Contentious affordable housing measure moves to CT General Assembly, minus some of its controversy

Although the state Planning and Development Committee has legislation that would effectively mandate how municipalities offer affordable housing, one bill is without one of its more controversial portions.

As originally written, Senate Bill 1024 essentially would have required municipalities to allow the construction of mixed-use developments with at least four apartments within a half-mile of transit stations (the transit-oriented development, or TOD, option) or a quarter-mile of commercial corridors, designated as “Main Streets” ”“ without developers needing to seek approval from local planning and zoning.

That portion was removed from the bill by the committee; the bill now heads to the General Assembly for its consideration.

Speaking before the Greenwich Chamber of Commerce this morning state Rep. Kimberly Fiorello (R-Greenwich) ”“ a fierce opponent of the bill ”“ called the result “wonderful news,” in that it will still allow municipalities to decide for themselves whether to follow the TOD/Main Street provisions.

Another bill passed by the committee would prevent municipalities from turning down proposals that they judge are not in keeping with the character of a given neighborhood.

“They”™re not bad ideas,” Fiorello, who has maintained that local officials do not need help from the state in deciding how to zone, said. “They could be really valid ideas, (but) do they have to be mandates?”

Sara Bronin, the founder of Desegregate CT, a group that has been pushing for SB 1024”™s passage, indicated her group was pleased with the result while adding that the organization would continue to lobby lawmakers. She is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon.