On Thursday evening, Nov. 6, over more than two hours of presentation, the Architectural Review Board discussed the details of the proposal to redevelop 345 Belden Hill Rd. into a comprehensive elder care facility. The project received approval from the Water Pollution Control Authority in June and local opposition had already begun to mount before a development application was even filed. That opposition effort managed to raise its voice in Thursday’s meeting, even though ARB generally does not allow public comment at its meetings.
EDITOR’S NOTE: GOOD Morning Wilton has spoken with the organizers of the group that has formed in opposition to this project, Wilton Neighbors Alliance. We have a story coming next week.
As with all applications, matters of site usage, permits, traffic, and impact on town services are the purview of the Planning and Zoning Commission and will be addressed once the Commission’s public review process begins later this month or next. ARB is an advisory group that offers architectural, landscape and lighting guidance to applicants and submits recommendations to P&Z to help inform their review. As such, the presentation last night and the discussion that followed were meant to pertain narrowly to these topics.
Background on the Project
Hines Acquisitions is in contract to purchase the properties at 329, 331 and 345 Belden Hill Rd., collectively known as the former site of the School Sisters of Notre Dame retirement community. The company has proposed a comprehensive senior living facility on the 38-acre site that will house 280 people across a network of independent cottages and apartments, assisted living apartments, and memory care studios.
Each of these individual uses is currently allowed (with a special permit) in the R-2A single family residential zone, but only on properties that lie along Danbury Rd., Westport Rd. or River Rd. As part of their application, Hines will have to seek a zoning amendment to allow all three services on a single site, lift the requirement that they be located on those specific streets, and set a coherent set of zoning requirements for such a facility.
The preliminary proposal Hines presented in a P&Z pre-application hearing earlier this year would allow comprehensive senior care facilities of up to 3.5 stories on properties greater than 20 acres in size within Wilton’s R-2A zone. Facilities would also be required to be set back 150 feet from the street. Between the acreage and setback requirements, few other sites in the R-2A zone would be eligible for such a facility.
The Opposition Speaks Up
Eight minutes into the meeting (which was held entirely virtually), a speaker listed as Alissa Brady appeared to be promoted on Zoom as a panelist, a role normally reserved for members of the applicant team presenting. She remained quiet for close to two hours, during which time her speaker name was updated to include Wilton Neighbors Alliance as her affiliation. At the 1-hr 47-min mark, she interjected as the board members and applicant team appeared to be wrapping up discussion.
“This is Alyssa Brady from the Wilton Neighbors Alliance,” she said. “I would just like to ask everybody, are they aware that this is not zoned for this property, and this would be an illegal build on this property?”
Wilton’s Assistant Town Planner Daphne White, who was staffing the meeting, replied explaining to Brady, “Sorry, you’re not a board member, and so you’re not allowed to speak. You will be allowed to speak at the Planning & Zoning meeting.”
Brady replied, “Okay, well, I’m very sorry. I would like the commissioners to look into that because this is not a permitted use, and about what’s legal and what’s legal and what’s not, because this property is not legal at all for this use.”
From there, Brady did not speak further but strangely was allowed to remain in the meeting as a speaker and panelist for nearly 10 more minutes as ARB reacted to her comments.
Operating a 280-bed comprehensive senior care facility on a 38-acre site on Belden Hill Rd. under the current zoning would be “illegal”; however, applying to the town for zoning changes and a special permit that allows them to do so before commencing a build is the correct legal process.
Only P&Z has purview over issues of zoning (like use) and planning (such as traffic management), so these are not topics that the ARB members had any mandate to consider regardless. Thursday’s meeting with ARB was specifically meant to be a discussion of architecture and design elements only.
One Wilton resident reached out to GOOD Morning Wilton to express frustration that public comments opposing the project somehow became part of the Board’s discussion.
“How did the ARB allow this?” Thomas Carlson asked via email. “In fact, the comments led the commissioners to comment on the zoning, clearly something they would not have done had they not been interrupted. So, in effect, the ARB allowed public comments from one side of the debate and not the other. I had public comments ready, but respected the Board’s protocol.”
Indeed, once the topic was brought up, the mood in the meeting seemed shift. In one confusing exchange, White formally asked the members of ARB to declare whether they would support the project.
Addressing Quinlan as chair, White asked, “Did you want to at this point see whether or not the board was favorably inclined?”
“Don’t we just write our comments and submit them to the zoning board?” ARB Mmember John Doyle asked. “We’re not really a voting entity, I think.”
“You’re right, you’re not a voting entity,” White replied. “But we would like to know whether or not you’re favorably inclined… for the design and the conceptual presentation in advance of the Planning and Zoning Commission review. And so that’s why, typically, there’s a vote.”
Speaking narrowly to the design itself, ARB member Kathy Poirier praised the materiality, colors and landscaping of the proposal, though she later noted that there was an imposing nature to the project that she hoped would develop further. ARB member Lynley Middleberg agreed that, “strictly from a design perspective, I think you guys have done a wonderful job.”
Trevor Huffard, who was recently appointed to ARB but will depart shortly as he was elected to P&Z as a commissioner in last week’s election, asked Quinlan whether the group should move into executive session. He added that while he thought they had done a beautiful job on the design, he was “not willing to say it’s the right design in the right spot.”
At that point, Quinlan went over the checklist that ARB uses for its reports to P&Z, which constrain the board to topics of architecture, design, landscaping and lighting, not broader zoning and planning matters. Huffard flagged that the scale of the development in a residential zone, without the zoning changes that are currently theoretical, seemed “troublesome.”
Quinlan agreed and previewed that the report from ARB would “take all of our comments — good, bad, cautionary and otherwise — and just crystallize them and get them in the hands of our colleagues at P&Z.”
Looking Ahead
The Architectural Review Board will now submit a report to the Planning and Zoning Commission summarizing their feedback across the established set of design criteria that is their purview. P&Z is expected to take up the project later this month, or more likely, next month once the incoming P&Z commissioners have been seated and new officers have been selected. Following Tuesday’s election, P&Z will undergo an almost 50% turnover, with four new commissioners joining the nine-member group.
Sadly, interrupting a review meeting of the ARB and perhaps misrepresenting one’s position, is another example of how we are trending to uncivil behavior to make positional statements in the wrong venue. Social civility and respect for rules and procedures is of most importance in the management of all town activities. Perhaps this was a one-off event for the “improper actor.” Such must cease.
Although Alyssa Brady may not have followed protocol, I can understand her frustration and her desire to speak out. The current administration has made it difficult for citizens to express their feelings and concerns about the development that is occurring throughout Wilton, or about any issue really.
I used to live on Saddle Ridge, I worked at Miller Driscoll, and am currently in a progressive care senior facility. The proposed facility would be a disaster for this location in Wilton in terms of traffic and town services. When the town ran both water and sewer to the School Sisters of Notre Dame, I can’t believe they didn’t build in contractual protection against this kind of future development. I pray P&Z does not grant an special permit.
Great job Alissa! As always with projects of this nature, the residents in the surrounding area whom will be affected most – are not being considered or heard. This ridiculous proposal would create a nightmare of traffic conditions for all Wilton residents, particularly those with young children at Miller Driscoll. This land should be used as green space/extracurriculars for the children in our community and for nothing else. 400,000 square feet of residential development across the street from our elementary school – has everyone lost their mind?
Omg I love the idea of the space to be used for a community place, something for our children and town.
I live down the street and traffic will be a nightmare. The ambulance will also be a major noise nightmare.
We have already approved 900+ apts we are going to in the near future have to expand our schools this is the perfect place. Or to move the community center here to free up more space for the school.
Why can’t they develop along Danbury rd. Not in the center of town or in a pocket of space in a neighborhood.
I am happy Alissa is voicing her opinion wherever she can because I know how difficult it is to get your voice heard at P&Z meetings. I pray this new board does what’s right for the town!!! We need to save Wilton.
FYI the apartment building Riverside is so desperate for tenants they are offering free month if you sign. If we can’t fill one building why are we building 8+ more???
Alissa Brady great job keep speaking your opinion, at all and any meeting that involves the future of Wilton. The town people need more opportunities to speak to those who are making these life changing decisions. They need to hear from the people vs reading in an email. We need more in person meetings where residents get to voice their concerns and have those concerns hold value. We need to vote!!
Editor’s note: According to the Riverside Wilton website, at the time this comment was submitted the property is offering “up to one month free base rent …for a limited time [to clients who] look and lease within 48 hours of [a] tour to receive up to one month base rent credit,” with certain costs and fees excluded.