Darien Officials Unveil Ideas For Great Island

DARIEN, CT — While Darien's purchase of Great Island isn't complete yet, the town is already thinking about how to utilize the precious property.

On May 23, Darien signed a contract to purchase the 60-acre island for $103 million. The island was originally bought by the Ziegler family in 1880's, and has remained in the family ever since, most recently controlled by the Steinkraus branch of the family.

On Monday night, First Selectman Monica McNally led a presentation about the island.

"The Board of Selectmen is pursuing this purchase of this land because it is the last parcel of size available in town, and it is the most beautiful and unique place in our area of Long Island Sound. I truly believe that," McNally said. "I like to think that we are purchasing an empty canvas, and we as townspeople, will be painting this canvas with what our vision is for it. It's exciting, but it will require funding, and it will take years to take shape."

McNally said purchasing Great Island would support the town's Plan of Conservation and Development. She noted that the town has no preconceived notions for the ultimate utilization of the island, but she mentioned some possible ideas.

McNally explained that it will take patience and time to determine best uses, and she wants community feedback.

On Thursday, there will be a public hearing on the island. To submit questions or comments, click here.

The Ideas

Planning and landscape architects helped come up with a concept that would divide the island into four overlapping zones: commons, arts & culture, conservation and education and coastal shoreline.

The commons area would be closest to the entrance of the island. Some ideas for the area include teen and youth camps, a community pool, a great lawn, pickleball courts, croquet and bocce courts, senior programs or a seasonal ice rink.

The arts & culture zone could house an arts center, museum, sculpture trail/garden, amphitheater, art festival, farmers market, an artist in residence program, or a wine and food festival.

The conservation and education zone could have environmental education, pollinator pathway, touch tank experience, bee-keeping, bird watching opportunities, children's camps and programs or different trails.

The coastal shoreline zone, which outlines the 1.5 miles of shoreline around the island, would feature fishing and clamming activities, water sports, boating and sailing opportunities or scenic overlooks.

McNally said people move to Darien because of the schools, and stay for the amenities of a coastal community.

"We must continue to invest in both," she said. "Great Island will make our lives richer, and I believe our real estate investments will gain in value. In future years, our children and their children will thank us for thinking of them today."

The Finances

Selectman Jon Zagrodzky went through the financial side of the purchase.

"You look at $103 million, and that looks like a scary number, and it's a big number; one that we have not actually encountered before in terms of a project size or debt load for the town," he said. "This town in my judgement has plenty of capacity to support all this. It's not something we think is going to be overly onerous to the average taxpayer."

The town's finance department and the board of finance are considering bonding alternatives and the impact the purchase might have on the town's bond rating, budgets and property tax mill rates.

Zagrodzky noted that all numbers are preliminary and basic, but the purchase would give the town about $7 million a year in incremental debt service. The town's mill rate, which is currently at 17.2, would increase by about .9, Zagrodzky said.

The town collects about $762,000 in property taxes on Great Island. Those funds would go away should the island become a municipal property. The town also takes in about $800,000 in rental income through the rental of apartments that sit over the existing equestrian center in the island.

For a taxpayer with $1.2 million home, they would see an increase of $665 to their annual tax burden, Zagrodzky said.

Zagrodzky stressed that the purchase would not take away from the town's commitment to funding education.

"We are in a very, very good position to maintain both capital spending for schools as well as operational and support for those schools," he said.

This early in the process, the cost of developing the island is not yet known, and neither is the cost to run it.

But Darien expects to receive private funding from donors to help with some of the cost should the purchase go through. Zagrodzky said the town has already engaged with residents who are "prepared to make substantive contributions to all of that."

The Timeline

On June 13, the board of selectmen will vote on the purchase, and on June 14, the board of finance will discuss the item and take action, McNally said.

Throughout this month, committee meetings of the Representative Town Meeting will take place, and on June 27, the RTM will vote on the purchase ahead of a June 28 approval deadline.

The town will then have a 75-day period after that to perform further due diligence.

"Even though this feels quick, there are lots of eyes on this project. We've had a lot of very thoughtful people engaged in the contract process, a lot of people thinking about numbers, and some of the best in class developers and landscape experts helping us take a look at this," Zagrodzky said. "This is something we're taking very, very seriously, with a lot of very capable people looking at it today."

View the entire presentation from McNally and Zagrodzky. The presentation begins at 18:45.