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The What

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut

The What is your look around southwest Connecticut for the week of June 26.

The What: This Week in Southwest Connecticut
Happy last week of June! (Photo by Kelly Prinz)

Monday, June 26

Happy Monday! This week, we’re highlighting a new report from Save the Sound, a regional nonprofit focused on environmental action, that details beach grades along the Long Island Sound. The goal of the report is to help members of the public and local officials to be better informed about the water quality in the Sound and document areas that have challenges.

More than 78% of about 200 public beaches along the Long Island Sound received an “A” or “B” grade for their water quality, according to the report.

Southwest Connecticut had three of the highest scoring beaches in Connecticut over the past three years—Great Captain Island Beach in Greenwich, Quigley Beach in Stamford, and Burying Hill Beach in Westport.

But the report also found some concerning signs, according to Peter Linderoth, director of water quality for Save the Sound. The region also had one of the lowest scoring beaches, Byram Park Beach in Greenwich, according to the report.

“Overall, we saw an uptick in wet weather failures across all 200+ beaches,” Linderoth said. “So from 2018 to 2020, then looking at 2020 to 2022, while we experienced drought, at times, we're also experiencing the impacts of climate change and more frequent and intense rainstorms. And those rainstorms will bring polluted stormwater to beaches.”

Learn more or watch our video on the report.

This is our latest piece on water quality in the Long Island Sound. Check out our previous coverage on why water quality in the Sound matters to the region and more on how its waters are graded.

This week, both Greenwich and Norwalk have updates to their work around climate change and resilience. Learn more about their efforts.

Let’s see what else is happening this week.

Stamford

On Wednesday, June 28 at 6 p.m., there will be a public hearing with the Charter Revision Committee on the proposed changes to the city’s charter, which governs the city. Here’s a look at some of the proposed changes to the charter.

A heads up to residents in the city- there will be road closures this week near the Stamford Transportation Center. Washington Blvd, heading south from Richmond Hill Avenue to Station Place and heading north from Station Place to North State Street will be closed from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on Monday, June 26 to Thursday, June 30 as the state installs the pedestrian bridge for CTDOT garage project.

Other meetings this week include:

Norwalk

This week is the second public Resilient South Norwalk Workshop on Thursday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. Learn more about the initiative’s efforts. This meeting will outline some potential solutions to mitigate flooding and heat impacts in South Norwalk.

On Tuesday, June 27, the Common Council will meet at 7:30 p.m. and vote on a proposal to acquire 3 Belden Avenue, located near the Norwalk Library, and a plan for the Mid-Fairfield Child Guidance Center, Inc., to continue providing its in-home mental health and family support services for public school children through the Community Services Department.

And there will be a second public hearing on proposed zoning changes to city’s regulations at the Planning & Zoning Commission on Wednesday, June 28 at 6 p.m. See what residents said at the first public hearing through NancyonNorwalk.

Other meetings this week include:

Fairfield

On Tuesday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. the Board of Education will continue its discussion on the enrollment projections from SLAM Collaborative and the facility utilization and racial imbalance scenarios.

The Representative Town Meeting will meet on Monday, June 26 at 8 p.m. to discuss and vote on accepting $256,335.95 in grant funds from FEMA to reimburse work related to infrastructure repair caused by Tropical Storm Ida.

Other meetings this week include:

Greenwich

The town is asking residents to weigh in on a survey that will help guide the development of the town’s first Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Plan.

“The responses to this information gathering effort will inform the structure of the Plan and help focus the adaptation strategies presented for each challenge,” a statement from the town reads. “We envision the 2023 Plan to be a roadmap for future work to be undertaken, so that grants can be applied for, and funding put in place to implement the strategies that will benefit our coastal community.” Learn more about the town’s efforts and fill out the online survey.

Other meetings this week include:

Darien

Meetings this week include:

Westport

On Monday, June 26, at 4 p.m., there will be a Board of Education Special Meeting to discuss redistricting in the town’s school district.

Other meetings this week include:

Please note: All of these agendas and information here are current as of Sunday night. Meeting times and agendas may get adjusted throughout the week.

Thank you for reading!

If you are interested in being a part of our reporting or just want to share your thoughts, please reach out at coastalconnecticuttimes@gmail.com.

Have a great week,

Kelly Prinz

Founder, Reporter at Coastal Connecticut Times

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