Application for Redevelopment of 345 Belden Hill Rd. (School Sisters of Notre Dame Property) Clears First Hurdle

Wilton’s Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA) has given a green light — the first of many that will be needed from various Wilton land use boards — for a proposed senior-living development at 329-331-345 Belden Hill Rd., the property formerly occupied by the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

The WPCA first reviewed the sewer application on May 12. The proposed project would consist of 280 units, including:

• 208 independent living units
• 48 assisted living units
• 24 memory care units

As with all WPCA applications in recent memory, much of the debate boiled down to questions about the estimated sanitary sewer flows from the proposed new facilities, and whether they would risk putting the Town over the flow limit in Wilton’s contractual agreement with Norwalk, where Wilton’s sewer flows are sent for treatment.

The range of theoretical flow estimates was calculated to be “similar” to what had previously been approved for the School Sisters property at the time it was connected to the municipal sewer system in 2013.

With that finding, the WPCA — chaired by First Selectman Toni Boucher and comprised of all members of the Board of Selectmen and former BOS member Lori Bufano — voted unanimously in favor of the application, subject to certain conditions (outlined in a letter from DPW Director Frank Smeriglio to the WPCA) and a few minor modifications discussed during the meeting.

Selectman Bas Nabulsi said he felt one aspect of the board’s discussions needed to be emphasized for the public record, explaining why the WPCA approved an application in a location that does not fall in any of the areas the WPCA had previously identified as priority areas for managing the limited remaining sewer capacity.

“This [application] is in essence a re-authorization of an existing allocation to that property,” he said. “Therefore, to me, the priority list was inapplicable to our consideration of the application.”

Boucher said she appreciated Nabulsi’s comment and agreed.

“It’s clear we do have a priority set up for what we approve, [but] given that this could be no real change from its original [capacity], then we can just move forward without concern, I think,” she said.

FY’26 WPCA Budget

Smeriglio presented a summary of the proposed FY 2026 WPCA budget and its related sewer user fees, which would increase 3.5% under the proposed budget, from $282 to $292 per unit. (That’s slightly lower than the 5% increase the previous year.)

Smeriglio also highlighted the WPCA’s fund balance of roughly $12.8 million.

“I think we’re in a good position with [roughly $12.8] million. Raising any kind of rate is a sensitive issue,” Smeriglio said. “Our fund balance is supporting our operating budget.”

He also shared data which showed Wilton’s user fees compare very favorably to nearby municipalities.

The WPCA members raised some questions on various financial details of the budget, which Smeriglio generally deferred to CEO Dawn Norton and Town Administrator Matt Knickerbocker for clarification. The members agreed to wait to vote to adopt the proposed budget until all clarification is received.

In the meantime, the WPCA members agreed to schedule a public hearing on the proposed user rates on July 9. The hearing will be noticed on the Town website.

Selectman Bas Nabulsi is expected to step down from his position on July 8, prior to the WPCA’s next meeting.