Stamford Zoning Board Meeting Summary - February 6, 2024
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Stamford Zoning Board Meeting Summary - February 6, 2024
On February 6, 2024, the Stamford Zoning Board convened via Zoom to discuss several applications. The meeting covered a coastal site plan review, a special permit for a deeply affordable housing project, and a special permit modification request. Key decisions included approval of a coastal application and continuation of the affordable housing project, while the board did not vote on the fee-in-lieu request due to applicant withdrawal.
Consent Calendar
- Approved Minutes: The board unanimously approved the minutes from the January 22, 2024 meeting.
Public Comments & Testimony
- 66 Stillwater Avenue Project (Application 223-44): Several residents voiced concerns and support.
- Russell Davis (127 Guinea Road) opposed the project, questioning why such projects are concentrated in this neighborhood and asking if other sites (e.g., Glenbrook) were considered.
- Sue Halpern (Elmcraft Road) supported the need for deeply affordable housing but asked about handicap accessibility.
- Kathy Kligler (21 Friar Tuck Lane) asked about laundry facilities, central air, rent amounts at 30-50% AMI, and the case manager's role.
- Francis Lane (40 Clinton Avenue) expressed general support, asked about ceiling heights, and noted the tight unit sizes.
- Cynthia Bowser (30 Rose Park Avenue) supported the project but urged that such projects be spread to other districts, noting District 5 already hosts over 100 units of nonprofit affordable housing.
Discussion Items
- CSPR 1175 (23 Rawlsy Road South): The applicant requested elevation of the existing single-family dwelling to meet FEMA floodproofing guidelines. Staff reported that engineering, EPB, Harbor Management Commission, and DEP had reviewed the application with conditions. The board discussed the engineering comment letters and noted a missing letter (October 11, 2023) that would be included in the record.
- Application 223-44 (66 Stillwater Avenue): Pacific House and Micah Development proposed an 18-unit deeply affordable residential building with a site plan, coastal site plan review, and special permit. Staff comments addressed roof line, cornice, windows, streetscape, fencing, and open space calculations. The board discussed the need for an affordability plan, handicap accessibility, and bike locker specifications. The public hearing was continued.
- Application 2223-2MOD (100 and 101 Clinton Avenue): The applicant (100 Clinton LLC) requested approval to change from on-site BMR units to a fee-in-lieu payment. Board members discussed various positions:
- Jerry supported a 50-50 split between on-site BMRs and fee-in-lieu, citing the planning board's recommendation.
- Roseanne supported a hybrid approach, noting the city's housing trust fund can finance deeper affordability.
- Chairman David Stein expressed openness to splitting, but also considered the potential of fee-in-lieu to create more units.
- Ralph (staff) noted administrative complexities of a split and pointed out that 50% AMI units are already common in market-rate developments, while below-50% AMI units are only achieved through fee-in-lieu.
- Vanita (staff) argued that fee-in-lieu funds can be leveraged by nonprofits to create multiple units, and that a split would complicate compliance.
- The applicant indicated via email that they would withdraw the request if a hybrid approach was considered. The board acknowledged the withdrawal and did not vote on the modification.
Key Outcomes
- CSPR 1175: Approved unanimously (3-0) with conditions.
- Application 223-44: Public hearing continued to February 26, 2024.
- Application 2223-2MOD: Applicant's request for fee-in-lieu was withdrawn; no vote taken.
- Next Meeting: Scheduled for February 26, 2024, with a new public hearing for 74 Broad Street (map change for Burlington site) and a presentation from Charter Oak on housing financing.
- Meeting Adjourned: Motion passed unanimously.
Meeting Transcript
David, I think we can get started. Okay, thank you. I'd like to welcome everyone and call tonight's zoning board meeting to order. It is 6 30 on February 5th, 2024. I'm David Stein, Chair of the Zoning Board, and the members of the board and staff are holding this meeting by Zoom video conference. The public is in attendance both by video conference and teleconference. First, I'd like to do a call of the role of the board and staff. Here. Jerry Bozak. Present. And myself, that's three members, and so we have a quorum. And for the staff, Ralph Blessing. Present. Here. So during tonight's meeting, the board's microphones will be on throughout. We will turn on the applicants' microphones during the public hearing for their application. However, I would ask the applicants to please mute their mics when not speaking in order to reduce background noise. Each member of the public will be muted until it is your turn to speak. Here's the procedure for the public to let us know that you want to speak. If you came in through Zoom, please use the raise your hand function and you will be unmuted when it's your turn to speak. If you called in on one of the Zoom uh telephone conference call phone numbers, please press star nine and this will raise your hand and then press star six to unmute when it is your turn to speak. When members of the public speak, please give us your name and address for the record and whether you are in favor or opposed to the application. The board requests that members of the public limit your comments to three minutes so that everyone will have a chance to speak. And you can find the agenda for tonight's meeting and all of the meeting applications and other materials by going to our website, which is at WWW.gov slash zoning. Oh, and going back to uh members of the public speaking. Um if you have a problem getting through, um please email Benita. Um and um she will um do whatever we need to do to um to let you speak. Umita's uh email address is V as in Victor, V Motur, M-A-T-H-U-R at Stamford C T dot gov. Um let's proceed with the meeting. Um the first item we have is application two two two-three two mod eight one hundred Clinton LLC 100 and 101 Clinton Avenue special permit. Um this application is continued from our last meeting on January 22nd. At that time, we left the record open only to receive a written response from the applicant regarding um their request to change from on-site BMRs to payment of a fee in lieu. Umita, did we receive the uh the response we had requested? Um yes, uh we received the response on the 29th of January. Um it's also posted in the meeting materials online. If anybody wants to look at it, um they can view it in the folder 400 Clinton. Um you should also receive it in your packages. Okay. Um thank you. I got an email. Oh, okay. Yeah, I think I think that was it. Do board members, do you have any questions on this on this response we'd received? No, Mr. Nothing from me. Okay. And I don't have any. So we are closing application 222. And going on to our next public hearing. This one is application 223-44, Pacific House Inc.
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