the back of the property.  Since they got the variance they can use it for parking.  Without this additional space that provides for the amount of parking required by zoning regulations the increase to building size (and office space) would not have been done. What appears to be a harmless variance approval often is a change that allows for inappropriate growth that was not anticipated by a neighborhood. Norden Place:  Poor turnout by EANA members attributed, in part, to holiday season activities.  EANA president, at the December 18 Zoning Commission public hearing, presented many neighborhood concerns related to changes that occur at Norden.  89B Strawberry Hill Avenue:  Discussion re ZBA hearing scheduled for January 9.  EANA members will present information regarding how expansion has taken place on the site and ask that the city's cease and desist be upheld.
bulletTraffic problems on Strawberry Hill Avenue.  Police (Deputy Chief Mark Palmer) to be contacted re getting a report of accidents that have occurred.  Striping on edges of SHA still a safety problem where children walk and cars drive because striping is not consistently in place.
bulletGlasser/Bouton Street Update:  Mary Kinery spoke of the truck traffic that continues to be a problem on the streets of her neighborhood association.  She has been working with the city but some problems continue.  She plans next to request speed bumps.

Next meeting:  Sunday, January 26 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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