Next Board Meeting

Tue, 8 Feb 2011 09:28:37 -0500

If you have questions or issues you would like to raise to the board, please send an email to one of our directors. If you wish to attend the meeting, we will give you more detailed information about time and location.

CL&P Substation communication

Thu, 3 Feb 2011 11:59:11 -0500

Sent to us by CL&P

Your Guide to Electrical
Substation Construction
The addition of a new substation in your area will improve the
reliability of electric service to Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P)
customers while increasing our ability to serve the growing demand
for electricity in the future.
The electrical grid is a network of power lines and structures that
transport electricity at nearly the speed of light from where it is
produced to where it is needed.
Similar to an electric “superhighway,” transmission lines move power
over long distances. Local substations act as an electrical “off-ramp,”
reducing transmission voltage levels down to the level that is required
to serve homes and businesses.
This guide provides an illustrated overview of how the construction of
a electrical substation typically proceeds. It also includes information
about the Sherwood Substation project in Westport, Connecticut,
approved by the Connecticut Siting Council in May 2010. It is
expected to be in service in 2012.

What
CL&P is building a new 115/13.8-
kilovolt bulk power substation in
Westport, Connecticut, called the
Sherwood Substation project.
Why
The substations now serving the
southeast section of Westport have
been operating at or near capacity in
recent years. Through the peak summer
months, temporary mobile equipment
has been installed at the substations.
A new facility is needed as a permanent
solution to supply the growing load in
Westport and strengthen the reliability
of the electrical supply in the area.
Where
The new facility will be located on
a parcel of land currently owned by
CL&P near the railroad underpass on
New Creek Road in Westport.
When
Construction began in September
2010. The new substation is expected
to be in service in the second quarter
of 2012.

As with all construction projects, some noise and disruption are likely during
the project. CL&P strives to keep any inconveniences to a minimum.
Keeping the lines of communication open is an important part of our work in
your community. Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you
may have about the project:
f Visit www.transmission-nu.com, then Project Information for Customers.
f E-mail us at TransmissionInfo@nu.com
f Call us at 1.800.793.2202
Thanks in advance for your patience
as we work to keep our electric system reliable.

Work at electrical substations typically follows this sequence:
P R E PA R A T I O N
Site Selection/Review
Selection of a suitable site involves
choosing a location within the
area in need of additional electric
capacity and close to existing
electric transmission lines. The site
must be able to support the facility’s
size and construction requirements.
Prospective sites are closely
surveyed for soil conditions, wildlife,
vegetation, and archeological or
historic resources. CL&P takes great
care to protect wetlands and
habitats supporting rare and
endangered species.
Pre-construction Site Work
Before site preparation begins, a
detailed work plan is developed
which includes specific protection
measures for wetlands and
endangered species. As part of
the work plan, wetlands and
special habitats are marked.
Annual breeding and hibernation
cycles of certain species are
taken into consideration when
creating a construction schedule.
Site Preparation
Crews are briefed on the special care
that must be taken while working in
the sensitive areas, including limiting
ground disturbances. Erosion and
sedimentation controls are installed
at the outer limits of the construction
area. In preparation for construction,
the access road and site are cleared
of vegetation. The ground inside the
substation is covered with a layer
of gravel to facilitate drainage and
provide crews with a safe work surface.

C O N S T R U C T I O N
Concrete Work
Concrete footings and foundations
are poured shortly after the site is
cleared. The substation framework,
support structures and equipment
will be placed on the concrete pads.
Underground pathways are installed
to house electric and communication
lines between the control house and
equipment in the substation “yard.”
Steel Erection and
Civil Construction
Once the concrete has cured, the
steel framework – typically towers
or poles – is ready to be installed.
The steel supports electric control
equipment and the transmission
lines that connect the substation to
the regional electric grid. A control
building will be built for the electric
control equipment. In addition,
new transmission lines are strung to
adjacent transmission lines.
Equipment Testing
The new equipment is extensively
tested before the substation goes
on line to serve customers. This
step ensures the facility will operate
safely and reliably for years to come.

R E S T O R A T I O N
Energization and
Site Restoration
Upon completion of construction
and testing activities, the
substation is energized. All
disturbed or exposed areas outside
the fence line of the facility are
re-vegetated and seeded to establish
a ground cover and protect the soil
from erosion. The final landscaping
includes planting more than 190
trees and shrubs.
Post-Construction Operation
Most substations are not staffed
once they are placed in operation.
Technicians may visit the facility
on a regular basis to perform
routine maintenance and monitor
its operation. Most new facilities
use motion-sensor or other lighting
at night for security and safety
reasons.

Westport Winter Wonderland 2

Wed, 2 Feb 2011 00:46:23 -0500

More pictures of Westport under the white blanket of winter. (Thanks to Ron Vigars and Anne Hamonet)

Westport Winter Wonderland

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 09:35:13 -0500

The snow is high, it’s hard to keep the driveways clear and ice-free, and when are the kids ever going to go to school!
Here are some Westport pictures to get you through the season. (Thanks to Noah Johnson)

Gone South for the winter!

Summary of minutes from Board Meeting 1/11/11

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:50:41 -0500

Obituary of Maxfield "Mac" Gibbons

Mon, 3 Jan 2011 16:32:43 -0500

Article from WestportNow.com

Maxfield S. Gibbons, 86
Maxfield S. “Mac” Gibbons: worked to preserve Westport’s residential character. WN file photo

Maxfield S. “Mac” Gibbons, a founder of Westport’s Green’s Farms Association, died Dec. 30 at his home in Greenwich. He was 86. The cause of death was melanoma, according to his family.
He was born Feb. 17, 1924 in Wilkinsburg, Pa. to the late George Rison Gibbons and Helen Lewis Maxfield and grew up in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
Mr. Gibbons graduated cum laude from The Choate School, and from Yale University as a member of the class of 1945W (the ‘W’ signifies an accelerated class that Yale produced during World War II that completed four years of study in three years).
Following college, Mr. Gibbons worked briefly as a cub reporter for the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph before joining the advertising agency Ketchum, McLeod & Grove as a copywriter.
In the early 1950s, he was assigned to open its Manhattan headquarters and promoted to vice president. It was in New York that he met his first wife, Anne. They were married in 1952 and divorced in 1976.
In 1957, he moved to Westport to raise a family.
After leaving Ketchum in 1963, Mr. Gibbons was a founding partner in the creative agency Avery, Hand & Company. Avery, Hand produced extremely high quality reproductions of historic documents and models of early mechanical inventions for numerous corporations.
Mr. Gibbons sold his interest in the firm in 1969 and again changed careers, this time joining the brokerage house Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith as a retail trainee.
He was well known in the firm for his success at developing trading strategies in stock options that produced strong returns for his clients during the lackluster market years of the 1970s. Mr. Gibbons retired from Merrill in 1984.
In 1970, Mr. Gibbons, along with Richard Sussman, founded the Green’s Farms Association – a neighborhood watchdog group that was devoted to preserving the residential character of the town.
They were very successful in keeping commercial growth on the Post Road and out of residential areas, and in reforming the town’s antiquated zoning regulations. He remained on the GFA as a board member emeritus until his death.
In 1977, Mr. Gibbons met his second wife Sally Knott Raynor. They were married in 1978 and settled in Greenwich.
In the Greenwich community, Mr. Gibbons was an activist for preservation of historic buildings, most notably saving the Tomes-Higgins house from the wrecker’s ball in 1999. He was also president of the English Speaking Union, a group that creates global understanding through the English language.
Mr. Gibbons and his wife are also longtime members of Christ Church, and members of the Belle Haven Club in Greenwich, and the Gulfstream Bath & Tennis Club in Gulfstream, Fla.
He and his wife Sally were inquisitive and active world travelers, and Mr. Gibbons was a member of the Circumnavigators’ Club. He loved opera, salt water fishing, gardening, writing, history, playing the piano, and wintering in Florida. In his younger years, he was an accomplished skeet shooter and avid bird hunter.
Mr. Gibbons is survived by his wife, Sally, of Greenwich; his son and his wife Nathaniel and Lizz of Green’s Farms; his son Mark, of Westport; his son George of Manhattan, and his daughter Axie of Bridgeport. Mr. Gibbons also leaves a stepson, Nicholas Raynor of Alstead, N.H.; a stepson and his wife, Andrew and Andrea Raynor and two grandchildren, Catherine and Alex, of Rye, N.Y.; and a stepdaughter and her husband, Sarah and Tony Revak of Reno, Nev.
Services for Mr. Gibbons will take place at Christ Church, Greenwich on Friday, Jan. 7 at 11 a.m. A private burial will follow. The family requests that donations in Maxfield’s memory be made to the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, or to the P. A. W. S. animal charity.
Mac’s last meal was a piece of chocolate cake on Dec. 29, enjoyed surrounded by his family celebrating Sally’s birthday, singing in harmony and applauding. He died early the next morning.

Summary of minutes from Board Meeting 12/7/10

Tue, 7 Dec 2010 09:27:57 -0500

Green’s Farms Association Board Meeting
December 7th, 2010
Chiu Residence

Attendance, Board of Directors: Anne B, Ron, Frederic, Jeanine, Art, Bob, Lois, Birthe, Anne H

Guests: David Retzky, Judy Brown, Chris Grim (all presently living on Cottage Lane)

Also: Karen Kramer, who may be joining the Board to take over for dear Rene, joined us towards the end of the meeting.

1 -- Introduction of Board to Guests

2 -- Rene’s Memory Fund
Ron gave the receipt from [ ] for $[ ] to Birthe. Personal contributions from board members.

3 -- Cottage Lane
The Guests filled us in on what has been happening on their street, Cottage Lane. The owner of Roger’s Septic on the Post Road, Alan Tolley, also owns two 1/2 acre residential building lots behind his business. These lots abut Cottage Lane. They are empty except for some concrete sewer that are stored on them.
Alan is hoping to develop low income housing on the two residential lots. Cottage Lane is to serve as access road. Current zoning allows for 10 bedrooms per acre. The residents of Cottage Lane are worried about the influx in residents and traffic to their street.
Bob directed the Guests to confirm who owns the bed of the road, as it may be possible that the two lots owned by Alan Tolley do not have legal access. He advised the Guests to keep up with any files at P&Z relating to this situation and to supply us with copies. He also emphasized having a title search done before any P&Z hearings. Mel Barr, the developer, is very savvy in anomalies of zoning regulations.
Bob also warned that several people might be needed to come to a hearing so that the full story can be told as an aggregate of the 3-minute speaking slots available per individual at a P&Z hearing.
Chris remembers that if a certain number of residents are opposed to a project, the P&Z needs to vote 5:2 in favor to give the project the go-ahead.
Art suggested for the residents to spend time at P&Z, get to know the people and use the resources there. He also remembered a similar situation behind Fortuna’s Deli which it might be helpful to research.
Lois brought up the extent to which the developers of Nyala Farms had to make concessions because of neighborhood pressure. She suggested bargaining with the developer on items such as fences and plantings.

4 -- Deer Hunting
Art commented on the contentious scene at some town meeting recently regarding deer control in Westport. According to Ron, Dick “has had it” with this issue after some altercations. At this time, fruitful discussion seems to be difficult. To our knowledge, all other towns in Fairfield county have implemented deer management plans, and everybody here agrees we need one, too.
[To those who couldn’t help but notice the excellent shape the neighborhood deer are in: Ron is supplementing their diets with a balanced horse feed.]

5 -- West Parish
Art reported that there is nothing new going on.

6 -- Increasing Membership
All agreed that it is imperative that the newsletter go out ASAP to attract interest and, hopefully, new members for GFA.

7 -- Newsletter
Work on the newsletter will commence in January, and mailing is to take place sometime in February. The following items are planned to be included:
- A call for payment of membership dues for the calendar year 2011
- Karen Kramer will write an article on the state of construction at the CL&P substation by the Green’s Farms railroad station
- Art will contribute various current items
- John should write about how to deal with issues surrounding home owner’s insurance if you live in a flood plane.
- Ron finds the noise of leaf blowers on summer Sundays undignified (as do most of us.) Perhaps there could be an article exploring Green’s Farms’ future as a Quiet Sunday Neighborhood.
- Bob relayed that he was told by his wife that he is old enough for his memories to be qualified as ancient history. He will therefore write a historical piece on the Post Road’s long-gone restaurants.

8 -- Next Meeting: January 11, 2011, at Lois’ House

To close the meeting, Jeanine served cheese and wine, while Frederic played two wonderful pieces on the piano. One was by Chopin, and the other a very tricky piece [Troika from Lieutenant Kije Suite by Prokofiev] that he had adapted to the piano himself. What a beautiful ending to the evening. Thank you, Frederic! And many thanks to Jeanine, too!

Summary of minutes from Board Meeting 11/2/10

Tue, 2 Nov 2010 19:00:25 -0400

CL&P
Asked to see if there was any feedback on the sub-station construction – none but we will have to monitor their compliance with the landscaping plan once they complete the equipment.
More discussion on power outages, generally agreed we need to get more proactive on this somehow. Karen can help. Karen
Said she is willing to write up an article for the newsletter to document how to contact CL&P and advocate.

Newsletter
Great suggestion by Bob Scholl – mail the newsletter to all town public officials.
Title the President’s section – “From the Wishing Well”. This references the wishing well that is on the Nyala Farms property, which the GFA has significant influence on the building construction (underground parking) and the preservation of the wishing well that is out in the field.

Friends of West Parish
The management plan is close to completion and will be published by the HDC. Time is coming soon to have the FWP
really step up to organizing for execution.
It was suggested to approach the owners of the Nyala Farms building for donations.

P&Z
Amendments 620 and 618 – coverage and affordable housing. Decision was to continue to monitor. There are plenty
of advocates for positions similar to ours.

CL&P Sherwood Substation Progress Report

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 12:14:48 -0400

Communication from Chris Swan of CL&P:

“By way of an update, we just mailed a letter to residents in the immediate area of GFA, announcing the start of work, this week, at our site. That letter was mailed to about 350 residents, in the Beachside Avenue, Greens Farms Road, Turkey Hill Road, Maple Lane, areas, plus side streets. Additionally we gave copies to the Greens Farms Post Office to distribute to their approximately 360 boxholders. Our letter contains our 800-793-2202 general project info number and also contains our website for info - www.transmission-nu.com <www.transmission-nu.com> .

During a weekly project construction update today, I can report the following:

* a Westport off-duty Police officer will be on site starting tomorrow for perimeter security and traffic duty

* our contractor, Stone, from Southbury, CT, was on site late yesterday, dropping off a piece of excavating equipment, and today started to install siltation screening and perimeter security fence around the outside of our property facing New Creek Road

* Westport Fire Department had requested use of the existing house to conduct practice rescues - (NOT involving any fires being set!) They have been conducting these practices and may also tomorrow and Thursday - this was requested by the town. We customarily offer this to towns when we have a house being demolished. The demolition permit has been issued and the demo is likely to take place sometime next week(week of Sept. 20 to 24).

* some tree removal may begin away from the railroad tracks tomorrow and Thursday, continuing into next week

* excavation and removal of soil is likely to begin the week of September 27, following demolition of the house on site

Thanks.
Chris Swan”

Summary of minutes from Board meeting 9/14/10

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:18:27 -0400

1. Memorialize Renee Corcoran – a lot of great sharing about Renee’s contribution and her life. We all miss her! After discussion we opted to take up individual board member donations that Ron would send to the charity selected by her.

2. Friends of West Parish – there is a HDC work session to review progress on the consultant’s property management report on September 21st at 10AM, Room 102.

3. Greens Farms CL&P substation – construction work will begin shortly. Chris Swan has a more extensive notification mailing list to keep a broader set of neighbors informed. (link here and here to find latest communications)

4. Flood map changes – John reviewed what he had to do to manage how the map changes impact his homeowner flood insurance. This would be a great article for the next newsletter to inform our members.

5. Blight – the two properties on Hillandale are now being mowed.

6. Paving – a letter needs to be sent to Steve Edwards about Morningside South based on input from a neighbor. With the federal funding award this should help move this further up the priority list.

7. P&Z amendments #620 and #621. The public notices are very hard to ‘decode’ and that feedback needs to be provided to the P&Z and staff. Art will present at the next P&Z meeting. Generally it appears that #621, property coverage, is in line with GFA position on limiting development, but more clarity is needed comparing the old regulations to the revision. Click here to find the text of the amendments.

8. Post office – there was some discussion about how to investigate the latest planning by the Post Office about the Greens Farms location. We would rather head it off instead of waiting to react. I did not know if anyone volunteered to investigate this.

9. Newsletter – everyone needs to think about potential articles for the next newsletter. The new FEMA flood map issue would be a good one.