CITY OF NORWALK
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
NORWALK CENTER: WEST AVENUE CORRIDOR MUNICIPAL DEVELOPMENT
APRIL 13, 2005
************************************************************************

Over the last few months the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency has conducted three public meetings and has met with a number of neighborhood associations to discuss and analyze community concerns regarding the above-referenced project. While it is generally agreed by most members of the community that there is a need for change in this area of West Avenue, some aspects of the plan raised concerns and required modification. Staff believes many suggestions have been made by the public that would improve and enhance the Plan’s overall impact and ultimate success. Therefore, as a result of this community dialogue, staff is proposing the following major Plan revisions:

West Avenue Major Plan Revisions

1. An expansion of the Plan area boundary to include properties fronting on the west side of West Avenue (Plan Area A on attached map) to assure a fully-activated mixed-use corridor. As properties (in particular the one-story strip centers at 650 West Avenue and 666 West Avenue) become available for new development the Agency will seek to maintain West Avenue as the central band of commercial activity in the neighborhood. This change introduces 14 new properties into the Plan area. Staff recommends that none of these properties be identified for acquisition. This change adds a total of 96,221 SF of existing retail, 36,043 SF of existing office and 83,166 SF of existing institutional (YMCA) uses. Staff recommends that the Plan accommodate limited additional development in Plan Area A to include a maximum of an additional 20,000 SF retail and 25,000 SF of office increasing the total density in Section A of the plan by 45,000 SF or 20%. This addition is to allow those one story buildings to expand to two stories.

2. An expansion of the Plan area boundaries to Harbor Avenue (Plan Area C on the attachment) to assure that the residential neighborhood on the east side of the development plan is sensitively preserved. Particular consideration should be provided to the appropriate neighborhood residential scale and character of the existing housing stock and to appropriate guidelines for new in-fill residential development opportunities ( in particular existing commercial uses along the west side of Harbor Avenue) in the area. None of these additional properties are recommended for acquisition. Staff encourages the Agency’s adoption of a neighborhood preservation plan similar to the sample attached that would be included in the revised Plan document.

3. Staff has completed a careful review of the current property list for acquisition. The purpose of this was to determine those parcels that could be removed from that list and to examine if there might be any parcels necessary to be added. This re-examination looked at existing property owners which could be integrated into the development plan as well as opportunities to reduce residential displacement. Block 24 lot 8, the Devan Acura dealership showroom site is proposed to be removed from the Acquisition list. Staff seeks to have this business integrated into the Plan (with the current use grandfathered, but auto sales no longer a permitted use under zoning). Block 24 Lot 7 (Wachovia Bank) is to remain on the list to be acquired, but the existing building is to be protected by the Preservation Restriction. This restriction will allow for changes to the current parcel configuration but require that the building remain. In addition, the staff is assessing the Academy extension road layout options for the purpose of seeking to minimize acquisition of residential properties in Blocks 12 and 21 along Orchard Street. The Agency’s objective in this regard is to reduce residential displacement in the Plan Area B by 50% and to preserve structures with local historic significance.

4. An analysis of the traffic improvements that will have to be made at the Butler Street and West Avenue intersection have identified three additional parcels that should be added to the Acquisition Map: Block 11 Lot 1 (a parcel currently on the market for sale), Block 9 Lots 3 and 5.

5. A careful review of the density of development that is desirable for the site led to a decision to permit a maximum of 535,750 SF of retail in Plan Area B allowing the preferred developer to establish the balance of new and existing retail. This represents a reduction in retail density in Area B by approximately 18% from the prior proposal. Staff also recommends that the plan permit a maximum of 350 new residential units, which represents a reduction of 150 units from the prior proposal. Most of the area currently is zoned Central Business Design District Area B, a zone designation which is consistent with the land use goals and objectives of the MDP. In addition, the CBDD zoning corresponds with the Wall Street Redevelopment Plan zoning which the Agency believes is a logical progression given the proximity of the project areas. It is proposed that this zone be extended for the entire MDP area with the inclusion of a Neighborhood Preservation overlay for Area C. In addition a modification to the existing CBDD would be requested in Areas A and B that would include denying any density bonuses in the project development area directly fronting on West Avenue, Chapel Street, Academy Street and Butler Street to assure a maximum 6 story/72’ height limit within an 80’ setback area along those streets. Finally the Plan would allow not more than one tenant floor plate in Area B to be in excess of 80,000SF, but not more than 20% of total allowable retail square footage in the Area. No component of that tenant could be located at grade or occupy any other retail space within the Plan Area.

6. Staff recommends that the Plan incorporate acceptable public parking garage design guidelines to assure that the garage will not directly front on Academy Street, Butler Street, West Avenue or Chapel Street and complies with CBDD Area B zoning regulation and is aesthetically sensitive to the surrounding environment. The Plan must state that the City will provide no guarantee on any financing associated with the garage component of the development and that City if involved in the financing at all will require private sector guarantees or related insurance to mitigate any City risk associated with such financing. The Plan should also state the following with regards to additional public financing:
a. The City will continue its best efforts to seek funding support for the garage component from the State and Federal government but makes no commitment to securing such funding,
b. The City agrees to review and consider where appropriate off-site infrastructure costs in the area that cannot be directly attributed to this development.
c. All proposed project signage will be subject to City approval.

7. A thorough review of the State Statues by staff and DECD has resulted in the recommendation that this project adopt the Urban Redevelopment Plan (Chapter 130) as opposed to the previously considered Municipal Development Plan (Chapter 132). Reasoning for this is based on the local controls, the more straight-forward approval process and the assurances from DECD that this decision would not be a constraint to any current or future State funding.

Finally, the staff recommends that no Agency action be taken on adoption of such a Redevelopment Plan until the completion of the Transportation and Pedestrian Master Plan for central Norwalk and recommendations for traffic improvements and pedestrian access along West Avenue have been fully analyzed and incorporated into the Plan document.

Back to Previous Page	Back to Home Page