By Ken Valenti
WESTPORT–Two Representative Town Meeting committees explored a proposal last night for Westport to join the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA), a statewide planning agency established to help municipalities develop vibrant, thriving areas.
In a three-hour meeting in Town Hall, the members of the planning and zoning and transit committees questioned CMDA Executive Director David Kooris about the benefits, the process and any potential hidden drawbacks of joining the quasi-public agency.
No downside
“There is absolutely no downside to taking the first step,” Kooris told them. The CMDA aims to partner with communities to create districts around train stations and in downtowns where it can help foster walkability, transit-oriented development and housing. Westport has three potential districts with two train stations – Westport and Greens Farms – and its downtown.
A vote to join creates no obligation for the town, but starts the process.
Decision “continued” to January
When the meeting wrapped up about 10 p.m., the committees had not come to a decision. Requesting more information from Kooris, they agreed to continue the discussion on a Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 5, 2026. If they approve the idea then, the full RTM would consider the proposal the following night.
Agency has $90 million
The agency has $90 million to spend over two fiscal years providing matching grants to municipalities, loans to developers and expertise from 17 consultants, among other measures.
“We (offer) a broad, diverse set of tools that can be mobilized in support of the particular challenges that an individual municipality is facing in achieving its objectives,” Kooris said. “Our role is to work with you all to better understand what you’re trying to be.”
Launched in August 2024, the authority began accepting municipalities’ applications to join in February. So far, 32 have signed on and 11 have reached Memorandums of Agreement (MOAs) with the agency to establish districts where they will work to foster development. In Westport, RTM member Kristin Mott Purcell, spearheaded the petition that started the discussion.
The Town of Westport decides how to use CMDA
If the RTM approves the proposal to join, the town makes ultimate decisions on what measures are taken. But first the CMDA reviews zoning in the proposed districts to certify that it is conducive to development. If the authority feels that the zoning impedes the type of development sought, it recommends changes that would be needed before a district could be formed.
Several town leaders and administrators attended the meeting, including First Selectman Kevin Christie, Second Selectwoman Amy Wistreich, Planning and Zoning Chairman Paul Lebowitz and Planning and Zoning Director Michelle Perillie.
At Wistreich’s prompting, Kooris said he would remain the town’s contact with the authority if Westport joins.
“I’m happy to make a commitment that I would be the direct point person,” he said.
School construction reimbursement available
The committee members asked a wide range of questions about the CMDA’s role. Kooris told them, for instance, that signing an MOA to create a district is one step that makes the community eligible for a 5% increase in school construction reimbursement from the state under the recently passed Housing Bill 8002.
Questions
When RTM P&Z Committee member Wendy Batteau asked Kooris about statements on the CMDA website that did not match what he was saying, he said he would send information about what changes have been made to the statute governing the authority that are not yet reflected on the site.
Members also asked him for a template or sample MOA and information on zoning changes made in other communities to pave the way for districts to be created. The members want to see the information before the Jan. 5 meeting. They also said they would have town attorneys look at the resolution they would vote on.
Peter Gold, a member of the RTM Transit Committee, and director of the Westport Transit District, asked why the vote must be taken now
As a hypothetical situation, he asked, “Why can’t we wait until we say, there’s a project that we want that we might need your help with, which is not going to be for six months?”
Kooris told him the $90 million could be spent by then, “and I won’t be able to help you.”
Ken Valenti
A career journalist and lifelong resident of the New York City region, Ken Valenti has enjoyed decades of reporting local, regional and national news in New York and Connecticut. Topics of special interest are development, the environment, Long Island Sound and transportation. When not reporting, he’s always on the lookout for the perfect coffee shop or used book sale.
Oh boy. Reading this made my tummy itch. Sure smells like trouble.
Despite the RTM’s appropriately cautious approach and Morley Boyd’s squeamish stomach, membership in the CMDA posed no risk and incurs no obligation. On the contrary, it makes available a wide range of expertise and services which can only benefit the town in its efforts to formulate and implement a rational system of land use regulation.
Had the CMDA been consulted on the Hamlet project for example, the outcome might have been different and an acceptable development plan lan for Saugatuck might well have been achieved.
I sincerely hope that the RTM will have the collective wisdom to take advantage of this important opportunity.
Uh oh. Our horse whisperer of urbanism thinks it’s great. I’m gonna trust my gut: this is just coercion with a smiley face. The State can find some other credulous sucker to slurp up its conditional pork; I’m pretty sure we can think for ourselves.
I was at the meeting and heard the Kooris presentation.
I agree with Larry here, that there is no risk to Westport to vote yes, to be part of this positive initiative. And it could lead to something good, including incremental state funds for Westport traffic improvement projects.
Notably, at $90 million, the state CMDA funding pot is NOT limitless. The longer Westport waits to opt in, the farther back in line we will be, and the funds could run out.
As was reported at the meeting, 32 Connecticut towns are already ahead of us.
Bad idea. State dangling money to get control. Westport can plan its own development. Can you imagine commercial development of Greens Farms Railroad Station area? State is hell bent to destroy all towns in CT. One big Co-Op city. Please vote no.
Hmmm… two potential Transit Oriented Districts with Greens Farms Road and Bridge Street linking them! Great opportunity for a freight corridor if CTDOT can quietly replace a traffic calming bridge with one that allows tractor trailers.
Mr. Kooris certainly did not persuade me that joining this “quasi government”agency is of any benefit to Westport. He stated that there were 32 towns in the process but nothing shovel ready in any, so no track record whatsoever to point to.He also said they have 90 million dollars from the state to spend , spread out among all these towns, which is not much money. He also repeatedly said Westport wouldn’t really join for the money but rather for their expertise (unproven at this point). This service would not be free but he couldn’t say what it would cost, as it would depend on what they do. Oh, ok. The initial discussions would not obligate the town, he said but once the contract is signed we could not back out. Then, when someone expressed concern about that he said that you can’t back out but there are “off ramps”. Huh? He spoke about walkability via sidewalk installations and refurbishing areas of town like Saugatuck. My comment to him was that he seemed to be a middleman for hire which seems an unnecessary expense. We don’t need CMDA to tell us we might want sidewalks, which we already knew.
It would be useful to explore the “No risk” aspect of joining this group. If the RTM votes yes for the exploratory first step can then then vote no prior to the contract commitment. Or is it then out of their hands, with other,more Hartford urbanization minded town politicians calling the shots. Also, if a contract that can’t be backed out of and unknown costs and unknown results are problematic (as they should be), the vote should be No. Mr. Kooris reminded us at the meeting that we are behind these other 32 towns so don’t count on any money at all, just his, so called expertise. BTW, I looked him up on line and was concerned about past collaborations with the state.