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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 February 26.

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

Monday, February 26

Happy Monday! This week, we have some updates to our previous reporting on the area around the Merritt 7 train station in Norwalk. The region is at the heart of the city’s development plans, with more than 1,200 units planned for the area, and the new train station and platform is also officially open, better connecting commuters.

In partnership with NancyonNorwalk, we covered how this past week, Building and Land Technology, the developer proposing the projects around the station, presented updates to the Norwalk Planning and Zoning Commission for its Phase 1 plans.

BLT now plans for a 12-story, mixed-use building with 266 apartments, a town square, and a dog park across from the Merritt 7 train station. While previous plans called for two separate buildings on the master plan—1.1 and 1.2—the updated proposal combines them into one building. The number of units has decreased slightly from 273, and the amount of retail space in this phase has also been reduced from 17,166 to 8,492.

The Merritt 7 Train Station is fully open and includes a long-awaited pedestrian walkway. This means that commuters and residents can now walk up and over the train tracks and immediately be connected to Main Avenue. 

This particularly benefits the Merritt 7 office buildings, located along Main Avenue, as the station is now directly connected. Previously, commuters would have to walk more than half a mile down and around to the station.

Learn more about the updates to this region or check out our video highlighting the new Merritt 7 Train Station. 

Let’s see what’s happening this week. 

Stamford

The Fiscal Committee will meet on Wednesday, February 28 at 7 p.m. to vote on advancing a grant for the creation of a microtransit pilot program in the city. The Board of Finance approved the grant, which also has to be accepted by the Board of Representatives. Learn more about how microtransit is expanding across the region. 

On Monday, February 26, the Water Pollution Control Authority will meet at 5:30 p.m. and receive an update on the Perna Lane Sewer. Learn more about the history of the project. 

And on Wednesday, February 28, Transportation Committee will meet at 7 p.m. to review an ordinance authorizing automated traffic enforcement safety devices. Learn more about why Stamford advocated for these devices last year.

Other meetings this week include:

Norwalk

Residents are invited to a public forum on the Hospital Hill Safety Enhancement Project on Monday, February 26 at 6 p.m. to see options and provide feedback on the intersection enhancement project.

On Wednesday, February 28, the Facilities Committee of the Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. and receive updates on the construction projects at the Cranbury School, Norwalk High School and South Norwalk School.

Other meetings this week include:

Fairfield

The public budget process officially kicks off this week with three budget hearings: 

On Monday, February 26, the Representative Town Meeting will meet at 8 p.m. and receive an update on how the town is reallocating some of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds as well as accept a grant of $2,500,000 for the Rooster River Flood Mitigation Project.

Other meetings this week include:

Greenwich

The Sustainability Committee and League of Women Voters are hosting a special event called Present Tackling Climate Change: The Importance of Finding Bipartisan Solutions on Monday, February 26 at 11 a.m. The event will feature Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy and Former Rep. Bob Inglis, currently the Executive Director of RepublicEn, who will discuss the  “importance of bipartisan cooperation on the issue of climate change.”

Also, the Sustainability Committee, along with the Energy Management Advisory Committee are hosting an event on Wednesday, February 28 at 7 p.m. called Geothermal: The Future of Energy in Greenwich at 7 p.m. This event is an “opportunity to better understand the benefits of geothermal heating and cooling technology in reducing energy use and costs in the public schools and other municipal building projects.”

And on Thursday, February 29, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is hosting a Cos Cob Station Power Upgrade Public Hearing at 6 p.m. to give an update on the project that will “replace and upgrade the railroad signal power infrastructure on Metro North Railroad, New Haven Line signal substations at Cos Cob and Fair Street [in New Haven.]” The DOT said that the power generation equipment at these stations have reached the end of their useful lives,” and that “the technology and equipment are outdated, unreliable, and impacting rail services.”

Other meetings this week include: 

Darien

The Representative Town Meeting will meet on Monday, February 26 at 8 p.m. and will receive an update on American Rescue Plan Act funds and an update on Great Island.

On Tuesday, February 27, the Board of Education will meet at 7:30 p.m. and discuss some modifications to the board’s add/cut list for the operating budget of $121.9 million.

Other meetings this week include: 

Westport

The Board of Finance will continue its budget review on Tuesday, February 27 at 6 p.m. with a look at the budgets for human services, parks and recreation/Wakeman Town Farm, and public works/sewer fund.

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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