Upcoming Planning and Zoning Meeting to Strike Out “Character” from Regulation Language
Press ReleasePlanner Amanda Trianovich announced on February 27, 2023, at 7:00 PM, a public hearing of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be held to replace or remove “Character” throughout the Westport Zoning and Subdivision Regulations pursuant to Public Act 21-29.
Public Act 21-29 (the Act), effective 10/1/21, found here, states that municipal zoning regulations must no longer be drafted with consideration as to the “character” of a district, but instead with consideration as to its “physical site characteristics”. The Act also prohibits denial of any land use application or zoning approval “on the basis of a district’s character, unless such character is expressly articulated in such regulations by clear and explicit physical standards for site work and structures.”
Text Amendment #813, authored on behalf of the Planning and Zoning Commission, proposes to replace or remove “Character” throughout the Westport Zoning and Subdivision Regulations where it is not accompanied by clear and explicit physical standards, while staying as close to the original meaning and intent of the Regulations as possible. Text Amendment #813 can be viewed online here.
The February 27, 2023, public hearing 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 meeting links, view the meeting agenda online here.
River Reflections
Sunset reflections on a low tide Saugatuck River. Photo by Nancy Lally for WestportLocal.com
Phyllis Makovsky, 80, Died; “had a rare combination of diverse and enviable qualities”
Phyllis Makovsky, 80, of Westport, Connecticut passed away on Thursday, February 16th, 2023 in her home, surrounded by her family. She passed after a courageous and inspiring fight against Leukemia (AML). Phyllis was a remarkable woman, a one-of-a-kind person that had a rare combination of diverse and enviable qualities. She will be deeply missed by so many that loved and cherished her.
Phyllis was born in Queens, New York to Grace and Murray Peck. Phyllis had a superlative academic background, graduating from Barnard with honors and receiving her Master’s Degree in teaching from Harvard University. She was a passionate teacher in the classroom as she taught advanced mathematics at The Brearley School in Manhattan and Great Neck South High School in Long Island before she decided to turn her skills and compassion on her family and in prominent roles in the community.
In 1972, Phyllis met Kenneth Makovsky; they married within months and went on to share a storybook partnership that spanned exactly 50 years. Phyllis was a fiercely dedicated wife and the two supported one another in every way and enabled each other’s successes in business at home and in their social and philanthropic lives. She served as a crucial strategic advisor to Ken as he built the Public Relations agency, Makovsky & Company.
Phyllis was a doer and her work came in many forms. She served Temple Israel and its congregation as a board member for 10 years. She established a scholarship at Washington University in St. Louis dedicated to music. After her second diagnosis with breast cancer, she decided to return to Norwalk Hospital as a volunteer in the chemo-infusion center, where she spent 20 years and in the very room where she returned for the final part of her Leukemia treatment. No surprise she was greeted with big hugs.
Phyllis was a wonderful mother to her two children Matthew and Evan and used her talents as a teacher and unique combination of grace, grit and empathy to invest into her family so that they could shine. As a friend and a sister she did the same. It didn't matter whether you were a 50 year long friend or someone on first meeting, Phyllis was present, kind and insightful and that love and good energy was returned to her by so many.
Phyllis is survived by her husband Kenneth, sons Matt and Evan and brother Stephen.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 21 at 1:00 pm at Temple Israel in Westport, CT. (14 Coleytown Rd). Burial will follow at Temple Israel Cemetery, 225 Richards Ave, Norwalk, CT. Shiva will be observed at the home of Kenneth & Phyllis Makovsky in Westport, CT on Tuesday 2/21 post service till 8:00 pm and Wednesday + Thursday from 1:00 pm till 7:00 pm.
To livestream the funeral service, please use the following link www.tiwestport.org/livestream go to the youtube page and it will be the first “live” video listing for the day. To share a condolence message, visit www.greensfuneralhome.com.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society: www.lls.org/metny
New Exhibit By Artists Collective Of Westport Draws Large Crowd At Gordon Fine Arts Gallery
The Gordon Fine Arts Gallery at 1701 Post Road East, Westport, has partnered with the Artists Collective of Westport for a stunning new group show. Curated by James Brunelle, the exhibit includes over 100 works by 65 members of the Collective.
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
The new venue offered close to 200 art lovers an opportunity to view beautiful works of art by local artists in a spacious and inviting space which offered the many guests easy viewing even though the crowd was large.
The art includes drawings, paintings, photography, prints, mixed media and sculpture, in sizes ranging from a few inches wide up to 6ft wide. Gordon Fine Arts Gallery highlights nationally recognized award winning artists and aims to provide exhibit space to regional and national Artists.
The show runs to March 19.
Hours are Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, noon to 5pm; Sunday noon to 4pm.
For information email: gordonfineartsales@gmail.com
Or visit gordonfinearts.org
Photos By J.C. Martin For WestportLocalPress.com Click on an image to enlarge and open gallery.
