Matthew Mandell Claims He Was Called a Racist

-----Original Message-----

From:  Matthew Mandell [mailto:savewestport@melmar.com]
Sent:  May 23, 2008 12:10:30 EDT
To:  undisclosed-recipients
Subject: Partrick / NGG Upate - YMCA heads for ZBA

 

Hi all and more newcomers:

Big hearings still to come regarding the YMCA.  The important hearing is now a Zoning Board of Appeals Hearing on Tuesday May 27th. More on this below.

Public comment is over in P&Z and the opposition to the Mahackeno proposal did a spectacular job. Citizens from all across Westport and neighboring Norwalk did their homework and gave clear and concise reasons why the YMCA does not meet the regulations and special permit.  The information and analysis presented was overwhelming.  The burden of proof is always the applicant’s and they will be hard pressed to overcome what has been put into the record.  I have faith our commissioners will weigh all the information fairly and come out with the only conclusion left, to deny this inappropriate proposal.

As a sign of some Mahackeno supporters’ fear of this outcome, they lashed out at me on-line [sic], calling me, of all things, a racist for saying the YMCA buying up of all the Sunny Lane properties was blockbusting. I would normally ignore such drivel, but this I find offensive. It seems when these obviously mean spirited people have nothing else to say they resort to slurs and character assassination, such integrity.

The YMCA is using their non profit status [sic] to buy up every residential property in this small neighborhood to pave them over for parking. Scared residents fearing they will be surrounded by this huge commercial facility have sold. Whether it is zone busting, commercial intimidation or blockbusting, it is the destruction of a residential neighborhood at the hands of a corporate entity. The Town Plan says Westport should protect its residential neighborhoods and so does common sense.

Obviously these blog thugs, too yellow to come out from behind their anonymity, chose to harp about a single word I said at P&Z because they obviously have no answer for the other 5,000 words I spoke the night before.

It is many of those unanswerable issues that brings [sic] me ask everyone to come to the ZBA hearing on Tuesday May 27th at Town Hall, 7:30pm. [sic]  What was a special permit request by the YMCA is now becoming a special treatment request. This request is proof the YMCA doesn’t meet the P&Z regs and is over developing the property. They have asked the Zoning Board of Appeals to grant them relief, for COVERAGE, SETBACKS, LANDSCAPE BUFFERS and allow larger ANCILLARY BUILDINGS. Is their any rule they think they should follow?

It is unfathomable and complete arrogance for this organization to have come to P&Z with an application that so blatantly does not meet the regulations. They are over coverage on two of their lots by more the two times - actually covering 59% of the land when only 25% is permissible.  Total coverage of all their lots combined is 26.1% when again 25% is allowed. The town average is 10.09% for the same zone. And they say they are saving open space?

They placed the building within 30 feet of a neighbor’s property when 50 feet is mandatory and gave no buffer to this same neighbor and others for a road running along the property line. And there are more problems. Did they think the P&Z or public would miss such obvious infractions? Any of these creates a mandatory denial by P&Z.

So they are going to the ZBA on bended knee claiming they have a hardship. Legally, a hardship cannot be self induced [sic]. That they want the biggest and brightest and would trample the rules is not reason enough. What they are asking for is not fair to any other property owner and is certainly not deserved. The residents of this town need to let the ZBA know this is not acceptable. Come out and eyeball our ZBA. They are good folks, they won’t let this slip by, but the YMCA I’m sure will be twisting as many arms as they can.

P&Z - The hearings in P&Z just seem to keep rolling on as person after person, including the Town hired environmental consultant outlines problems with this project. But the end is near as the P&Z races to close before the summer begins. Next week on Weds and Thurs the intervenors [sic], Y Dowtown [sic] and Arthur Cohen, will comment further on environmental issues and then the YMCA will rebut. At any point the commissioners will still be asking questions. Come on down or watch on TV, it is drama.  Any member of the public can still submit whatever they want in writing. So if you did not get a chance to speak, but have something to say, EMAIL THEM.

The YMCA application has been rocked. They have spent millions on folly and saying “approve this or we will go out of business” holds no weight.

I still say there is a downtown solution, we just all need to get together and make it work.

More to come in another email. Enjoy the long weekend.

Thanks

Matthew
POSA

 PS - This week marks 5 years since the PWPF presented 7 hours of opposition to the ARS project in front of P&Z.  Time moves quickly.  Congrats to all who worked so hard back then to make our case.