Greenwich Blvd. Proposal Gets Initial Hearing Before Planning Board

After more than three hours of testimony before the Planning Board Wednesday night, a hearing on an application for 41 units on Greenwich Boulevard was continued to April 4, but not until concerns about roadways, parking and trash pickup were raised by Planning Board members.

The development, on property owned by Joseph Zenga, would stretch from the Sunnybrook Farms on Main Street east toward the train tracks and southeast of the parking area for the American Legion hall.

The plan, designed by architect Don Powers, calls for one commercial building on the Sunnybrook Farms site and 40 residential units, both freestanding and attached, behind it. Powers designed the development, which the Greenwich Boulevard resembles in scale if not size.

In attendance at the meeting were three members of the Affordable Housing Task Force, who said they were there in support of the plan's proposed 10 units of affordable housing.

Also in attendance were Bill and Doris Higgins, who live one lot away from the proposed development on Greenwich Boulevard. No public comment was heard Wednesday, but Planning Board Chairman Brad Bishop thanked members of the public for coming and said that they would be heard, if so desired.

"We definitely want to hear from the public," said Bishop, saying he wanted everyone to first hear as much about the proposal as possible.

"I have concerns," said Bill Higgins after the hearing was continued. "The process I think is great. I think the chairman has done a great job. ... This is good for the public as well as the board, so they understand what they're voting on."

The plan calls for two detached houses on the west side of Greenwich Boulevard and the other 38 units to the east side of Greenwich Boulevard. The units would have one or two bedroom and share outdoor common areas.

A memo from the Public Works Department listed several issues it had with the project, most significantly with regard to the roadway design through the development. Planning Board member Jack Simpson voice strong concern that town regulations be upheld. Planning Board President Brad Bishop asked the applicant to meet with town engineers to iron out some of the issues, but with six pages of zoning variances still in the offing, approval remains a long way off.

Project developer Joe Zenga, while frustrated with the additional expense of more meetings, expressed satisfaction with the discussion so far.

"They want to see the job done right," said Joe Zenga. "I think I've got the best experts you can get in the state."