NEWS

YMCA Mahackeno Plan Meeting Draws Large Crowd

Printed in the The Hour

Town officials and residents had their first opportunity Tuesday to express concerns about the Westport-Weston YMCA moving to Camp Mahackeno and asked questions about sewers and traffic.

YMCA officials have yet to complete a site plan and are in the early stages of planning for the move, and town officials had the opportunity to give guidance to the officials during a Code Enforcement meeting.

Ted Davis, YMCA Steering Committee chairman, said he expects controversy about the project, but he hopes for a constructive process. “We are still in the beginning stages,” he said.

The new facility at the 30-acre camp site would be approximately 94,000 square-feet with a 50-meter pool, fitness room, dance room, gymnastics center and childcare facilities, he said.

Most of the comments from town officials focused on traffic issues. Police Chief Al Fiore said he could not comment specifically because Tuesday was the first he had received any information on the project. “Our concerns are of parking capacity so you don’t impact the neighborhood,” he said.

Additionally, he said, he is interested to see the completion of the traffic study and how the project will affect the surrounding neighborhoods.

There have been problems in the past on Rice’s and River lanes with traffic for the camp, he said, and the roads are too small to accommodate the traffic.

“You’re basically taking a large downtown facility and placing it in a residential neighborhood,” he said. “There is a restaurant there and the parkway, but most roads around there are residential.” Planning and Zoning Director Katherine Barnard said the zoning regulations require on-site parking, and she knows there is parking leased on adjacent state land.

“You have a large property, but you have to see if you will have enough space for all the parking on site,” she said.

Town officials also asked if sewers or a septic system would be used. Richard Foot, YMCA executive director, said there has been no decision yet on if there will be a septic system or sewers at the new facility. Conservation Director Alicia Mozian said that question needs to be answered fairly quickly.

Public Works Director Stephen Edwards said the property is outside of the area in town designated to have sewers.

The room was also filled with neighbors who are interested in the project. Chet Harlow, of Wilton Road, said there is a strong neighborhood association that will need to be consulted as the YMCA moves forward. “We love the YMCA, but we are also concerned,” he said.

Matthew Mandell, Partrick Wetlands Preservation Fund director, said the YMCA is an integral part of Westport and should be supported, but there may be some conflict with residents. “It doesn’t mean that we are anti-Y,” he said.

He pointed out that the Town Plan of Conservation and Development and the Downtown Plan ask that the YMCA be kept downtown while the state plan of development is being considered, and other studies say that community facilities like it should be kept in core areas of a town. “You should consider the broad thinking on anti-sprawl that is being considered,” he said.

Barnard said she encourages an open dialogue with the neighbors and wants them to be comfortable with any plans.