Westport Alliance for Saugatuck

The Hamlet, The Saugatuck River and Conservation Concerns [link]

To: Conservation Comments; Gill, Edward

CC: Planning & Zoning, RTM Mailing List, Tooker, Jennifer

Monday, June 9, 2025

We are deeply concerned about numerous conservation issues related to the Hamlet development application.  In particular, the many items that have not been discussed or addressed in any forum.

No public conversations have taken place around:

• Potential for airport contaminated soil dust for an effect on wildlife and humans

• The effect of flooding upon construction while soils are open for remediation

• The overall effect of so much ground and other water draining Into the Saugatuck River

• The light and noise effects from three waterfront Hotel buildings upon the active spawning fish populations (striped bass, mossbunker, herring and smelt) In the river

• The effects of all activity from construction through ongoing operations on the two active Saugatuck River Osprey nests (a protected species), and other active bird populations by the river

• The town Flood and Erosion board demanded an engineering peer review for many design problems with this project.  The applicant would not finance the review.  Why has this review not taken place?

Our quality of life, health and safety will change dramatically If this project Is approved.  Will emergency vehicles be able to reach us with any timeliness?  Will the Saugatuck River recover from three years of dirty soil remediation and construction?  How will our commuting time to station, the thruway and schools change?

For all these reasons and more, conservation should deny this application.

Thank you

Robert Guinta

Harbormaster state of Connecticut

Westport, CT 06881