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Plan for Restrooms at Point Delayed While Other Options Are Explored

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By Richard Kaufman
Sentinel Reporter

The municipal improvement project referral for a new Greenwich Point Marina restroom was put on hold last week, as the Board of Selectmen requested more time to gather information before making a decision and passing the project on to Planning & Zoning.

The “MI” called for the construction of a new restroom building located on a bluff several hundred feet away from the Chimes building, where the current restrooms are located. The new building would be fully compliant with the American Disabilities Act, as well as FEMA regulations, since it would be situated above the flood zone. The building would feature an office for the dock master and a brand new septic system.

However, questions were raised at the Board of Selectmen meeting about whether the Chimes building itself, which is scheduled to be restored by the Greenwich Point Conservancy, could house the new restrooms. The building is eligible for an exemption that would eliminate the FEMA flood zone regulations. A new building would also cost roughly $600,000.

Alan Monelli, town superintendent of building construction and maintenance, said he’d postpone the MI to look into the viability of the Chimes building and all available options.

“I think that would be very constructive,” said First Selectman Peter Tesei. “That way it gives all of the stakeholders the full breadth of options that are available to the town.”

But Monelli said that leaving the restrooms in the Chimes building would expose them to flood damage. Moving the restrooms to higher ground would help guard against any future damage incurred from superstorms.

“The minimum extreme, water laps in, you shovel out some sand and you’re done. Medium risk, the side of the building could be damaged like it was in Sandy. A maximum risk, you could put all this money in, fix the bathrooms up, and the building could be gone the next day,” Monelli said. “It’s all about risk.”

Monelli noted that because the town’s deductible policy has changed since 2012, the Department of Public Works has been motivated to try to elevate buildings to get them out of the flood plane. Instead of one occurrence, each building’s deductible now sits at $500,000.

“We’re not saying we want to stop any development of the Chimes building historically; all we’re saying is we want to remove systems that the town supports out of there so that in the future, we’re above the flood plane and none of that deductible would kick in.”

Chris Franco, chairman of the Greenwich Point Conservancy, said the conservancy would like functional restrooms housed in the Chimes building. “As a general principle, we do not support constructing new buildings at the Point that aren’t needed,” he said.

“The Greenwich Point Conservancy would strongly advocate for having restroom facilities in the Chimes building, irrespective of whether there are any up on the hill or not because we think there are core facilities that would be needed in the building that would be used by the public,” Franco added.

Franco pointed out that the conservancy worked hand in hand with the Parks and Recreation Department and other groups to complete the restoration of the Innis Arden Cottage. “We would envision the same type of process for the Chimes Building,” he said, saying that the sailing program and Old Greenwich Yacht Club, among other groups, would continue to use the building.

Franco also mentioned the use of the historical building flood zone regulation exemption.

“The fact that we have these spectacular historical buildings at Greenwich Point is not just a blessing because they’re beautiful historical buildings, but it’s also a blessing because the town can construct needed facilities in the flood zone,” he said. “The fact that we have these historical buildings is a real gift and I think it makes a lot of sense to take advantage of that because we’re very lucky.”

The exemption was used for the Old Barn building, which sits below the flood plane. However, the bathrooms there are connected to the public sewer system.

“The question is, why would the town want essential facilities or complicated systems in a building that’s in the flood plane?” Monelli asked. “We have a septic tank and a septic field that’s below the flood plane [at the Chimes building]. So when the water does come over the roadway, that intermingles and is put out into the Sound.”

Franco offered a solution that entails connecting the septic system to the proposed system up on the bluff. Monelli said he’d check the feasibility of such a design and what it would take to get approval from the Health Department and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Alan Gunzburg, a member of the First Selectman’s Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities, expressed prior concern about people with disabilities having access to the proposed restroom building because the path leading to it is on an incline. Back on July 19, following a tour of the proposed site, Gunzburg said the path and site were satisfactory.

At the Board of Selectmen meeting, Gunzburg said he doesn’t care if the bathrooms are built on the bluff or kept in the Chimes building. “It would be great if we don’t have to spend money, but that’s not really my concern. My concern is making sure that we have a bathroom that’s usable and accessible for everyone.”

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