PJ Romano Field House on Planning and Zoning Commission Docket; 50 Year Lease Explored
Westport Planning & Zoning Department:Planning and Zoning Director Mary Young announced that on May 23, 2022, at 7:00 PM, the Planning and Zoning Commission will be reviewing a lease between the Town of Westport and the Westport Police Athletic League (PAL), for the PJ Romano Field House at the Doubleday Field Complex located at the Saugatuck Elementary School, together with the lawns, driveway and walkways surrounding the Field House at 170 Riverside Ave. All application materials may be viewed on the Town’s website here.
PAL has leased the Field House from the Board of Education (BOE) for over 50 years for use with its athletic programs. The lease expired in Nov. 2021. The BOE on March 21, 2022, relinquished control of the Field House back to the Town effective July 1, 2022. As the BOE is not using it for educational purposes, they extended the lease to PAL to that date. The proposed lease is twenty-years (20 years) in duration starting July 1, 2022, and ending June 31, 2042, with two (2) five (5) year options to renew.
Mary Young described, “The Planning and Zoning Commission recently revised their Municipal Improvement Procedures, to expand notification by mail as evidenced by a certificate of mailing to residents located within a 250’ radius of the subject property, to also require a Press Release be prepared prior to any meeting involving acquisition, sale, lease, or substantial improvements to Town-owned property, to expand notice to all residents of the opportunity to participate at an upcoming public meeting involving Town-owned property”
The May 23, 2022, Planning and Zoning Commission meeting will be held virtually via Zoom, will be live streamed on the Town’s website at www.westportct.gov, and accessible on Optimum Government Access Channel 79 and Frontier Channel 6020. Comments can be sent prior to the meeting at PandZ@westportct.gov and interested parties may join the meeting virtually or call in to offer testimony during the meeting. To access the Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting use this Zoom link.
Westport COVID-19 Cases Up 17; State Positivity Rate 13.76%, Hospitalizations Up 4
The State Department of Public Health reported 17 more cases in Westport over the past day. The State’s daily test positivity rate was up to 13.76% while hospitalizations were up 4 patients, with 365 patients currently hospitalized for COVID-19 throughout the State.
Westport total positive or probable cases: 4,827 cases.
Westport total COVID-19 Deaths: 36 deaths
State Daily Test Positivity: 13.76% [up from 13.41%]
State Hospitalizations: 365 patients [+4]
Beautiful, Busy Sunday At Compo Beach
Beautiful weather on Sunday drew many visitors to enjoy a warm spring day at Compo Beach
The weather Sunday got off to a gloomy start however beautiful, sunny skies and warm temps took over and drew many Westporters to Compo Beach. From joggers, to kids enjoying their boogie board, to folks wading into the low tide waters, to a vigorous game of volleyball, the beach was a very active scene. A seagull which was lucky enough to catch a delicious crab had to watch his back while trying to find a place to enjoy his dinner. Even the nesting oyster catchers which have again selected their favorite south beach location to begin another family had a lot going on.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
Oystercatchers Were Busy Too!
The Male Oystercatcher keeps an eye out for trouble.
For the last several years a pair of Oystercatchers have called South Beach at Compo home where there are few natural predators and have nested and attempted to raise their families. Chicks have hatched in years past but it is not well known what their success rate is as to their survival. Named Oyster catchers in 1731 by english naturalist Mark Catesby their diet includes different shellfish species indulging mussels, clams and crabs. The Amrican Oystercatcher is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the state erects "fencing" wire and signs warning viewers and beachgoers to keep their distance to allow for successful breeding.
On Sunday the pair had their hands full. As the photos here show the female was sitting on her nest when a seagull came to close for the male's comfort. He instinctively approached the seagull and then lured him away from the nest. If that was not enough of a disturbance, a third Oystercacther approached the pair and both male and female chased off the unwelcome bird returning to the nest a short while later.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.