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West Shore Neighborhood Association

07/25/2005 New Haven Register

West Shore gains a new advocate

Chris Rhatiga , Register Staff

MILFORD — A new shoreline neighborhood group is vowing to change zoning regulations and act as an advocate for the people between the Devon section and Walnut Beach.

The West Shore Neighborhood Association held its first meeting recently, and Kim Rose, co-president, said the group will be an "overseer for other neighborhood associations."

"We want to prevent major changes to our area without public input," she said.

The association covers the Third District.

Rose has led the fight against a project proposed by developer Louis D’Amato to create a housing complex on Naugatuck Avenue.

More than 200 Devon residents attended a meeting at City Hall recently to protest the project, which opponents say would add traffic.

D’Amato has revised his plans for the development, taking the total amount of units down to 21 from 28 and removing the affordable housing component from the plan in response to pleas from city officials.

Rose, who is running for the Planning and Zoning Board in the Third District, said the West Shore area is the "land of mixed-use," meaning that commercial and residential zones are interspersed.

According to the association’s Web site, they aim to "keep zoning regulations consistent with revitalization efforts."

The group also has set goals to raise awareness on community issues and to advocate for block grants for local projects.

Walnut Beach and Devon are involved in ongoing revitalization efforts.

Both neighborhoods have organized groups, and Alderman Joseph Garbus, R-3, former president of the Walnut Beach Association, said another group in the area could be redundant.

"I’m not sure we need another association, because we all serve the same purpose," he said. "Sometimes you get layers of bureaucracy."

However, Garbus said Rose’s work on opposing the new development was valuable.

PZB Vice Chairman Mark Lofthouse said the board is discussing changing some of the zoning regulations in the West Shore area already.

He said the "disconnect" between Devon and Walnut Beach needs to be addressed.

"Walnut Beach is going to be a different area as far as commerce than Devon is going to be," he said.

West Shore could be zoned in the future to reflect the residential nature of the area, he added.

Economic and Community Development Director Robert Gregory, whose office oversees the Devon revitalization, said WSNA could be a positive force in the overall goals of the area.

"We’ve worked a lot with Wildermere Beach (Association) and Walnut Beach (Association), and to have another community group would be a good thing," he said.

He said WSNA could be instrumental to "tie together" Walnut Beach and Devon.

WSNA will hold meetings on the first Thursday of every month beginning with a meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 4, at the Margaret Egan Center in room 159. For more information about the group, visit villageofdevon.com/WSNA/WSNA%20main.htm.