To provide you with some information in advance of the Historic District hearing on the Ann Marie Klein, a BRHA board member with interest and experience in local zoning matters will be present to assist you in understanding the details of the Brewster Street 13 unit townhouse proposal and to review the plans.
When: 9-10:00 AM, Saturday, September 1, 2007,
Where: Harborview Market

We (BRHA) wish to inform you that a developer proposes to build a 13 unit townhouse complex in the Historic District at 344 Brewster Street (at the flagpole). A single-family house and oversize lot exists there today.

The developers will seek approval for this proposal at Septembers Historic District meeting.

When: 6 PM, Tuesday, September 4, 2007,
Where: Board of Education Conference Room 305, 45 Lyon Terrace, Bridgeport

Your attendance at this meeting is CRITICAL. People turning up to participate and make their opinion known influences these commissions. The developers probably will not go before Planning and Zoning until they get Historic District approval. Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

What criteria will the Historic District Commission use to decide whether to approve this?
The Historic District focuses on mainly two things
1. The appropriateness of the external architectural features of the design that is viewable from the street
2. The relationship of the architecture and style with other buildings and structures in the immediate neighborhood.

For parking they consider amongst other things the size of the parking area, the visibility of cars parked there in, and the closeness of such an area to adjacent buildings.

What does the Developer need to do to get approval?
To get approval the Developer needs to do three things:
1. Get a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic District Commission for the proposed development
2. Get approval from the Historic District Commission to knock down the existing house
3. Go to Planning and Zoning Board to get the zone changed and approve the site plans (and possibly a Costal Review

As they are not asking for any variances, they will not need to go to the Zoning Board of Appeals.

What is the Black Rock Homeowners Association Position on this Development?
As you know to take a position on any development the Black Rock Homeowners Association follows a three-step process:
1. Invite the developer speak to us and share the facts and their vision on their proposal
2. Poll our members to understand what they want (similar to what we did for 10 Brewster Street )
3. Based on results of that poll we formulate our position

As occasionally happens, the timing of our August monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of each month (September 5, 2007 at Burroughs at 7:00 PM next) is out of sync with this Historic District Meeting, so we do not have time to ask the developers to present to us.

So for now, as an organization are unable to take a formal position on this development. However, four of our seven Board members live in different parts of the Black Rock Historic District and have concern about these requests for significant changes.

How can I find out more information?
To provide you with some information in advance of this hearing Ann Marie Klein, a BRHA board member with interest and experience in local zoning matters will be present to assist you in understanding the details of the proposal and to review the plans.

When: 9-10:00 AM, Saturday, September 1, 2007,
Where: Harborview Market

BRHA is in our third year of providing a range of education and representation activities in our Black Rock neighborhood to sustain and enhance the value of our homes and the quality of life we enjoy. It is important that we continue to be vigilant and work together to make sure we attract development that enhance out communities.

BLACK ROCK HOMEOWNER’S ASSOCIATION BOARD
Diane Vulcano, President, Beverly Balaz, Kristine DeMarco, Sharon Dominici, Ann Marie Klein, John Marshall Lee, Bob Perry

PLEASE PRINT A COPY OF THE ATTACHED LETTER AND DISTRIBUTE IT TO YOUR NEIGHBORS!

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