Developer presents 34-unit plan for 145 Water St.; staff flags FEMA rules, hearing continued
Loading...
Summary
Attorney Chris Russo presented conceptual plans for a 34-unit redevelopment at 145 Water Street and said tenants have been vacating; staff cautioned the site sits in a FEMA flood zone, requiring additional permitting choices; the hearing was continued for a zoning-review update on Feb. 25.
Attorney Chris Russo, speaking for the property owner, told Norwalk’s hearing officer on Dec. 17 that the team has conceptual floor plans, elevations and renderings for a proposed 34-unit building at 145 Water Street and that most existing tenants have vacated as the owner pursues redevelopment. “It’s a 34 unit building,” Russo said, and described a mix of primarily two- and three-bedroom units on multiple floors.
Hearing officer Gary Overs and Deputy Zoning Inspector John Hayducki stressed that the site lies within a FEMA flood zone, which triggers “a small encyclopedia of regulations and requirements,” Overs said. Staff and counsel discussed two paths: seek retroactive permits and make the existing structure FEMA-compliant, or proceed with demolition and a redevelopment permit process that would require site plans, drainage and erosion-control submissions. Counsel said the owner prefers to meet with planning and coastal staff first to determine viability before committing to either path.
Russo said his team has prepared materials to show zoning staff and would arrange an initial meeting with planners and the city’s coastal officer. He also said one remaining tenant has a lease through Jan. 1 and that the owner will ensure the space is vacant before inspections. Hayducki and Overs encouraged the parties to meet with staff and return with updates; Overs granted a continuation and scheduled the matter for a Feb. 25 status report on zoning review and permitting progress.
Why it matters: The proposal, if approved, would replace an unredeveloped waterfront building and requires additional state and federal floodplain compliance steps that can substantially change the permitting pathway and schedule. The hearing provides the city a chance to vet site plans and coastal/permitting implications before a zoning-commission decision.
What’s next: The applicant will meet with Norwalk planning/coastal staff and return to the hearing officer on Feb. 25 with the zoning office’s initial assessment of feasibility and any requests for site-plan level submissions. If the project proceeds, applicants will be required to submit drainage and erosion-control plans and demonstrate FEMA compliance as part of permitting.
