Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Playground Permitting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Neighbor complaint prompts permit review for Nathan Hale playground expansion
Summary
District staff said planning and zoning flagged the Nathan Hale playground expansion after a neighbor complaint because the footprint would expand about 10 feet; the contractor was told to finish work amid weather and timeline constraints and no formal stop-work order was issued.
Miguel Gautier, Jr., Executive Director of District Operations for the New London School District, told the committee the Nathan Hale playground project — part of a two-year effort to add handicap-accessible equipment — was informally flagged by city planning and zoning after a neighbor raised concerns because the playground footprint would grow by about 10 feet.
Gautier said the District asked the City for records of permits for comparable playground work and found none for previous projects at Toby May, Greens Harbor, Jennings and Winthrop. He said the District received an email notifying it of the planning-and-zoning inquiry but not a formal stop-work order, and that the District instructed the contractor to proceed because the work must be completed before adverse weather delays the project.
Gautier emphasized uncertainty about the rules governing playgrounds, noting that playground installations have not historically required building permits and that there are "no guidelines for playgrounds" in current practice. He said the District requested clarity from planning and zoning and is continuing to pursue necessary paperwork. The committee did not take formal action; Mr. Gautier framed this as an operational update and a request for clarity from the City.
