The Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) has hired a consultant to help with the environmental issues related to the Westport Weston Family Y's proposal to build a 102,000-square-foot facility on its Camp Mahackeno property.

Ron Corwin, the commission's chairman, said P&Z passed a resolution at the end of its April 28 meeting to bring in outside help.

"There was a feeling on the commission that there were a lot of complex issues and they wanted help answering several questions," he said.

Corwin said P&Z would like a report from the consultant, Stearns & Wheler, by May 19 to help determine if there is any new or significant information concerning the application and, if so, how to proceed with it.

"Are there other considerations that the peer reviewers would have that the commission could consider?" he said.

The commission's "peer reviewers" are environmental interveners YDowntown Inc. and Westport resident Arthur Cohen, both of whom have alerted the commission to the existence of an aquifer under the Camp Mahackeno property.

The Y's application includes the installation of an underground FAST (fixed-film activated sewage treatment) system capable of treating 34,000 gallons of effluent a day on the Camp Mahackeno

Advertisement
property.

Laurence Bradley, director of the P&Z Department, said Stearns & Wheler, which was used by the Conservation Commission, will help P&Z deal with issues related to the FAST system, stormwater management and the aquifer.

"They want to know what's new, and if so, is it serious?" he said. "Is it remedial? What other things can be done to improve the situation?"

Debbie McGinley, a member of YDowntown Inc., presented a petition with 2,600 signatures of people against the Y. She said the petition represented 10 percent of Westport's population and was signed by people from all over town, not just those living near the Y.

In response to Russ Slayback's, one of the Y's consultants, comment during the meeting that the "nutrient of concern" in Saugatuck River was phosphorus instead of nitrogen, Dick Harris, a staff scientist with Earthplace who has offered his own data on levels of nitrogen, said they both matter.

"To grow weeds, you need both," he said. While testimony has been given before other bodies indicating that phosphorous is not likely to migrate appreciably through the soil, Harris said there's already phosphorous present in Lees Pond.

Excessive plant life in rivers and other bodies of water are known to cause eutrophia (too many nutrients) and hypoxia (lack of oxygen).

Harris said residents can reduce the release of phosphorus and nitrogen into the river by ensuring that fertilizers, leaves or decomposing matter do not get into the river. He also said that the state has regulations on nitrogen levels, but none on phosphorus.

The next P&Z meeting on the Y application is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., on Monday, May 12, in the Westport Town Hall auditorium.