Op-Ed: Affordable housing is welcome and needed in Ridgefield, but the process should be fully transparent.

Affordable housing is welcome and needed in Ridgefield, but the process should be fully transparent.

At the October 21st Selectmen meeting, the Affordable Housing Committee Chairman requested that the Selectmen approve a request for a $30-$50K state grant for a feasibility study on a 150-unit affordable housing project.  

The purpose of a feasibility study is to understand all aspects of a project and identify potential problems that could occur while implementing the project. 

The 150-unit development would be situated on 15 acres of town-owned property between Prospect Ridge Road, Ivy Hill Road, and the Ridgefield Rail Trail.  

The initial proposal includes a hypothetical unit distribution of 60 affordable elderly units. It also includes 90 affordable (2-3 bedroom) family units with maximum state median income limits ranging between 40% and 80%. 

I voted against spending taxpayer money for a feasibility study on a proposed plan without input from residents.  

Before approving this study, we should form a citizens commission to study and recommend the highest and best use for town-owned property that reflects residents’ desires. Essentially, we should follow a similar process used when evaluating the Schlumberger property. 

There is also drafted legislation for the January session that may remove significant local control of zoning decisions. In essence, we may be looking at a completely different set of laws affecting our local control of zoning and land-use decisions regarding Ridgefield’s affordable housing. We should not embark on a 150-unit affordable housing project before knowing how legislators will vote on anticipated new zoning legislation.  

Let's not put the horse before the cart. It is in our best interests to tighten up the process, inform our residents, and wait to see what happens with the current draft zoning legislation. It's simply not the right time to start the biggest affordable housing project in Ridgefield's history.

 Bob Hebert, Board of Selectmen

 

R
Submitted by Ridgefield, CT

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