Zoning busting Plumtree and Saddle Ridge projects are critical “Watershed Moments” for Easton

SUMMARY:

Zoning busting Plumtree and Saddle Ridge projects are critical “Watershed Moments” for Easton.

Environmentalist, life-long resident, and attorney Dan Lent has a proven record of defending Easton’s zoning protections and wetlands in court at his own expense. He has also donated many acres of his own land to the Town to be preserved forever as forest and wetlands.

In contrast, New York Real Estate Broker, Nick D’Addario voted to break Easton’s 3-acre watershed zoning on July 18, 2023 as member of Easton’s still chaotic Planning and Zoning Commission and as part of the current "pro development" David Bindelglass administration.

The anti-zoning and pro-commercial development David Bindelglass administration sought to build affordable housing on the Town's South Park avenue property until activists like Lent, and Andrew Kupinse and Citizens for Easton(CFE) forced Bindelgass to preserve it as originally agreed, allowed a huge indoor commercial riding arena to be built in a residential only zone next to the former Easton Village Store and which the Town has lost numerous costly lawsuits over and the certificate of occupancy has been revoked by the state multiple times, allowed a commercial cabinet making factory and showroom building to be built in a residential only zone, allowed the Easton Village Store to be changed to a taco take out restaurant and remote commercial kitchen in violation of the "grandfathered in" country store only use in a residential only zone, and attempted to build up to 8 foot wide sidewalks all over town as part of a "design charette" in order to bring more tourists and business traffic to Easton. Neighbors had to sue to stop a slaughterhouse from being built. Additionally, old growth trees have been clear cut on Rock House Road and the owner claims the Town Hall gave them permission, a saw mill and large wood cutting operation has been operating on Morehouse Road, and Strong On Center yoga has had a lack of guidance from the Town Hall. "It is the wild west" a resident recently opined at the Strong On Center hearing.

Democrat Representative Anne Hughes also recently told the CT Post that she is in favor of Plumtree's 70 apartments on September 9, 2025. A radical left winger, and RESIST protestor, Hughes is now infamous for stating 'Tax my people. They won't even notice.'

FURTHER DISCUSSION:

On September 5th, Trumbull First Selectman candidate Mark Block issued a strong statement opposing the 70 unit apartment building planned for Plumtree Lane.

Dan Lent, Easton’s First Selectman candidate, fully endorses Block’s position. “Mark called me because, as an environmental activist, I’ve been closely following this and many other troubling land-use issues and lawsuits in Easton. I note that most of these zoning lawsuits have been lost by the current pro development administration. In fact, land use Judge Dale Radcliffe strongly complained about Easton’s currently mismanaged zoning. One resident recently called the chaotic operations of Easton P&Z Commission and land use officials the “Wild West.”"

"In reply, Nick just finally issued a telling press release where he basically said the First Selectman can’t do much about planning and zoning” says Lent. Lent disagrees -- noting the First Selectman is the town's chief executive officer -- and serves as an ex officio member of all town boards and commissions. “First Selectman, Bill Kupinse, actively did a ton on zoning and preservation and so will I!“ says Lent.

Lent also notes that Nick D’Addario oddly graduated from law school but never passed the bar exam and never became an attorney. "Nick likes to tout his honesty and real estate law background but refuses to say what happened with the bar exam?" He owes the voters an honest explanation.

The Plumtree project—led by Steve Shapiro, a well-known 8-30g affordable housing developer and Easton resident —would force a massive four-story apartment complex onto land zoned for single-family homes. The plan calls for 70 small apartments and 9 townhouses on Plumtree Lane.

The development threatens the pristine Mill River trout stream as well as Easton’s statutorily protected wetlands and watercourses. A total of 40 apartments, including underground parking, would be built in Easton, with another 30 in Trumbull. Oddly, the “dorm-like” building would cross municipal boundaries, raising serious jurisdictional concerns.

“The Plumtree mega-project adversely affects the public safety of both Easton and Trumbull residents,” Lent said. “Our communities share the risks of reckless 8-30g development, the destruction of protected wetlands, and the added public safety threat here in Easton. Our volunteer fire department lacks the multimillion-dollar equipment needed for multistory apartment fires. On top of that, the project would funnel massive sewage flows into the already outdated Black Rock Harbor treatment plant, which frequently overflows into Fairfield Beach—closing it especially after rainstorms. And where is the traffic study? How can 80-plus cars safely navigate a narrow rural road at the bottom of a hill where speeding is already a problem? This project looks suspiciously like it could end up serving as Sacred Heart University dormitories, especially once the affordable housing deed restrictions expire” says Lent.

Lent also questions Easton Selectman Nick D’Addario’s role in dismantling Easton’s longstanding zoning protections. “These zoning laws were established in 1941 to safeguard the water supply that serves over 700,000 homes in Fairfield County” Lent said. Yet, as a member of Easton’s Planning & Zoning Commission in 2023, D’Addario pushed through zoning changes over public outcry that broke our 3-acre minimum watershed zoning and placed our water supply at risk. His action opened the door further to cluster house development proposals like Saddle Ridge. In a “watershed” moment for Easton, on July 18, 2023, Nick and current P&Z Chair John Foley voted to break 3-acre watershed zoning. This regulation change enables higher density or cluster home projects like Saddle Ridge now proposed by EG Homes LLC near the corner of RT 136 and Sport Hill Road. Under the normal 2008 3 acre subdivision plan for Saddle Ridge, 21 or perhaps 22 homes could be allowed under normal 3 acre zoning. Now under the new regulation 5900, 26 luxury homes on roughly 1 acre each are proposed - totally eliminating 3 acre watershed zoning. A petition against the project has gathered a nonpartisan 761 signatures, please sign it here urges Lent.
https://www.change.org/p/stop-encroaching-developers-save-our-water-supply?fbclid=IwY2xjawMyyZ9leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFRS1dGVUQ0VktTZ093MDJuAR4GY9dsrrb6wGUrVUQ2g_GL7dv8fKAWyV2XN0KN7Y0KQk3sH5c5PVTyi8Ao2w_aem_AqgKPknrvLqhI3Kzei-ZBw

Sadly, Easton environmentalists in Easton had successfully stopped the various Saddle Ridge proposals for roughly 20 years. Now Nick D’Addario , John Foley and others on P&Z enabled Saddle Ridge to come back!

Keep Easton Green and Keep our water clean – please oppose the Plumtree and Saddle Ridge projects – Vote for Dan Lent.