06/23/10 P And Z Public Hearing About The Bella Nona Restaurant In Cos Cob Being Replaced By A Chase Bank Is Held Over Till Next Month

You Wont Read This In The Greenwich Time....

Public Hearing On Cos Cob Chase Bank Delayed At The Last Minute

The Rumor Around Town Hall Is That The Chase Bank Public Hearing Was Cancelled Because The Engineer Did Not Have The Traffic Study Finished On Time

The Planning and Zoning Commission at last night's meeting delayed the public hearing on an application for final site plan and special permit approval to replace the Bella Nona Restaurant at 371 East Putnam Avenue in Cos Cob with a 2,379 sq. ft. Chase Bank that includes drive-thru facilities.

The hearing on this application was once again held open.

Since the Planning and Zoning commission once again chose to take no action, Greenwich residents cannot yet gauge the effect of a newly adopted zoning regulation.

This zoning regulation makes banks and bank drive-ins subject to a special permit process as well as site plan approval.

The Planning and Zoning commission adopted this regulation in response to issues raised, and comments received, regarding the proliferation of banks in town.

Over 500 Greenwich residents have signed, or sent, a petition letter to the Planning and Zoning Commission asking that the zoning regulations about banks be strengthened to stop the destruction of our town’s retail areas.

The new P and Z regulation was designed to address resident concerns about such things as adverse traffic, the effect on local businesses and on the foot traffic needed to support these businesses.

There is no indication that the Planning and Zoning Commission intends to adopt any other regulations concerning banks.

In addition to the Chase banks planned for the Bella Nona location in Cos Cob and his gas station site opposite the Library, other Greenwich locations are being targeted by banks.

Approval has been given to People’s United for a drive-thru at the former Ku restaurant site in Cos Cob.

Banks also have their eye on the two gas stations at the corner of Indian Field Road and East Putnam Avenue. The Rusty Oxer truck service business at Valley Drive is being sold to a bank. And the new building on West Putnam Avenue in front of Polpo Restaurant is seeking to have a bank occupy some of its space.

Plus the big hole on Putnam Avenue is looking to be filled by a bank.

This Just Doesn't Add Up

There Are Currently 52 Bank Branches In Greenwich

They Are Servicing Only 65,000 People

This proliferation of banks in Greenwich, often with the same bank having multiple branches within minutes distance of each other. For example: Chris Canavan, owner of Greenwich Automotive Services at 111 West Putnam Avenue, the service station at the corner of Dearfield Drive opposite the Greenwich Library recently had to close his business, because the property was sold last week to a developer.

Mr.Canavan does not know who the developer is but says that the anchor tenant of the new development is expected to be Chase Bank. There are already four Chase bank branches within walking distance of Mr. Canavan’s empty gas station where now a 5th branch is planned.

The Town Of Greenwich Must Embrace Change,

But P and Z Also Must Plan For That Change.

Right now, the highest and best use for certain properties in Greenwich may be for the owners to sell to a bank.

However, this proliferation of banks in Greenwich may be just a passing phenomenon.Tomorrow these bank buildings may very well be empty white elephants.

Before the commission, Greenwich real estate developer Barry Montgomery has testified in his professional opinion the approval of the Chase branch will be detrimental to other Cos Cob neighbor properties. He feels, a banking branch bubble is forming. His analysis is that there is no banking need by Chase to have nine branches. His opinion is that Chase's business plan is to drive competitors out of business as the bubble bursts. Empty bank buildings are fire hazards. The insurance commissioner of the state of Connecticut allows fire insurance companies to cancel the insurance if 70% of the building is vacant.

Although Connecticut towns may not limit the number of banks within their borders, or institute distance requirements between banks,

There are examples of zoning regulations with more teeth.

Bronxville and Chappaqua NY, for instance, has passed a regulation that prevents banks, insurance and real estate brokers and travel agents from occupying first floor retail space in the General Business Zone.

Part of 125th Street in New York city has a similar regulation.

Another possibility would be to allow only ATM’s at the street level.

While the new special permit zoning process for banks gives the Planning and Zoning Commission the authority to exercise judgment regarding the non-site issues that might impact the neighborhood it is questionable that this process will serve as a deterrent to banks.

What is going to happen to all of these Greenwich Bank branches as online and mobile-phone banking continue to grow.

Recently Bank of America announced plans to reduce the size of its branch network by 10% because of this shift to online banking.

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02/24/10 Greenwich Time Editor David McCumber Continues To Keep His Word To The Retired Men's Associaton Members Who Grilled Him At The YMCA

The New And Improved Greenwich Time

Hearst Newspaper Editor David McCumber Has Once Again Responded To Greenwich Retired Men's Association Member Complaints About How Poorly The Greenwich Time Covered Town Meetings

Planning And Zoning Members Were Shocked As A Greenwich Time Reporter Stays For The Entire Meeting And Even Questioned Planning And Zoning Chairman Donald Heller After The Meeting

Previous Greenwich Time Reporters Like Niel Vigdor Rarely Showed Up For Planning And Zoning Meetings, And If They Showed Up They On Stayed Briefly For One High Profile Application

However This Time, Greenwich Time Reporter Frank MacEachern Sat Down With A Full P And Z Press Packet At His Side Furiously Typing on A Laptop On His Lap

Russian multi-millionaire's renovation plan gets nod
By Frank MacEachern, Staff Writer

After two years of controversy, a wealthy Russian couple have overcome opposition to their plans for their 18 Simmons Lane estate.

The Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday approved Olga and Valery Kogan's plan to renovate their 19,000-square-foot home.

Last May, citing neighborhood opposition, Olga Kogan abandoned efforts to tear down the home and build a new 21,127-square-foot residence with 15 bathrooms.

The commission approved that plan last March after it had been scaled down from one for a 27,000-square-foot mansion with 26 bathrooms.

Valery Kogan is chairman of the East Line Group, which manages Moscow's Domodedovo International Airport.....

Greenwich Time Reporter Frank MacEachern Did A Much Better Job Than Niel Vigdor Of Covering All Of The Business Before The Planning And Zoning Board

.....a public hearing aired differing viewpoints on proposed zoning changes to ensure business zones didn't become the preserve of banks, and real estate and insurance firms.

The commission is considering adding special permits to some zoning applications as a way to control development by banks, for example. The permits would allow the commission to consider other issues, such as traffic, before giving a proposal its approval.

Peter Lauridsen, a Realtor and principal of Greenwich Land Co., argued special permits would only increase the cost of doing business by lengthening the zoning approval process.

However, Chris Canavan, president of Greenwich Automotive Services at 111 W. Putnam Ave., said special permits are "a way you preserve the character of the town."....

Frank MacEachern Makes Greenwich Residents Feel Like They Are Sitting In The Middle Of The Bi-Monthly Pand Z Meeting

.....a hint briefly surfaced that a review of a portion of renovations at Luca's of Greenwich restaurant at 35 Church St. could be a hot topic at the March 9 commission meeting.

It was on the agenda Tuesday because of the possibility of issuing a stop work order due to concerns about the building's structure.

However, the commission was told that the town's Building Department determined work could proceed.

Jane Hogeman, the lawyer representing residents at 20 Church St. across the street from Luca's, was stymied when she tried to raise questions about other parts of the building -- such as its exterior -- only to be told those questions had to wait for the March 9 meeting.....

.....The plan to turn the site of the former Cos Cob Power Plant into a recreation area was also briefly addressed. It is to be taken up on March 9.....

....The commission granted an extension of a coastal site plan for Joseph Zaffino at 48 Loughlin Ave.....

....The commission approved a final site plan and special permit to convert a storage area at 165 Mason St. into a penthouse and fitness center for tenants only.....

Then Greenwich Time Reporter Frank MacEachern Filed A Second Report From The Planning And Zoning Meeting

Marina and club expansion withdrawn after opposition
By Frank MacEachern, Staff Writer

Faced with a skeptical zoning commission, Rick Kral has withdrawn his proposed expansion of his Cos Cob-based marina and private club.

But he vowed Wednesday to submit a new application this year.

"We are going to regroup and come back with something else," he said. "We're not giving up."
Kral owns Beacon Point Marina and Greenwich Water Club, located at 49 River Road. Kral wanted to redevelop his current site as well as expand to a nearby property.

The site is in the waterfront business zone, where zoning rules require most of the activities to be primarily water-related, such as slips or services for boats and the rowing club there now......

This Is Better Than Twitter:

Greenwich Time Reporter Niel Vigdor Only Used To Give A Two Day Old Staff Summary Of The Planning And Zoning Meeting

While Greenwich Time Reporter Frank MacEachern Gave A Blow By Blow Up To The Minute Description Of The Procceedings From His Laptop

...."You were going west and a lot of people were going east," said Chairman Donald Heller about Kral's attempts to resolve questions about his plan.....

.....Commissioner Richard Maitland didn't believe there was enough parking in the plan.

Local residents were also opposed to the expansion because of concerns about traffic.

Late in the meeting, Peter Lowe and Sean Goldrick, parents whose children have rowed at the club, harshly criticized the rowing program offered at Kral's business.

Lowe accused Kral of running a for-profit program and hiking the registration that rowers pay by about 60 percent in three years, from $880 in 2006 to $1,350 last year.....

....Goldrick joined in that criticism and said Kral's claim that he made no money on the rowing program was "balderdash."

With the two men sitting with their arms crossed several rows behind him, and occasionally shaking their heads....

PLEASE SEE:

02/23/10 Hearst Newspaper Editor David McCumber Jumps On Frank MacEachern Butt After He Gets Grilled At The Retired Mens Association Meeting Last Week

02/17/10 Hearst Newspaper Editor David McCumber Says The Greenwich Time Will Move Back Downtown In 2010

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