Yale Vs. Short Beach Hearing Abruptly Halted

UPDATE — Yale University faced off against the Civic Association of Short Beach (CASB) Monday night at Orchard House as it sought an expansion of its sailing club in a residential area of this small seaside community. It was standing room only, outside and inside.

More than an hour into the meeting, Deputy Fire Chief Tom Mahoney unexpectedly appeared in the meeting room, which was filled to overflowing, and shut down the hearing. He said the crowd in the room exceeded capacity. Approximately 100 people jammed inside the small room, some standing, some seated and some seated on the floor. Outside there were another 100 lined up trying to listen through open windows. 

Barry Beletsky, the CASB president, said he made the reservation for a larger room in the same building. But upon arriving, he found it locked and resorted to using the much smaller community room.

The meeting was the first public hearing before the CASB to address Yale’s application for two special permits in the residential section of the Short Beach neighborhood. If approved, the University, which last year sought to purchase two properties across the way from the 50-year-old Yale Corinthian Yacht Club (YCYC) will erect buildings for residential and boat storage use. The sale of the two properties is contingent upon board, zoning and town coastal plan approval.

Yale Sets Out Expansion Plan

Before the disruption, representatives from the university presented their opening statements. Then several board members started the rebuttal, which centered on issues of corner visibility, maps designating internal parking spaces, a need for a traffic study and clarifying the zoning status of a business office on the property. David Gibson, the lead attorney for Yale, conceded the business office ​“is probably a mistake” and said it would be changed. 

Due to the abrupt ending to the meeting, residents who had organized a response were not able to present their views. The CASB announced Wednesday that the public hearing will be continued on Monday, July 14 at 7:00 p.m. at Branford fire headquarters, 45 North Main St. 

Gibson (pictured) opened the hearing with an outline of Yale’s plans, saying, ​“The emphasis is to make the Yale Corinthian Yacht club better, not bigger.”

Gibson was joined by other members of the university’s team, including Joe Hammer, an attorney; Stephen Brown, the assistant director of Yale planning; Peter Sammis, an engineer; and Zach Leonard, Yale’s varsity sailing coach.

Gibson told the board that the university does not intend to double the number of boats, as some residents claimed in a poster that circulated around the neighborhood in late June. In addition, he emphasized that the current programs will not expand. 

Also, the university will be required to conduct a coastal area review, which is overseen by the Branford Planning & Zoning Commission. This is the only part of the process that falls under the jurisdiction of the town and not the CSAB.

Brown told the board the proposed plans are in keeping with the character of the current dwellings. He acknowledged the rock outcropping present on the property, explaining that in the plans, the University has taken this into account and proposes building the boat storage structure ​“tucked right into the hillside” to make sure the building is an acceptable height.

The university also disclosed that the new plans would remove the existing boat shed on the current YCYC property, allowing for better site lines at the beach level. The proposed building would provide Yale with indoor storage for its dinghies. Various plans would shown to the board.

Brown explained that the storage building will not exceed 30 feet, which he estimates is the average height for other nearby two-story dwellings in the area.

Sammis outlined the current five nonconformities on the property that violate current setback standards. With the proposed property, Yale plans to reduce this number to one.

Gibson summarized the university’s view, saying, ​“We believe it will not only be a benefit to Yale, but an improvement to the neighborhood at large.”

This was not the sentiment of the majority of the residents, many of whom were wearing yellow stickers reading ​“No Yale Expansion.”

CASB Responds Swiftly

Beletsky led the rebuttal on behalf of the board, calling for further specifications in some parts of the application and raising several questions about potential violations of specific Short Beach zoning requirements. 

One of Beletsky’s main points focused on a section of CASB rules that state that a residential dwelling can’t be attached to a building that is used for another purpose. Beletsky also questioned the inclusion of a business office as a separate unit, when the CASB states that it can only be part of a residential dwelling.

The boat storage unit fails to meet this requirement because the University plans as submitted show building four rooms above the storage space, according to Beletsky. 

With regard to the university’s plans to alleviate traffic by creating a total of 11 parking spaces on the property, Beletsky called for a ​“more specific plan,” suggesting that a traffic study would allow board members to make more informed decisions. 

Overall, Beletsky questioned the ​“sufficiency of the information on the application itself,” requesting that Gibson and the Yale officials provide additional information.

For instance, Beletsky asked for further clarification as to whether or not the structure listed as R1 on the plans followed Short Beach regulations by sitting at least 25 feet from the corner.

Brown explained that the university will edit the application to include the exact measurements.

Board members raised concerns about the ecological impact of the project, because the storm drain area goes directly to the beach, where people swim. Others wanted to know about the increase in boat traffic, all issues that will require further study on a variety of levels. 

At this point, Mahoney entered the room, explained the fire hazard concerns (the room is expected to hold no more than 54 people) and asked people to file out. Beletsky stood to explain the why the association was meeting in so small a room. 

At the end of the meeting, a discussion was held on a date, time and place to continue the public hearing. The board agreed it would be held at the Branford fire headquarters.

The meeting adjourned. Outside the Yale team regrouped. 
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