Letter to the Editor: Westport P&Z Candidates Promote Smart Growth

As a lifelong Westport resident, with family ties to the community that reach back more than six decades, and after carefully considering the alternatives, it is with pleasure and conviction that I write this letter in support of re-electing Save Westport Now and Republican endorsed candidates Chip Stephens, Jack Whittle, Cathy Walsh and Al Gratrix to the Planning & Zoning Commission.

These four individuals have done yeoman’s work as commissioners and have discharged their duties thoughtfully and with great care. Through words and deeds, they have consistently demonstrated their commitment to mindful planning, rigorous enforcement, and the tenets of “smart growth.” They have demonstrated their respect and appreciation for the rights of developers while simultaneously honoring the wishes of the electorate, working diligently to protect residential neighborhoods, preserving Westport’s small-town character, and preventing over-commercialization. They have been stalwarts in their efforts to promote planning initiatives that benefit the entire town.

Despite their opponent’s often outrageous claims, the unvarnished truth is that these four candidates have an outstanding track-record of accomplishments. They have valuable experience, tremendous perspective, and a long view of what will help Westport to continue to develop and thrive for decades to come. I invite you, friends and fellow Westporters, to join me in voting for these fine stewards so that they may continue their good work for all of us.

Ian E. Warburg