Stamford Planning Board Regular Meeting & Capital Budget – October 8, 2024

The Stamford Planning Board met on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, at 6:30 PM via Zoom to consider routine approvals, a street discontinuance, multiple capital project closeouts and transfers, new capital appropriations for Cummings Park, fire apparatus, and the East Side Library, and to hear capital budget presentations from the Office of Public Safety, Stamford Police, and Stamford Fire Department. The board also approved the 2025 meeting schedule with minor revisions.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the minutes of the September 24, 2024 regular meeting (with an amendment to include a parking condition for 74 Broad Street) and the October 1, 2024 special meeting. Both approvals were unanimous (5-0).

Discussion Items

• License & Use Agreement – Boys & Girls Club of Stamford / Stamford Public Schools (347 Stillwater Avenue): The board approved a license agreement allowing the Boys & Girls Club to lease 4,262 sq. ft. of classroom space to SPS for the STEPS special education program at $3,700/month, including utilities and custodial services. Hours are Monday–Friday 7:30 AM–1:30 PM. The term runs through the 2024/2025 school year with auto-renewal. Approved unanimously.

• Proposed Discontinuance of a Portion of Garden Street (between Dock and Manhattan Streets): The board considered a modified recommendation from the Director of Administration. The modification allows the Office of Legal Affairs to negotiate an agreement with SMTG that includes a benefit assessment of $1,036,000, with a potential upside/downside sharing formula based on the future sale price of the development site. After discussion, the board approved the recommendation 4 in favor, 1 abstention (Prasad abstained).

• Capital Project Closeout and Transfer Recommendations:

  • Agenda Item 1: Partial closeout of Street Patch & Resurfacing (C56182) in the amount of $3,958,625 from bond funds. Approved 5-0.
  • Agenda Item 2: Partial closeout of 19 ARP-funded projects totaling $14,010,965.12, as these projects will not meet federal deadlines. Approved 5-0.
  • Agenda Item 3: Transfer of funds from ARP to bonds for 14 projects totaling $3,958,625, to cover ineligible costs. Approved 5-0.
  • Agenda Item 4: Street Patch & Resurfacing – switching funding source from bonds to ARP for $3,958,625. Approved 5-0.
  • Agenda Item 5 – Cummings Park (#001275): $2,585,341.12 for drainage, parking lot replacement, and entry circle improvements. The board noted that phasing has added approximately $3M in costs compared to doing all work at once. Approved 5-0.
  • Agenda Item 6 – Fire Apparatus (C63005): $3,200,000 to replace three frontline engines. The Fire Chief explained that seven front-line engines are overdue for replacement (NFPA recommends 15-year maximum). The new engines take about 2 years to build. Approved 5-0.
  • Agenda Item 7 – East Side Library (#001404): $4,300,000 (plus $700,000 from a separate ARP grant) to build a new 10,000 sq. ft. library branch on the site of the old Hunt Center on Portland Avenue. The library will serve a diverse, economically distressed area. Approved unanimously.

• Capital Budget Presentations:

  • Office of Public Safety, Health & Welfare (Lou DeRubeis):
    • Public Safety Complex Assessment ($500,000) – to advance architectural plans and studies for a new complex at 805 Bedford Street. The feasibility study confirmed the site can accommodate the needs.
    • Public Safety Cameras/Emergency Poles ($150,000) – to add 4 new blue-light towers with cameras, expanding the current 14 units.
    • Emergency Communications Center Restroom & Kitchen Remodel ($75,000) – to update original 1980s facilities and add a shower.
    • Vehicle Replacement & Upgrade ($1,735,000) – 20 patrol cars, 2 fire marshal vehicles, and a crowd control vehicle.
    • Short-Term Financing Items ($430,000) – includes critical infrastructure cameras, drone first responder program, medical trauma kits for police, fire hoses/ladders/equipment, mobile generator, and portable shower trailer for emergency shelters.
  • Stamford Police – Headquarters Infrastructure Improvements (Scott Duckworth): $225,000 to extend safety barriers at the firing range and upgrade the outdated target control system.
  • Stamford Fire Department (Chief Robert Morris):
    • Ladder Truck ($2,750,000) – replacement of the oldest (10-year-old) tower ladder, with a 4-year build time.
    • Command Vehicle ($300,000) – to replace a 15-year-old vehicle with water damage.
    • Personal Protective Equipment ($225,000) – to replace 50% of gear per contract (10-year shelf life).
    • Drill Field Storage Building – to provide covered storage for reserve vehicles.
    • Woodside Firehouse Repaving ($80,000).
    • Fire Maintenance Garage Lift Replacement – to replace a 50-year-old unsafe lift.
    • Tap Boxes – for pre-wired emergency generator connections.

• 2025 Meeting Schedule: The board approved the schedule with adjustments: September meetings moved from the 9th and 23rd to the 2nd and 16th to avoid Rosh Hashanah. No conflicts with Diwali (October 20) were noted.

Key Outcomes

• All capital appropriations, closeouts, and transfers were approved unanimously or with one abstention (Garden Street).
• The 2025 meeting schedule was adopted as amended.
• The board will continue capital budget deliberations in October and November, with a formal review on December 2, 2024.