By Ken Valenti

WESTPORT–A proposal to expand developers’ ability to build a residential project while locating the required affordable housing units on a site separate from the market-rate homes is back on the table. The public will be able to comment on the idea at a public hearing before the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday, Oct. 20, at 6 p.m.

Proposed on behalf of the developer of the 13-unit Gables project, 785 Post Road East, the request became the subject of contentious debate when the Planning and Zoning Commission met on June 30. The discussion was postponed and scheduled for the July 28 meeting, but the proposal was withdrawn by land use consultant Richard Redniss, who had submitted the request on behalf of the developer of the Gables. 

Redniss said the proposal gives developers and town planners an additional option when assessing projects.

“Now we’ve come back in with just a simple step one,” Redniss said. “Let’s just add this tool to the toolbox.”

The Gables property sits in an Inclusionary Housing Overlay District, which is a provision in the zoning code that allows greater housing density than would otherwise be permitted where a project is proposed. Developments built under the provision must include 20 percent affordable housing by square footage and total units.

The proposed change would allow some or all of those units to be created “off-site,” or in another location, at the P&Z Commission’s discretion. In each case, the Commission would have to determine whether  the affordable units would be “superior” to on-site units by weighing a number of criteria including location, amenities and the number of people served. Another criteria would be the “moratoria points” the town would accumulate toward the number needed for an affordable housing moratorium under state law.

Jim Foster, chairman of the town’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund Committee, said he saw the advantage of having the off-site option available, but that it should be employed sparingly. Ideally, affordable units would be created on-site, with the market-rate units. There may be a reason to locate them elsewhere, but only if it can be shown that the move would benefit the town as well as the developer.

“There should be a lot of questions,” he said, stressing that he was speaking only for himself as the commission has not taken a position on it. If off-site affordable units “becomes the norm versus on-site, I am not a fan of that,” he said.

The public hearing will be held remotely via Zoom. It will also be livestreamed on the Town’s website at www.westportct.gov and accessible on Optimum Government Access Channel 79. The link is published on the meeting agenda available on the town website’s “Meeting List and Calendar” page. Written comments may be submitted and should be sent to PandZ@westportct.gov by noon Monday to be distributed for consideration by members of the P&Z Commission. Written comments received after that time will be added to the record but will not be distributed until the next business day. Meeting materials are available at www.westportct.gov, on the P&Z Dept. web page under “P&Z Pending Applications & Recent Approvals.