Redevelopment Agency / North Walke Housing Corp

3 Belden Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850 • 203-854-7810 • norwalkredevelopment.org TO: Members, Norwalk Redevelopment Agency FROM: John Igneri, Chairman DATE: July 9, 2021 RE: Regular Meeting Notice ************************************************************************ July 13 2021 5:30 P.M. MEETING AGENDA The next meeting of the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency will be held on Tuesday, July 13, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Due to the ongoing public health situation the regular meeting will be held as a Zoom videoconference via the link provided below. The meeting will also be broadcast on the Norwalk Redevelopment Agency YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHMiAZt32k6BnjaKdnUaIug?view_as=subscriber. ZOOM Meeting Link: https://zoom.us/j/2038547810?pwd=bVZjM3duS1QwRlR6QVMwT09yeDg3Zz09 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION I. ADMINISTRATION a. Approval of Minutes 1. Approve Minutes of the June 21, 2021 Special Meeting. b. Financials 1. Approve Norwalk Redevelopment Agency Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for Operating Fund 100 for Year-to-Date May 31, 2021. II. BUSINESS a. Design Review 1. Approve design review of 43-45 High Street. 3 Belden Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06850 • 203-854-7810 • norwalkredevelopment.org III. NEW BUSINESS IV. OLD BUSINESS V. EXECUTIVE SESSION a. Discussion regarding litigation titled “John Dias v. City of Norwalk, Redevelopment Agency of the City of Norwalk, No. FST-CV-17-603229-S, Superior Court, J.D. of Stamford/Norwalk.” ADJOURNMENT  NORWALK REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY JUNE 21, 2021 ATTENDANCE: John Igneri, Chair; Kelly Bloom, Lisa Cooper STAFF: Brian Bidolli, Executive Director; Eugenia Lupinski, Finance Director; Katie O’Leary, Community Engagement Coordinator OTHERS: Matthew Edvardsen, Spinnaker; Bob Grzywacz; Clay Fowler, Spinnaker; Vincent Hayes, R&M; C. Eric Rains; Colin Grotheer; Lora Grassilli, Transcriber; Henry; Brian W.; Kim Morque, Spinnaker I. CALL TO ORDER Mr. Igneri called meeting to order at 5:35 pm. II. ROLL CALL Mr. Igneri called the roll, a quorum was present. III. PUBLIC PARTICIPATION There was no public comment or participation. IV. ADMINISTRATION 1. Approval of Minutes i. Approve minutes of the May 11, 2021, Regular Meeting **COMMISSIONER COOPER MOTIONED TO APPROVE MINUTES OF THE MAY 11, 2021; REGULAR MEETING AS SUBMITTED ** COMMISSIONER BLOOM SECONDED ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 2. Finance i. Approve Norwalk Redevelopment Agency Statement of Revenues and Expenditures for Operating Fund 100 for Year-to-Date April 30, 2021 City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency 1 June 21, 2021 Ms. Lupinski said the fund had actual revenues of $1,313,000 v. budgeted revenues of $1,323,000 which resulted in a $10,000 unfavorable variance. She said total actual expenditures of $1,208,000 v. budgeted expenditures of $1,334,000 resulted in a favorable variance of $126,000. She noted that this was due to favorable variance in personnel cost ($148,000) offset by a negative variance ($22,000) for total administrative expenses. She said the actual net operating surplus of $104,000 v. the budgeted deficit of $11,000 resulted in a favorable variance of $115,000. ii. Approve FY 2021-22 Agency Budget. Mr. Bidolli said the budget is similar to the last four years He indicated the expenditures were their best estimation for next year, noting staff has been actively working to optimize operations and reduce costs as highlighted in the year over year changes. **CHAIRPERSON IGNERI MOTIONED TO APPROVE BOTH FINANCIAL ITEMS **COMMISSIONER BLOOM SECONDED ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY IV. BUSINESS 1. Selection of Auditors i. Approve the selection of Solakian & Company, LLC to audit the Agency’s financial statement for year ending 6/30/21 Mr. Bidolli said they had previously issued an RFP for an auditor and only received a couple higher cost responses. He said finance staff preferred to use the same auditor as last year to ensure consistency given staff turnover. He said it had worked out well last year even as a remote audit. He said that they could consider an RFQ for a different firm next year. **COMMISSIONER BLOOM MOTIONED TO APPROVE THE SELECTION OF SOLAKIAN& COMPANY, LLC TO AUDIT THE AGENCY’S FINANCIAL STATEMENT **COMMISSIONER COOPER SECONDED ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 2. VHB Contract Amendment: Additional scoping and design. City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency 2 June 21, 2021 i. Approve contract amendment and additional scope items as proposed. Mr. Bidolli said this was an amendment to the contract with VHB who is leading the South Norwalk planning study to provide additional capacity for the Agency’s grant writing program. **CHAIRPERSON IGNERI MOTIONED TO APPROVE CONTRACT AMENDMENT AND ADDITIONAL SCOPE ITEMS AS PROPOSED. **COMMISSIONER COOPER SECONDED ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY 3. Design Review i. Approve design review and project at 10 Monroe Street as proposed. Mr. Edvardsen said that Spinnaker had been active in Norwalk for the last few decades. He said this project was seven parcels bound by South Main, Monroe, and Chestnut Streets right across from the train station and the police station. He said that their zoning approval had been extended, and they hoped to have that later this week. Mr. Grotheer shared the presentation “Monroe Street Development” he said it was a transformative proposal that would fill a key portion of the block. He noted that it had access to transportations, schools, a park, and a hotel. He said it had 150 units and 157 parking spaces, and that it included retail, restaurant, and office space. He said it had a Walk Score of 88. He noted that they would maintain the buildings at 8 and 18 Monroe St. He said they would renovate #18 and convert to small office and restaurant. He said that owner was currently seeking historic status. At #8 he said there were long standing businesses and razing their building would be detrimental. He showed the five possible vehicle entry/exit points, noting that it allowed for a stable traffic flow. He showed the vision for the courtyard pocketed off Monroe Street, highlighting the exoskeleton of the building, two pergola for shade and a large steel armature which provided a gathering place and an Uber/Lyft pickup and drop off. He highlighted the grasses which provided a visual edge and contained the area. He said that the shared space extended the usefulness of the area, showing the example of the Ironworks Courtyard in South Norwalk and a design in Darien in the Corbin District. He said they’d added bicycle rooms to the facilities and parking racks in courtyard, noting its accessibility to bike routes. He showed the smaller retail spaces at the street level on South Main Street, highlighting set back front doors. He showed the Chestnut Street view and an aerial rendering of the block, once again highlighting the courtyard as part of the neighborhood revival. City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency 3 June 21, 2021 Mr. Grzywacz shared the third part design review noting he’d gone through requirements systematically checking on how it conformed to each one. He said it was a good project, which was very indicative of the type of project implied in the urban renewal plan because it was dense, six stories and filled its lot. He said there were a few design issues that the commissioners could discuss. He said that they’d looked at items essential to the project versus things that could change to make it more consistent with design guidelines. He said the plaza wasn’t considered part of the design, but it was good in this design. He said that it would be appropriate to discuss the elimination of the drive through drop off in plaza, noting that it turned a pedestrian space into a vehicular space. He said another recommendation for discussion was the steel framework in front of the building, noting that it made it hard to see where the building entry was, and made it seem like a private space. He said they also recommended clear signs on the building. He noted that the city had clear standards for street trees and lighting, and that this project didn’t have the standard. He said City Standards didn’t work on South Main but did on Chestnut and there was no reason it shouldn’t match the building across the street. On the historic structures, he said that they’d asked for a bonus for saving the old buildings, he noted that the drawings at this stage were not detailed enough to ensure they meet the Secretary of the Interior standards. He said they recommended that the commission approve the project contingent on review of the next set of drawings. Mr. Bidolli asked about the courtyard and its use. Mr. Rains said that this was the kind of space people could use in multiple ways, programmed and day to day. He said that there were spaces on either side that were good for retail which made them part of the space and then there were spaces where people could sit. He said it offered options and visibility into the space which made it inviting. He said the steel element was good for scale. He said the two structures on either side unified the space and all the components tied the space together. Mr. Bidolli said there was a Zoning Commission Report in the agenda, on page 64, that answered many of the concerns, including the historic preservation item. He suggested that the commissioners approve it with similar conditions as those of the Zoning Commission. Chairman Igneri said that the street was busy, and he had concerns about having the drop off on the street during rush hour. He said the design was nice and asked if the steel structure was covered. Mr. Rains said that parts of it were covered but it was mostly open. Mr. Grotheer said the drop off site had been designed as large enough for passing, but not technically two lanes. Mr. Grzywacz said part of the application had been to move the parking zone to in front of 10 Monroe, which could be used for drop off. Mr. Edvardsen said it wasn’t part of the application, but a solution from the city to move parking away from the station. City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency 4 June 21, 2021 Mr. Igneri asked about the building that was staying. Mr. Grotheer said they would do storefronts and awnings and sidewalks. He said they hoped to open the walls and allow them to spready out into the plaza. Mr. Fowler said that small pocket courtyards could be the center of an urban neighborhood and cited the success of Ironworks. He said that was what this design did, he said he advocated strongly for the steel pergola which he called the heart of the job. He noted that it was also a great opportunity for signage. **CHAIRMAN IGNERI MOTIONED TO APPROVE DESIGN REVIEW AND PROJECT AT 10 MONROE STREET AS PROPOSED. **COMMISSIONER COOPER SECONDED ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY III. NEW BUSINESS There was no new business to consider at this time. IV. OLD BUSINESS There was no old business to consider at this time. V. EXECUTIVE SESSION The Board did not move into Executive Session. **COMMISSIONER COOPER MOTIONED TO ADJOURN **COMMISSIONER BLOOM SECONDED ** THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, L. Grassilli Telesco Secretarial Services City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency 5 June 21, 2021  Andriopoulos Design Assoc., LLC 32 Main Street, Ste. 203 Norwalk, CT 06851 P: 203-853-8006 E: ADA@andriopoulosdesign.com DRAFT June 28, 2021 Mr. Jonathan Hopkins c/o City of Norwalk Redevelopment Agency 3 Belden Avenue Norwalk, CT 06850 Re: 3rd Party Peer Review - Final Report for High Street, LLC 2-unit Residential Addition to existing parcel located at 43 & 45 High Street Norwalk, CT 06851 Dear Jonathan, I have reviewed the design documents for the proposed site work and addition work prepared and submitted by the applicant High Street, LLC located at 43 & 45 High Street, Norwalk, CT. When reviewing the site drawing prepared by Brautigam Land Surveyors, PC revised date March 24, 2021. The building addition orientation is sited in the South/West corner of the property and connects to (2) existing adjacent residential structures on the property. A portion of the new Front Facade (which is visible) faces High St. and the adjacent existing parking lot of the property. The entire 43/45 High street address is accessible by a single access point at the South/ East corner of the property off of High Street. The property has existing open space (landscaping in the form of lawn and trees) and existing city side walks on both the High St. (East) property line and on North Ave. (North) property line. There is also a pedestrian cross walk located on North Ave., just west of the property line. The cross walk is located at the intersection of North Ave & Camp St. (This cross walk leads directly to & from Tracey Elementary School to the North on Camp St.and other points East & West, along North Ave.) It should be noted that the applicant owns this parcel and the immediate adjacent parcels (to the South, West & East) around this property. The dumpster location is shown on the site plan. The plan indicates a 5ft high fence enclosure. Comment: The design guidelines discourage trash receptacles to be located within the front yard. This location is highly visible from the street and also, in this location this impedes vehicular ingress & egress into/from the site. Our recommendation is for the applicant to find a more suitable location away from the entrance/ exit, as this would be highly beneficial. Otherwise, we would request that the applicant use PVC solid white fencing 5ft to 6 ft high with gate for access in its proposed location. There is open space and recreation areas indicated on the site plan. A visual inspection of the site reveals a decorative vinyl picket fence around the development with landscaped buffers (to the parking area) with lawn, trees and shrubs. There are not any locations indicated for lighting on the property. Comment: Any proposed lighting mounted on the building should be shielded (cut-off) to minimize light spill onto the adjacent properties and up into the sky. Any proposed lighting closer to the street should be directed to the sidewalks, walkway and/or building entries, and signage long the street front, so as not to impair automobile drivers. Comment: Any proposed development signage, should be appropriate for its intended use and location on the site or on the building. All signage is to comply with the Redevelopment Guidelines and the Norwalk Zoning Regulations. This project has met the requirement of proposed buildings to be designed to harmonize with the adjacent existing structures in the neighborhood. This proposed building is similar in scale, design and materials to the other structures on the lot and the adjacent properties to the West and South. The proposed new addition employs a simple cross gable roof line which ties into the 2 adjacent buildings. Which will become one in appearance. The street facing building facade proposed a horizontal open roof over the new front entry doors and the vertical rhythm is provided due to connection point of the new structure to the existing adjacent structures. This new addition connects to the 2 existing structures on the parcel in a manner which would be deemed acceptable by these regulations if either of the adjacent structures were deemed historic buildings. A sustainability review is not required for this addition. Comment: However, the developer is encouraged to employ or use recycled materials and sustainable practices including alternative energy sources, where practical whenever changes are made. High Street is part of the "secondary network connecting corridor". High Street is a one- way street that connects North Ave. (US 1) from North Ave. to Wall St. and employs and encourages lively pedestrian experience with sidewalks of both side of the street. There is a cross walk at the (South) intersection of Wall St. and High St. The existing property at 43-45 High St, consists of a traditional large residential building, rear carriage house and 1 smaller building. Many alterations and additions have been made to the existing Main House structure and Carriage House that include window replacement, re-siding, re-roofing and several other significant building additions. Much of the building's original historic character has been altered over the years. However, a few of its core character elements have remained in the form of architectural details, rooflines and trim details. Interior changes were made over the years to the buildings to increase the number of rental units (density). In addition, there have been changes to the site to increase the number of parking spaces provided, to accommodate the increase in the rental units added to the property. The projects work scope is minor in nature. The proposed 2-story (2-unit) structure is located in the rear corner of the property with minimal visibility from High St. It is my opinion that this application for new 2-story (2 unit) addition (if executed as outlined and notations above) is in keeping with the Wall Street-West Avenue Neighborhood Plan Design Guidelines. Therefore, it is my recommendation for approval of this application. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office. Thank you, 43-45 High Street Norwalk, CT 43 High Street (from North Avenue) 43 High Street (from North Avenue and High Street) 43 High Street (from High Street) 43 High Street (from High Street)  vif 6'-0" 11'-1 1/2" 12'-3" 1 2 Proposed 2 Unit Addition Kitchen design and appliance location to be determined by others. for Unit 1 vif 13'-6 1/2" 800 sf match existing pitch SD Nicola Vona 6'-4 1/2" 7'-4 1/2" 11'-3" 3'-11" 43 High Street, Norwalk, CT 2'-6" 2'-6" 2'-6" vif 3 2" X 10" beam. df #1 or 2 2'-6" Existing residential Proposed exterior wall (see section) SD R2 use group 12'-0" Proposed wall (see section) match existing pitch 1 Existing construction 3'-6" 13'-4 1/2" Existing residential 3 R2 use group 11'-4 1/2" 9'-1 1/2" 3'-0" 2'-6" SD 5'-0" 6'-0" Engineer: 4'-0" Existing residential R2 use group 3'-0" 3'-0" Engineer: PROPOSED FIRST FLOOR 12'-1 1/2" SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" Existing residential vif R2 use group NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION 29'-5" A BUILDING PERMIT MUST BE OBTAINED Fishell 6'-0" 11'-1 1/2" 12'-3" PROPOSED ROOF PLAN 29'-5" vif BEFORE CONSTRUCTION CAN BEGIN Architecture 1 2 SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" 10" Residential / Corporate 17'-0 1/2" Commercial 5'-0" 11'-0" 36 Givens Avenue 11'-11 1/2" Stamford, CT 06902 2" X 10" 16" o.c. df #1 or 2 10'-5 1/2" vif 12'-2" 6" 6" Kitchen design and appliance location to be determined by others. Phone: (203) 554-2526 floor joist. Block a Fax: (203) 348-7165 SD fishellarchitecture@yahoo 14'-11" at mid span 7'-7 1/2" 9'-9" 2'-6" Owner 2'-6" 43 High Street SD Norwalk, CT 33'-5 1/2" 2'-6" 2'-6" 8'-10" 31'-5 1/2" vif 3 2" X 10" beam. df #1 or 2 3 2" X 10" beam. df #1 or 2 3 2" X 10" beam. df #1 or 2 3 2" X 10" beam. df #1 or 2 Drawing Title SD Proposed 2 Unit Existing residential Addition R2 use group 12'-2" Floor Plans Existing residential 1 R2 use group 2" X 10" 16" o.c. df #1 or 2 3'-0" Signature: North Arrow: 3'-6" 14'-11" 2'-6" 11'-0" PROPOSED SECOND FLOOR PROPOSED FOUNDATION PLAN floor joist. Block a 11'-4 1/2" SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" at mid span 3'-0" SD 10'-0" vif No. Revision/Issue Date Existing residential Existing residential 2" X 8" 16" o.c. df #1 or 2 Scale Drawing No. 4'-0" floor joist. R2 use group R2 use group 1 4" = 1'-0" A.1 Date 01.05.2021 Drawn By LFF  Proposed 2 Unit Addition for Nicola Vona 43 High Street, Norwalk, CT 20210 3046 3046 3046 8'-0" 25'-7" Abutts existing residential Abutts existing residential R2 use group R2 use group 3046 3046 3046 8'-0" Engineer: 4'-0" Engineer: PROPOSED EAST ELEVATION SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" PROPOSED WEST ELEVATION SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" Fishell Architecture Residential / Corporate Commercial 36 Givens Avenue Stamford, CT 06902 Phone: (203) 554-2526 Abutts existing residential 28'-2 1/2" 3046 Fax: (203) 348-7165 R2 use group fishellarchitecture@yahoo Abutts existing residential Owner R2 use group 43 High Street Norwalk, CT 3046 Drawing Title Proposed 2 Unit Addition Exterior Elevations Signature: North Arrow: 3'-6" PROPOSED SOUTH ELEVATION PROPOSED NORTH ELEVATION SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" SCALE 1/4" = 1'-0" 1 Floor plan revisions, lot revisions. 04.06.21 No. Revision/Issue Date Scale Drawing No. 1 4" = 1'-0" A.2 Date 01.05.2021 Drawn By LFF