Residents present pre‑application for plunge pool at 776 Pequot Avenue; commission flags visibility and setback issues

Sean Dweck, the homeowner of 776 Pequot (referred to in meeting materials also as Peacock) Avenue, described a proposed 8‑by‑10 plunge pool and a nearby equipment pad during a Jan. 29 pre‑application to the Fairfield Historic District Commission. Dweck said the property sits opposite a preserved area near the Pequot library and that he has been at the house for four years.

Dweck said he has had preliminary conversations with town planning, engineering and building officials and that the town’s guidance suggested a 40‑foot setback from Pequot Avenue. "It looks like we will be within that," he said, while noting his measurement was a rough estimate and that he will submit surveyor and pool‑engineer drawings to confirm whether a variance will be required. He added that the pool would be set into the ground and that three patio steps would be preserved so the pool would not be raised above grade.

Commissioners focused on visual impacts and fencing. Members noted that if the pool were screened by a solid fence it would not be visible from the right of way and, in that case, the commission’s review would focus on the fence itself. Commissioners asked whether evergreen screening currently along Pequot would be considered: staff reminded the group that the commission cannot rely on existing vegetation when judging visibility and style. A commissioner said typical zoning restraints for pool safety include a four‑foot protective barrier for children; Dweck replied the pool company and designers would confirm the specifics.

Dweck also told the commission he had previously paid for a fence installation that did not meet historic‑district expectations and called that a costly lesson: "That that that was a $5,000 mistake on my part," he said. Commissioners encouraged the applicants to consult the Historic District handbook, refine fence proposals to be more "decorative" and in keeping with the neighborhood, and return with professional survey and engineered drawings. The commission offered that the applicants may submit another pre‑application if they want further preliminary feedback before a formal filing.

Next steps: Dweck said he will obtain surveyor and pool‑engineer measurements, work with a landscape architect and pool designer to create options for screening and fencing, and return with revised plans. No permits or formal approvals were granted at the meeting.