Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Norwalk City Hall
Room 330 (third floor)
5:00 pm

DRAFT MINUTES

ATTENDEES: Mayor Alex Knopp, Paul L. Jones, Walter Briggs, Fred Bondi, Carvin Hilliard, Doug Hempstead, Tom Becker, Joseph Passero, Heather Dunne, Don Nelson, Dr. John Pinto, Jessica Kaplan, Clay Fowler, Kim Morque, Susan Jacoby, Rhonda Kiest, Daryl Scott, Will Taylor, Wilfredo Perez, Diane Lauricella, Tim Sheehan, Mike Greene, Mike Mocciae, Hal Alvord, Ed Schmidt, Jack Burritt, Alanna Kabel

Mayor Alex Knopp opened the meeting at 5:10pm, welcomed everyone, and gave introductory remarks.

Jack Burritt, Assistant Director of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency, presented a brief history of Oyster Shell Park. The landfill closed in 1979. In 1983, the City developed the first Reed Putnam Urban Renewal Area Project Plan which primarily identified the site as a park. In 1991, the City retained Oliver Gilham to develop the Heritage Park Plan and in 1993 received $1.4 million to develop Norwalk’s Heritage Trail. In 1996, funds from the State of Connecticut constructed the North Water Street turnaround situated near the Maritime Aquarium. In 2001, the State of Connecticut rekindled their financial interest in the Park as a result of the updated Reed-Putnam Urban Renewal Plan and appropriated $818,000 for improvements.

Michael Mocciae, Director of Parks and Recreation, discussed existing Oyster Shell Park conditions. The Park has been rough graded and basically left in a natural state.

Hal Alvord, Director of Public Works, presented an update on the closure of the land fill. The City is working with Malcolm Pirnie to obtain a Certificate of Closure from the Department of Environmental Protection for the land fill. The Certificate of Closure is required before the site can be put to any future use. The City must regrade the site in order to obtain the Certificate of Closure as excavated material has been placed at the site since it was capped. It is estimated this will cost approximately $250,000. The City’s Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation Department have entered into a memorandum of understanding for on-going maintenance of the land fill.

Michael Greene, Director of Planning and Zoning, presented the draft Mid-Harbor Planning Study and reviewed Chan Krieger & Associates’ recommendations for the harbor and Oyster Shell Park including their ideas for additional uses at the Park.

Timothy Sheehan, Executive Director of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency discussed the Reed Putnam Urban Renewal Area and highlighted Spinnaker Development’s Maritime Yards development planned for Parcel 3. He indicated it is the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency’s intention to utilize the $818,000 of State monies to fund improvements in the areas that will generate the greatest amount of activity in the Park.
Kim Morque of Spinnaker Development presented their Maritime Yards proposal for Parcel 3 in the Reed Putnam Urban Renewal Area Project. He agreed with the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency’s recommendation to activate the waterfront.

Dr. Pinto highlighted the need to incorporate small boat access with federal harbor regulations. Heather Dunne discussed parking for boaters and Park visitors. Mayor Knopp indicated the Perez Memorial will be placed in Oyster Shell Park.

Mayor Knopp emphasized that there appear to be only enough funds to focus on priority improvements in the Park and proposals will be discussed with the advisory committee at future meetings.

The Oyster Shell Park Advisory Committee adopted the following meeting scheduled:
March 1, 2005 @ 5:00 pm
April 26, 2005 @ 5:00 pm
June 21, 2005 @ 5:00 pm

Meeting was adjourned at 6:50 pm.

Submitted by Alanna Kabel,
Mayor’s Director of Marketing & Business Development