OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Land Use and Urban Redevelopment Committee Meeting - February 19, 2026

Board of RepresentativesThursday, February 19, 2026
BodyStamford, Connecticut
SessionBoard of Representatives
DateThursday, February 19, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 49:02

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Everyone, I'm now calling to order the meeting of the land use and urban redevelopment committee.

0:06

It is 701 o'clock.

0:10

Today present with us, we have Co-Chair Price, Rep Politia, Rep Finkel, Rep Roudreaux, Rep Gardner, and Rep Adams, as well as ex-officio members.

0:27

We have Rep Walston in attendance.

0:31

Is there any uh members or ex officio members who I have not called your name?

0:40

Okay.

0:45

Now I'd like to uh take up the first item.

0:51

Uh this is item number one on the agenda, LU32.004.

1:00

That is the resolution accepting newly constructed Northridge Road as a city street under code of ordinances 214-32.

1:12

Uh, this was submitted by Northridge contractors.

1:16

Uh we have some invitees for this item.

1:20

Uh could you please introduce yourself?

1:23

Um IT.

1:26

Good evening.

1:27

Um good evening, Lou Chancellor, uh City Engineer.

1:36

Um, I'm joined tonight by uh the project designer, John Paglisi, and also the um developer's attorney, John Leiden.

1:47

So we are all here to um address any questions you might have.

1:51

Um I'd be happy to give you an overview of what you have before you tonight as item one, but I'll follow your lead, Chair.

2:03

Thank you.

2:04

Yes.

2:05

And so uh at this time I uh look for a motion to uh uh consider uh item LU32-004.

2:22

Motion to consider motion seconded.

2:25

Thank you.

2:26

Seconded from Rep Price, uh discussion.

2:30

Is there any uh representative who would like to uh start by asking any questions?

2:39

It'd be nice if they can just um explain uh what's going on well with this road and um the city taking over who would be responsible for will the city own the property or still owned by the private owners.

2:54

All right, thank you, rep Adams.

2:56

Uh would the invitees would one of you like to uh start on that?

3:00

Just give us a brief rundown of this item and uh the situation as well as the location in the city where this is.

3:10

Sure.

3:10

I'll give you a uh an overview, and uh if anyone else wants to jump in, I welcome that as well.

3:16

Again, Lou Castleau, city engineer.

3:19

Uh this property that we're talking about, or this road, Northridge uh drive, is uh located um in North Stanford.

3:28

It's located off of High Ridge, which Cascade Road intersects, and Cascade Road um leads to Northridge.

3:36

Uh it's right across from Michael Road.

3:39

Uh I'd like to give you a little overview of what has taken place here leading up to uh a request for your acceptance of this road uh per the ordinance.

3:50

Uh back in uh the summer of 2017, the planning board approved the uh subdivision application uh for the development project.

4:00

Uh subdivision maps were filed in 18, and building permits were uh obtained shortly thereafter in 18.

4:08

Um the work uh had begun, and um that's about when the pandemic hit a year later.

4:17

Uh so um I'm sure that had some impact on the progress of the project, but nonetheless, the project was uh completed.

4:25

Uh and as it pertains to this road, uh going back to the planning board's approval of the subdivision, it was approved as a as a public road.

4:34

That's very important.

4:35

So it was always uh uh approved as a public road.

4:40

It was designed as a public road to meet the city standards.

4:44

Um to comply with uh uh section 214 uh of the ordinance for the acceptance process.

5:00

Um my office is charged with uh certifying that the road was constructed in accordance with the standards of the city and the plans that were approved.

5:07

And uh we did that.

5:09

Uh we did that officially by issuing a letter in December to the um uh associate planner and land use, Lindsay Cohen, uh outlining all the things that were done uh throughout the process leading up to the certification process.

5:26

And at the end of the letter, based on the field inspections and review of the above reference documents, the construction of North Ridge Road was completed in compliance with the approved plan and specs and meets the city standards and is acceptable to the engineering department.

5:43

Um the final wearing course of the pavement was completed in June, and the roadway was substantially completed at that time.

5:51

Uh the applicant must submit uh a two-year maintenance bond and the amount of 15% of the performance bond.

5:58

Uh so we have no objection to acceptance of the road.

6:02

So that is a that is an important step in the process.

6:06

Uh following that, uh Attorney Leiden uh officially petitioned the road for acceptance to your board uh in a letter uh dated January 28th.

6:17

Um that's also a uh requirement of the uh process.

6:23

Um following that, um the the ordinance indicates roads constructed within the city may be accepted as city streets by the governing body upon petition thereof by the owners.

6:35

So Mr.

6:35

Leiden has petitioned uh your board for that acceptance.

6:39

Um the ordinance further goes on to say prior to acceptance by the governing body, such roads must be certified by the city engineer.

6:48

Um we've done that.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing████████████████████████████████████████40%
Engineering And Infrastructure█████████████████████████████████33%
Blight Remediation████████8%
Grant Funding███████7%
Procedural████4%
Public Engagement████4%
Building Permit Fees████4%
Summary of Proceedings

Land Use and Urban Redevelopment Committee Meeting - February 19, 2026

The Land Use and Urban Redevelopment Committee met on February 19, 2026, at 7:01 PM to consider two items: the acceptance of a newly constructed road as a city street and a review of a home rehabilitation assistance program. The meeting was chaired by Rep Hughes and included members Reps Price, Politia, Finkel (arrived late), Roudreaux, Gardner, Adams, Walston, Camparelli, and Beckham. The meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM.

Discussion Items

Item LU32.004 – Resolution Accepting Newly Constructed Northridge Road as a City Street

  • City Engineer Lou Chancellor presented an overview of the project. Northridge Drive, located off High Ridge and Cascade Road in North Stamford, was approved by the Planning Board in 2017 as a public road. Construction was completed and certified by the Engineering Department as meeting city standards. A two-year maintenance bond (15% of the performance bond) is required from the developer. Attorney John Leiden formally petitioned for acceptance. Rep Adams asked clarifying questions about city ownership and maintenance responsibility. Chancellor confirmed that once accepted, the road becomes a city asset, with the maintenance bond covering repairs during the first two years. The committee voted 7-0 in favor of the resolution, accepting the road as a city street. Rep Finkel arrived after the vote and was not permitted to vote on this item.

Item LU32.005 – Review of Owner Occupied Home Rehabilitation Assistance Program

  • Moira Sauch, CDBG Administrator, presented the program, which provides forgivable loans of up to $10,000 to low-income homeowners for quality-of-life and urgent repairs (e.g., roof, windows, hot water heaters, accessibility ramps). The program is funded by $100,000 from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and $50,000 from a blight remediation fund, totaling $150,000. Homeowners must meet HUD income guidelines (approx. $79,000 for single person, $113,000 for family of four), have lived in the home for at least 18 months, and maintain insurance. Contractors must be pre-approved and registered in SAM.gov. The city will pay contractors directly after homeowner approval and any required building permits (fees waived). Loans are forgiven after five years of continued occupancy. The blight fund can be used for exterior repairs (e.g., broken windows, damaged siding). Rep Adams, Rep Walston, Rep Price, Rep Boudreau, and Rep Politia asked questions about income limits, contractor bidding, payment timing, and blight enforcement. Rep Walston suggested moving oversight to the housing committee, but Sauch clarified the program remains under community development. No vote was taken; the item was for review and discussion.

Key Outcomes

  • Item LU32.004: Resolution passed unanimously (7-0). Northridge Road is accepted as a city street, with a two-year maintenance bond required from the developer.
  • Item LU32.005: No action taken; the program was presented for committee review and feedback. The soft launch is scheduled for the upcoming housing fair at Wright Tech.

Meeting Transcript

Everyone, I'm now calling to order the meeting of the land use and urban redevelopment committee. It is 701 o'clock. Today present with us, we have Co-Chair Price, Rep Politia, Rep Finkel, Rep Roudreaux, Rep Gardner, and Rep Adams, as well as ex-officio members. We have Rep Walston in attendance. Is there any uh members or ex officio members who I have not called your name? Okay. Now I'd like to uh take up the first item. Uh this is item number one on the agenda, LU32.004. That is the resolution accepting newly constructed Northridge Road as a city street under code of ordinances 214-32. Uh, this was submitted by Northridge contractors. Uh we have some invitees for this item. Uh could you please introduce yourself? Um IT. Good evening. Um good evening, Lou Chancellor, uh City Engineer. Um, I'm joined tonight by uh the project designer, John Paglisi, and also the um developer's attorney, John Leiden. So we are all here to um address any questions you might have. Um I'd be happy to give you an overview of what you have before you tonight as item one, but I'll follow your lead, Chair. Thank you. Yes. And so uh at this time I uh look for a motion to uh uh consider uh item LU32-004. Motion to consider motion seconded. Thank you. Seconded from Rep Price, uh discussion. Is there any uh representative who would like to uh start by asking any questions? It'd be nice if they can just um explain uh what's going on well with this road and um the city taking over who would be responsible for will the city own the property or still owned by the private owners. All right, thank you, rep Adams. Uh would the invitees would one of you like to uh start on that? Just give us a brief rundown of this item and uh the situation as well as the location in the city where this is. Sure. I'll give you a uh an overview, and uh if anyone else wants to jump in, I welcome that as well. Again, Lou Castleau, city engineer. Uh this property that we're talking about, or this road, Northridge uh drive, is uh located um in North Stanford. It's located off of High Ridge, which Cascade Road intersects, and Cascade Road um leads to Northridge. Uh it's right across from Michael Road. Uh I'd like to give you a little overview of what has taken place here leading up to uh a request for your acceptance of this road uh per the ordinance. Uh back in uh the summer of 2017, the planning board approved the uh subdivision application uh for the development project. Uh subdivision maps were filed in 18, and building permits were uh obtained shortly thereafter in 18. Um the work uh had begun, and um that's about when the pandemic hit a year later. Uh so um I'm sure that had some impact on the progress of the project, but nonetheless, the project was uh completed. Uh and as it pertains to this road, uh going back to the planning board's approval of the subdivision, it was approved as a as a public road. That's very important. So it was always uh uh approved as a public road. It was designed as a public road to meet the city standards. Um to comply with uh uh section 214 uh of the ordinance for the acceptance process. Um my office is charged with uh certifying that the road was constructed in accordance with the standards of the city and the plans that were approved. And uh we did that. Uh we did that officially by issuing a letter in December to the um uh associate planner and land use, Lindsay Cohen, uh outlining all the things that were done uh throughout the process leading up to the certification process. And at the end of the letter, based on the field inspections and review of the above reference documents, the construction of North Ridge Road was completed in compliance with the approved plan and specs and meets the city standards and is acceptable to the engineering department. Um the final wearing course of the pavement was completed in June, and the roadway was substantially completed at that time.

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