Aug. 19, 2018: Visit us at A Taste of East Norwalk!

It’s time for the 2nd annual “A Taste of East Norwalk” festival on August 19th!

Organized by our friends at the ENBA (East Norwalk Business Association) this festival is co-sponsored by local restaurants, local businesses, as well as non-profit associations, like us! This was a great success last year, and so they’re doing it again.  https://tasteofeastnorwalk.org/  Get your tickets at their website. It will be down by Calf Pasture Beach, at the Longshore Pavilion at Norwalk Cove. Looking forward to meeting more East Norwalkers!

EAST NORWALKERS TO HELP CREATE COMMUNITY VISION AND CITY MASTER PLAN….

IT’S SET! – MARK YOUR CALENDARS – SATURDAY MARCH 10th, 2018 
EAST NORWALK COMMUNITY VISIONING

CHOICE OF TWO SESSIONS: 9:30AM OR 2:00PM

Norwalk Plan of Conservation and Development (Master Plan)

Be sure your vision of East Norwalk and our city is seen and heard!

Norwalk has begun the process of creating the 2018 Plan of Conservation and Development, informally known as The Master Plan. This important document will become the blueprint for the next decade, or longer, and define how the city is developed including:

Balanced Economic Growth8

housing • office • retail • industrial • redevelopment

Environment and Infrastructure

coastal & inland waterways • aquifers • sanitary sewers • solid waste •

hazardous materials • sustainability • air quality • other utilities

Open Space and Recreation Systems22

land conservation • recreation • trails & bikeways

Community and Cultural Facilities28

public buildings • schools • fire • police • public health •

cultural facilities • libraries

Transportation

transit • traffic management • bridges • parking

Governance, Zoning and Urban Design 40

zoning • planning • urban design • historic preservation • enforcement

Implementation 48

     priorities & timeframes • budget information

The plan was last updated in 2008 (review 2008 POCD here) and is required to be reviewed or updated every 10 years. The East Norwalk Neighborhood Association also contributed our Neighborhood Master Plan as part of the last process, and you can review ENNA plan here.

In order for the wishes of East Norwalkers to be considered, it’s important that as many residents as possible participate in community vision forums (9 in total, citywide).

Don’t let the future of our neighborhoods be decided without us! Plan now to participate at a forum, complete surveys, or use online apps to share your vision and wishes for the development of East Norwalk!

East Norwalk Community Visioning Workshop

Saturday March 10, 2018

Session One 9:30am  OR Session Two 2:00pm

The Marvin Senior Housing – Community Room

60 Gregory Blvd.  East Norwalk

Parking lot and entrance from Third Street – ADA compliant

SUPPORT EAST NORWALK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION – Your donations are important…

On March 1st, we hope you will support us!  FCGives.org – ENNA page
GIVE WHERE YOU LIVE – Please help us continue our mission to improve the quality of life in East Norwalk; to preserve the character of our neighborhoods; and protect the natural & historic resources of our community.
Mission Statement: The purpose of the East Norwalk Neighborhood Association is to foster and preserve the residential character, natural and historic resources, and quality of life in the eastern Norwalk community, and to encourage the residents of eastern Norwalk to actively participate in achieving this purpose. Funds will be used for neighborhood programs (Community Forums, Workshops, Neighborhood clean ups, etc), supplies, event signage, website and email domains, membership drives.

NEIGHBORHOOD INFO SESSION ON PROPOSED ZONE CHANGE AND 190+ APARTMENT COMPLEX AT EAST NORWALK TRAIN STATION PROPERTY!

PLEASE JOIN US on Saturday, February 24th, 2018 as we present….

A COMMUNITY INFORMATION SESSION ON THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF PROPERTIES ABUTTING THE EAST NORWALK TRAIN STATION

The East Norwalk Neighborhood Association, along with the East Norwalk Business Association and the Third Taxing District Commission are teaming up again to co-sponsor an important Information Session.  Residents and businesses are invited to learn about the proposed zoning change and mixed-use apartment complex for 230 East Avenue, the parcel next to the East Norwalk Train Station.
The Information Session will feature a presentation of the proposed zone change that includes a Transit Oriented Development designation; view the proposed plans for 187-unit apartment complex that includes portions of retail, office and restaurant.
Since $125,000 in State of Connecticut Grant Funds have been approved for a future East Norwalk Transit Oriented Development Study and Plan, residents and businesses have taken great interest in the proposed zoning and special permit applications for the 230 East Avenue parcel, along with raising questions regarding housing density, traffic concerns and commuter parking options.
East Norwalk residents and businesses are encouraged to attend this information session and Q&A on Saturday February 24th at 10:00am, held at The Marvin Senior Housing Community Center 60 Gregory Boulevard (ample lot parking and building entrance from Third Street). For more information, email info@eastnorwalk.org

Event Sat. March 11, 2017 – Community Forum on East Avenue’s upcoming major construction project

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ATTENTION EAST NORWALKERS! Residents and business owners are invited to an open house forum Saturday March 11, 2017 to view and discuss the upcoming reconstruction and improvements for East Avenue (south of highway). This includes an additional stop-light, changed traffic patterns, added center bike lanes, etc. Look, discuss, share your ideas!

Please come by between 9am and 10:30am to see the latest plans, vote on the features you’d like most to have, and share your ideas for the vision of this gateway to East Norwalk!

(location/more info below pictures)

We’ll have the newer renderings, large format for all to see. We’ll have marked out dimensions on the floor, so you can experience how wide a sidewalk or bike lane will be.

Please join us 9am-10:30am at:
The Marvin Senior Housing’s
Community Room
60 Gregory Blvd
Please park and enter on the Third Street side

Light refreshments, coordinated by Eastern Norwalk Neighborhood Association, Third Taxing District Commission and East Norwalk Business Association.

CNNA Meets Monday November 28th, 7pm room 101

Please join us for this important meeting as we’ll be joined by guest speaker Steve Kleppin, Norwalk’s newly hired Director of Planning and Zoning. Mr. Kleppin is expected to provide his overview on status of Norwalk, along with his goals and vision. We also look forward to hearing about his plans for the development of the 2018 Plan of Conservation and Development, along with an open discussion on Public Outreach related to land use, followed by Q&A.

Also, we’ll open our meeting by welcoming Laoise King, to be introduced by Mayor Harry Rilling as his new assistant to the Mayor. Ms. King has additional prior commitments on Monday, but expressed an interest in attending future meetings.

Finally, there are several neighborhood quality of life issues that have come up, and we’ll discuss as time permits at the end of the guest speaker segment.

ALERT: East Norwalk Businesses Wed. Sept 7 at 10am RALLY/PRESS CONFERENCE

STATE D.O.T. TAKING OF PRIVATE PROPERTIES FOR METRO-NORTH RAILROAD BRIDGE RECONSTRUCTION: 17 residential and business properties are slated to be taken by the State of Connecticut in conjunction with equipment staging for the MetroNorth Walk Bridge reconstruction project – many residents and viable, long-term businesses will be displaced.  JOIN YOUR NEIGHBORS AND COLLEAGUES AT A RALLY TO DEMAND THE CITY AND STATE identify, investigate and pursue alternative sites. RALLY & PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY SEPT. 7th at 10AM  AT 10 GOLDSTEIN PLACE, LIBERTY SQUARE, EAST NORWALK.

STILL WORTH CONTACTING YOUR REPRESENTATIVES – Please Take Action

UPDATE Sept 5, 2016:  Though neighbors were told “too bad, don’t care” months ago, the recently revealed and hotly debated Metro North Walk Bridge project, between East and South Norwalk, seems obviously linked to East Avenue Lowering and Widening, perhaps more than residents are being told. There is no real reason for lowering East Ave so extensively, at a huge cost and against resident wishes — so with the Walk Bridge 5-year-to-accomplish, 1 billion dollar Metro North construction plan just half a mile away on the same timeline, it makes residents wonder.

MARCH 7 – Though residents got the support of elected representatives, who told CONNDOT that our request was valid, Commissioner Redeker simply said “no” – our concerns aren’t sufficient in his opinion. He has dismissed the voices of residents AND our representatives. His letter is shown on this site below. We would hope he reconsider, in light of all the hard work of elected representatives who spent time talking with residents, coming to meetings at night, analyzing all the information, and who took the time to understand the reality of life for residents around East Avenue, and who took time to hear much better ideas than a 14-3″ clearance.

We encourage you to write to Commissioner Redeker, or call his office. 860-594-2000. Email: james.redeker@ct.gov
See article: NoN article Redeker response
(Below, previous post Jan 27, 2016)
A large crowd of East Norwalk neighbors voiced extreme opposition to the East Avenue project at a meeting at City Hall last week. We’re now getting support from some common council members — But the decision gets made by the CT DOT.

We residents have to take the “height fight” to our state legislators. If you care about your quality of life in neighborhoods abutting East Avenue, then please take action!

Contact state legislators and important contacts (all contact info below).

Tell your legislators (links below) to make DOT revise the plan to keep our 12’-2” low clearance, or at least keep it under 13’-6” — to deter tractor-trailers (big rigs) from our walkable neighborhoods.

What’s the problem with the plan?

Residents don’t want the proposed East Avenue project to include way too much clearance under the rail bridge. The plan to increase clearance will attract big-rig trucks to use East Avenue as a work-around when I95 gets jammed up near Exits 15-16-17. This stretch of I95 is frequently clogged, and it’s going to get worse with the mall construction at Exit 15.The plan will bring heavy traffic looking for alternate routes. Big-rig trucks will no longer feel compelled to stay on i95, if they can get under the East Ave rail bridge and onto RT 136 with ease.

Big-rigs are 13-6”. They can’t get under our current 12’-2” bridge, so they rarely come down East Ave.

The DOT says East Norwalk must give 14’-3” clearance at the East Ave rail bridge. DOT says they need huge clearance because it’s a “state standard.”  But that standard is only being forced on East Norwalk!  DARIEN AND WESTPORT don’t have to meet the same standard with their bridges!  Darien WON their fight against 14’-3”, and got the low clearance they wanted, on Route 1. They got 11’-3” under their rail bridge. That’s a whole yard less than 14’-3”.

The clock is ticking on a vote Feb 2nd. The plan for East Ave includes adding a street light at Ft. Point, along with major construction to lower a huge stretch of East Ave.

EMAIL OR CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES NOW. (below)
If you want to learn more, and see photos, please visit  www.gatewayeastnorwalk.com

 

PLEASE EMAIL OR CALL THE CONTACTS BELOW TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS.
FIGHT THE EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE AND EXCESSIVE ROAD LOWERING OF EAST AVENUE.

You can contact Norwalk decision-makers directly about the East Avenue widening/lowering projects:
Email all Common Council Members
Email District C Council Members John Kydes  and Michelle Maggio 
Email Mayor Harry Rilling
Contact Governor Malloy
Contact Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman

Norwalk State Legislators*
Contact State Representative Bruce Morris – (203) 979-9261
Contact State Representative Fred Wilms – (800) 842-1423
Contact Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff – (203) 840-1333
Contact State Representative Chris Perone – (203) 840-1643
Contact State Representative Gail Lavielle – (800) 842-1423
Contact State Representative Terrie Wood – (800) 842-1423
Contact the MTA
Contact Connecticut State Department of Transportation

*some also represent sections of Darien, New Canaan, Wilton, Westport

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