Westport P&Z To Review Town-Owned Property Lease With Westport Astronomical Society

Press release from the Town of Westport:

WESTPORT, CT — Planning and Zoning Director Mary Young has announced that at 6:00pm on July 29, 2024, a meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission will be held to review a request submitted by the First Selectwoman on behalf of the Westport Astronomical Society (WAS) for a new 5-year lease of Town-owned property located at 180 aka 182 Bayberry Lane where the Rolnick Observatory is located.

Mary Young described, “The lease area comprises 2.8+ acres of the 7.91-acre Town-owned property. If approved, the lease will allow continued use by the WAS for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes related to astronomy and astronomical study, operating an amateur radio club (K1WAS), and maintaining onsite technology such as a weather monitor.”

The lease is subject to review by the Planning and Zoning Commission pursuant to CGS §8-24, Municipal Improvement, that requires a Positive §8-24 Report by the Planning and Zoning Commission or an affirmative 2/3 vote by the RTM to overturn a Negative §8-24 Report.

The July 29, 2024, Planning and Zoning Commission meeting will be held remotely using Zoom, it will be live streamed on the Town’s website at www.westportct.gov, and/or will be accessible on Optimum Government Access Channel 79. The remote meeting link is published on the meeting agenda available on the Town’s website on the “Meeting List and Calendar” web page.

Written comments may be submitted and should be sent to PandZ@westportct.gov by 12:00pm on the day of the meeting if intended to be distributed for consideration by members of the Planning and Zoning Commission. Written comments received after 12:00pm on the day of the meeting will be entered into the record but will not be distributed until the next business day. Meeting materials are available at www.westportct.gov, on the Planning and Zoning Dept. web page under “P&Z Pending Applications & Recent Approvals.”

This press release was produced by the Town of Westport. The views expressed here are the author’s own.