As 2023 starts a new year, The Greenwich Planning and Zoning Commission is continuing to receive an increased number of proposals and applications from property developers to construct new residential housing structures throughout town, including areas in and around Round Hill and our backcountry neighborhoods. While some builders have previously withdrawn plans, some of the new ones have continued the practice of including below-market value affordable housing components as encouraged by section 8-30g of the Connecticut General Statues to gain approval. Under section 8-30g, the only opposition to affordable housing would be for safety and health reasons. Some of these new proposals call for “cluster” housing, which would add higher-density single-family homes, previously not allowable in the two-to-four-acre minimums for mid-country and backcountry Greenwich. If this were to be approved, we could see dozens of new homes approved and developed on a single four-acre parcel.
The Round Hill Association is concerned about how these larger developments, which would increase the number of units and residents in our area, will affect our day-to-day quiet enjoyment of this area. Greenwich American, though far off in the NW corner of the backcountry, could see five hundred or more new cars on the road, hundreds of new students at Parkway Elementary School, and a severe draw on our natural resources. Backcountry Greenwich was designed for fewer people and cars. For example, some of our windy and hilly roads are so narrow that two cars are unable to pass at once, causing a safety issue. Our roads were not designed to accommodate the volume of traffic that will result from these types of developments.
These are a few of the current projects in various stages of application with the P & Z review process that are under consideration:
GREENWICH AMERICAN
This upper King Street in the northwest corner of town on 154 acres above I-287 abutting Armonk and Purchase was previously a corporate headquarters. This current redevelopment pre-application submission by a larger real estate company would be a major undertaking with between 300-400 housing units in clusters on 41 acres of the site. The prospect of affordable housing has not yet been addressed, and the surrounding Westchester County will have a say in the approval process. This is expected to take some significant discussion.
11 SHERWOOD AVENUE
The developer for these 28 acres near the intersection of Riversville Road which has an existing house and 2 other buildings is seeking a pre-application special permit review to construct 11 residential dwellings. It does not appear to have an affordable housing request.
200 PEMBERWICK ROAD
Alongside the Byram River in Glenville, at the intersection of the Comely Avenue bridge, the current office building would be converted to 220 housing units (55 of which would be for affordable housing) in 3 buildings between 2 to 6 stories high and 422 parking spaces. Both neighbors and town officials have expressed fears about the increased risk of flooding which has been a historical problem in this section of the river.
1165 KING STREET
Currently, the home to the Greenwich Woods nursing facility, this site would convert to a 5-story building with 213 units with 70 for affordable housing. Congested traffic is already an issue with King Street as well as sewer sharing with Westchester County and potential environmental concerns. The facility was originally built to house just over 200 customers. To date, there has not been any significant public commentary on this proposal.
51 – 61 DEERFIELD DRIVE
Although not in the Round Hill footprint, it is worth mentioning 2 in-town residential houses with existing 100-year-old Tudor architecture just north of the Greenwich Library that would be torn down and replaced by a new proposed 85-foot tall structure of 105 units with 32 devoted to affordable housing.
6 GLENVILLE ROAD – THE MILL COMPLEX
As reported in the Greenwich Free Press, The Mill Complex in Glenville is looking to expand housing with a pre-application to the P & Z. A new two-story residential building with 16 units would be next to the Victorian mansion at 6 Glenville Street near the stop light when the street makes a right angle turn. There does not appear to be any provision for affordable units in this construction. This is across the river from the recently completed repurposed offices into 67 residential units in the Mill complex.
These applications are pending in various stages of approval and will be heard at a regularly scheduled meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission. You can follow the progress of the applications and offer comments. If you would like to receive notifications via email or text, of the P & Z agendas, you can sign up HERE. Members of the public who wish to provide public comment are encouraged to submit those comments to pnzappl@greenwichct.org. All comments must be received at least three hours in advance of the meeting start time. You can find more information on the town website HERE.
