Selectmen delay outdoor dining fees, advance historic house study
Board of Selectmen · Meeting of March 26, 2026
Greenwich selectmen postpone outdoor dining fees, back Hencken House historic study. The Board of Selectmen unanimously appointed the Historic District Commission as study committee to review 341 North Street, the Albert C. Hencken House attributed to architect John Russell Pope, for local historic designation.
Town Administrator Kate Buch and DPW Commissioner James Michel outlined a plan to sleeve the Greenwich Avenue outdoor dining barriers, raising per-restaurant fees roughly 10 percent to $7,148 or $6,716 depending on season length; the board delayed its vote to April 9. Selectwoman Lauren Rabin called speeding "the number one concern in our town" amid heavy resident email traffic on school-zone speed cameras. Assistant Town Attorney Laura McGeachy outlined a roughly $97.6 million national opioid settlement, with Greenwich potentially receiving about $20,000; a vote is expected April 9.
The board also confirmed four returning or new appointments to town boards and commissions, all unanimous.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 973 words
Source: the Board of Selectmen meeting of March 26, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
The Full Article
GREENWICH — March 26, 2026 — The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously Thursday to appoint the Historic District Commission as a study committee to consider local historic designation for the Albert C. Hencken House at 341 North Street, while pushing a decision on 2026 outdoor dining fees to April 9 so the town can explore covering the concrete traffic barriers used on Greenwich Avenue.
First Selectman Fred Camillo, Selectwoman Lauren Rabin and Selectperson Rachel Khanna, all present, also approved four board and commission appointments and heard a first read on a proposal for the town to join a roughly $97.6 million national opioid settlement covering six “remnant” pharmaceutical distributors.
The Full Story
Town Administrator and Chief Operating Officer Kate Buch told the board the outdoor dining barriers, in place since 2020, remain unpopular for their bare-concrete look. She recommended the board delay a vote on 2026 season fees so DPW could research options and give restaurant owners time to weigh in. DPW Commissioner James Michel said his department is looking at fitted sleeves that could slide on and off the barriers rather than switching materials, which he said would compromise safety. Michel estimated the sleeves would last about three years and would raise per-restaurant costs by roughly 10 percent, moving the town’s two proposed fee options from $6,572 to $7,148, and from $6,148 to $6,716, respectively. The two options differ only in end date: October 18 or October 4. The board will vote April 9.
“No, and I appreciate you looking at every possible thing that could go wrong, because sometimes they do go wrong.” — Fred Camillo, First Selectman
HDC member Andrew Melillo presented the request for the commission to serve as study committee reviewing the Hencken House, a Tudor Revival home attributed to architect John Russell Pope, who later designed the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Washington. Camillo thanked Melillo “for always researching everything,” and Rabin’s motion to approve the study committee passed unanimously, seconded by Khanna.
Assistant Town Attorney Laura McGeachy, filling in for Assistant Town Attorney Rosemarie Barretta, briefed the board on the proposed settlement with six regional opioid distributors and dispensers. The combined settlement provides a maximum of approximately $97,625,000 nationally, with Greenwich in line to receive a share based on the town’s 0.0225 percent allocation once distributed by the state. McGeachy said the exact town payout depends on how many eligible municipalities opt in ahead of a May 4 deadline, but estimated Greenwich could see roughly $20,000 if participation is high. The item, a first read, returns for a second read and possible vote April 9.
“The combined settlement provides for a maximum of approximately $97,625,000 for remediating and abating the impacts of the opioid epidemic, with Greenwich slated for 0.0225 percent.” — Laura McGeachy, Assistant Town Attorney
The board also heard updates on speed cameras in school zones, a recurring topic of resident emails. Rabin said speeding remains the top concern raised by residents and that she is trying to respond individually even as some messages appear to be AI-generated form letters. Khanna, who voted for the state law allowing municipal speed cameras while serving in the legislature, cited state data showing statewide traffic fatalities fell from 312 to 274 between 2024 and 2025, while pedestrian deaths rose 6 percent above the five-year average. Camillo said the town is pushing the camera vendor to extend the current 10-day appeal window and plans an April 20 public presentation by his office, the Department of Public Works and the Greenwich Police Department to address resident questions.
“Speeding is the number one concern in our town.” — Lauren Rabin, Selectwoman
A resident ADA grievance filed by Laureen Taylor was not taken up; Taylor had notified the town before the meeting that she wanted to wait until the April 9 meeting to present her case.
Why It Matters
The barrier redesign and fee decision affect the roughly 17 restaurants that used the outdoor dining program in 2025, which generated $110,640 in town fees that year. A three-year sleeve investment could reshape the visual identity of Greenwich Avenue heading into the May 22 season start. Separately, the opioid settlement vote, expected April 9, would close the town’s ability to pursue further claims against the six defendant companies while directing a modest but real infusion of remediation funding, overseen by the town’s Commissioner of Human Services. The Hencken House study, meanwhile, begins a formal process that could result in the second locally designated historic property on North Street in recent months.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Approval of minutes, Regular Meeting of March 12, 2026 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approval of minutes, Special Meeting of March 12, 2026 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Appoint Historic District Commission as Study Committee to review 341 North Street for Local Historic Property designation Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Appoint Ronald Carasella as returning member, Citizens Police Advisory Committee, term expiring Dec. 21, 2028 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Appoint Sam Romeo as returning member, Greenwich Communities Board of Commissioners, term expiring July 31, 2031 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Appoint Sarah Harris as regular member (R4), Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency, term expiring Oct. 31, 2029 Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Appoint Tom Broadhurst as returning member, Selectmen’s Nominations Advisory Committee, term expiring June 30, 2029 Tally: Approved unanimously - Action: Request for approval of 2026 outdoor dining fees — Continued to April 9, 2026 - Action: Request for Town of Greenwich to participate in National Opioid Settlement with Six Remnant Defendants (first read) — Continued to April 9, 2026 - Action: Board of Selectmen review of ADA grievance from Laureen Taylor — Continued to April 9, 2026 at Taylor’s request
Source
Greenwich Community Television: Board of Selectmen meeting, March 26, 2026