Westport Election 2021: Danielle Dobin For Planning & Zoning

WESTPORT, CT — Election Day is approaching fast, and a number of key positions in town will be on the ballot.

To help readers make an informed decision on Nov. 2, Patch has reached out to local candidates to share their views on a few topics.

Democrat Danielle Dobin, 48, is running for the Planning & Zoning Commission in Westport.

Occupation: Investor

Family: Danielle lives in Westport with her husband Chris, their two teen boys, James and Jonathan and their dog, "David Beckham".

Experience: Current Chair of the Westport P&Z Commission

Family in government: No

The single biggest issue in town is ______, and I plan to do this about it:

Westport faces many challenges - traffic and infrastructure issues resulting from changing commuting patterns, ensuring our downtown remains revitalized, our restaurants community vibrant, preserving our open spaces and investing in our parks, preparing for climate change impacts and ensuring that Westport's P&Z - not outside developers - control multifamily development in town.

As our strong record of accomplishment demonstrates, we are aggressively confronting these challenges by planning - adapting our regulations to anticipate and prepare the future as we concurrently work collaboratively with the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance, Downtown Cmte and other groups to develop smart, sustainable solutions while ensuring that Westport's small town New England charm is preserved.

Critical differences between me and my opponents:

This feels like an invitation to speak badly of our fellow candidates and that is simply not our style. Instead of talking about them, Michael, Neil and I will talk about our record of accomplishment as P&Z Commissioners.

We revitalized downtown, we expanded outdoor dining and entertainment, we improved our parks and fields, we prioritized planning for climate change and stronger storms, and we took back control over multifamily development, and we did it all by working collaboratively with other boards and residents.

Accomplishments:

Our record shows that we are pro-active problem solvers who get the job done. When Michael and I were elected and Neil joined us as an alternate commissioner, vacancy signs were everywhere as downtown was being strangled by overly restrictive regulation. We changed the rules and the tone at P&Z and downtown has blossomed into a vibrant, joyful space where all Westporters come together.

We saw that our restaurants would struggle during this difficult time, so we transformed outdoor dining regulations to be simple and easy to follow. We knew residents felt left in the dark too often, so we changed notice requirements to ensure that neighbors know what is being proposed in their neighborhoods.

For too long Westport ignored state mandates to create affordable housing, and in contrast we took a proactive approach ensuring that housing for families - not just studios in overly large buildings on the Post Road - are being created.

Other issues:

Making traffic better! There are several major "drivers" of all the terrible traffic including (1) changed commuting patterns with all the cars that were at the train station lots now circulating around Westport (2) Waze sending drivers from 95 and the Merritt onto our local roads and (3) the later school start times force parents to pick up their kids instead of relying on the afternoon bus.

These are challenging problems but they are not intractable. There is no magical overnight solution but we can work with the Traffic Authority (the BOS) and the Public Works Dept to improve local intersections and we are already lobbying for state legislation to allow CT towns to limit certain roads to local traffic only and we are working with other boards/commissions to improve our town infrastructure.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I’m involved because I care so much about our community. I serve on the Staples Music Parents Assoc Exec Board, I run F&O for the Staples Players Boosters and I chair ArtSmart for our town. I joined the P&Z when I learned that the old P&Z declined to allow a developer to move the house at #1 Wilton Road that causes all the traffic to back up near Bar Taco. I couldn't believe they could get it so wrong.

It is really important to me to preserve everything we all love about Westport but to see the forest for the trees in terms of positive changes like adding sidewalks, improving intersections, creating affordable housing for people like our teachers and town employees, preserving our open space and improving our parks. I love walking around Church Lane and seeing all the new energy in town.

It's been an honor to serve and I respectfully ask for your support to continue my work with Michael and Neil, my running mates, and at P&Z.