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Record of Proceedings

Zoning Board Meeting - February 27, 2024: Affordable Housing, Pacific House Approval, and Map Change

Zoning Board — Tuesday, February 27, 2024
BodyStamford, Connecticut
SessionZoning Board
DateTuesday, February 27, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:08

So Ralph, you did you bring Vanita up to date on what's going on with Pacific House application?

0:15

Yes, I did.

0:17

Okay.

0:31

I'd like to welcome everyone and call tonight's meeting to order.

0:36

Um this is the zoning board.

0:39

The date is February 26, 2024.

0:43

I am David Stein, chairman of the board of the zoning board.

0:49

And um the members of the board and staff are holding tonight's meeting by Zoom video conference, and the public is in attendance both on video conference and by teleconference.

1:03

Oh now I did it.

1:08

Um first I'd like to uh call the role.

1:12

Um Bill Morris here.

1:16

Roseanne McManus.

1:18

Here Smith Anderson.

1:22

Here.

1:24

Uh Ralph Blessing.

1:26

Present.

1:27

Anita Matter.

1:29

Here.

1:30

Okay, we have a quorum.

1:33

Um the uh during tonight's meeting, the board's mics will be open throughout.

1:40

Applicants' mics will be open during the public hearing for their application.

1:44

However, I would ask the applicants to please mute their mics for not speaking in order to reduce background noise.

1:51

The first part of tonight's meeting is the public hearing.

1:54

Actually, it's it's the second part after the presentation, um, during which the public will have an opportunity to speak.

2:01

Each member of the public will be muted until it is your turn to speak.

2:05

Here's the procedure for the public to let us know that you would like to speak.

2:10

If you came through Zoom, please use the raise your hand function, and you will be unmuted when it's your turn to speak.

2:17

If you called in on one of the telephone conference call phone numbers, press star nine, and that will raise your hand and then press star six to unmute when you have fall done.

2:31

When members of the public speak, please state your name and address for the record and whether you are in favor of or opposed to the application.

2:40

The board requests that members of the public limit your comments to three minutes so that everyone will have a chance to speak.

2:47

Tonight's meeting is being recorded and will be posted at the zoning board's website.

2:53

You can find the agenda for tonight's meeting and the meeting materials and applications by going to our website at www.stamford ct.gov slash zoning.

3:07

Um and now the first item on tonight's agenda is a presentation from Jonathan Gottlieb, who is president of Ripplewam Corporation Charter Oak Communities.

3:21

And Jonathan will be speaking to us on affordable housing needs and sources of financing for um nonprofits which are seeking to build affordable housing.

3:33

So uh Jonathan, thank you for being here tonight and uh welcome.

3:39

Thank you very much.

3:40

I I appreciate the invitation and the opportunity.

3:43

Uh Vanita had sent me uh a few items that she thought it would be helpful to go over.

3:49

So um we'll do that.

3:51

I'm going to try to speak quickly to leave as much time as possible for members of the board to ask questions or make comments.

4:00

First item uh that Venita asked me to talk about was the COC Charter Road Communities wait list.

4:07

If it's possible, Vinita, to put up that uh table that I sent you.

4:12

That would be great.

4:13

Um what we did was to look at the 50 and 60 percent of the area median incomes by household size, since that's how affordability is typically calculated, and it's on those 50 and 60 percent of AMI figures that the on-site BMR rents are typically calculated to be affordable to those levels.

4:41

So we wondered what how many people on our waiting lists at COC had incomes of that level.

4:50

And we looked at one bedroom, two bedroom, and three bedroom um waiting lists.

5:00

Another thing we found from doing that that's relevant to the discussion about the off-site fee and loo units versus on-site BMR units, is that the majority of our waiting list is made up of two and three bedroom households.

5:15

The one bedroom households, more typically found in the on-site BMR units, uh comprise a somewhat smaller number.

5:23

Um of the interesting things was to look at the average income.

5:28

Thank you, Vanita, of folks on the waiting list.

5:32

And what we found was that for the one bedroom list, and this is the non-elderly list, no senior applicants.

5:41

This is just uh non-elderly households, the average income of the folks on the waiting list was 21,540.

5:52

So that's about 18% of the one person AMI, which um, if you had the chart up in front of you, you'd see in the upper left, um, the one person at 50% AMI is $60,000.

6:11

So the average income on our waiting list is less than half of that.

6:16

And I thought, well, wouldn't it be interesting to see how many of the folks on the waiting list have incomes at that level?

6:22

And the number was five out of 519.

6:27

So the same pattern continues, two bedroom units, and this is our largest category by far, 1,225 households, average income compared to the three-bedroom uh income at 50% of the AMI, which is 77,100, our average income for two bedroom applicants is 36,820, which is only about 27% of the three-person AMI.

6:59

And we had 11 people out of 1,225 that had incomes that would enable to pay the rent that is could be charged even at 50% of the AMI in an if you had a two-bedroom on-site BMR unit.

7:16

And the pattern continues with the three bedrooms, it's it's uh pretty much the same.

7:22

And to save time, I won't go into those details, but just to say working class people who make Stanford run, they can't afford these on-site BMR units.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████45%
Zoning█████████████████████████25%
Community Engagement███████7%
Procedural██████6%
Public Engagement███3%
Homelessness███3%
Historic Preservation███3%
Urban Design██2%
Parking██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Zoning Board Meeting - February 27, 2024

(Note: The meeting was held on February 26, 2024, per the chair's opening remarks. The date in the title reflects the provided timestamp of 2024-02-27 12:45:00+00:00.)

The Zoning Board of Stamford, Connecticut, convened remotely via Zoom on the evening of February 26, 2024, under Chair David Stein. Board members present included Bill Morris, Roseanne McManus, Smith Anderson, Ralph Blessing, and Anita Matter, establishing a quorum. The agenda featured a presentation on affordable housing finance by Jonathan Gottlieb of Charter Oak Communities, followed by public hearings on two applications: an 18-unit deeply affordable housing project at 66 Stillwater Avenue and a zone map change at 74 Broad Street. The meeting concluded with administrative approvals and discussion of upcoming items.

Public Comments & Testimony

66 Stillwater Avenue – Pacific House Inc. & Micah Development Co.

  • Jason Jaramello (104 Richmond Hill) spoke in favor, sharing his personal story of homelessness and how Pacific House changed his life. He is now an outreach worker for them and asked for approval.
  • Angelo Bochanis (545 Bedford Street) spoke in favor, noting the shortage of affordable housing and the suitability of the site near transit.
  • Russell Davis (127 Guinea Road, property owner in the corridor) opposed the project, arguing that it would oversaturate the Stillwater corridor with deeply affordable housing (67 units including Pacific House's other nearby project) and expressed concerns about management and neighborhood conditions. He preferred mixed-income development like Charter Oak's 40% market-rate model.
  • Cynthia Bowser (30 Rose Park Avenue) opposed, citing safety issues, concentration of affordable housing on the West Side, and the need for comprehensive planning. She also criticized the lack of community engagement.
  • Tony Lupinacci (33 Fabin Lane, representing Polis Restaurant) opposed, reiterating concerns about the concentration of such housing and the potential negative impact on the neighborhood and his business.
  • Francis Lane (40 Clinton Avenue, public trustee on the affordable housing trust fund board) spoke in favor, advocating for more deeply affordable housing and better coordination between the trust fund and the zoning board. He encouraged Pacific House to work on neighborhood issues.

74 Broad Street – GBR Broad and Summer LLC & Rubford LLC (Map Change)

  • David Kooris (Stamford Downtown) supported the map change as a straightforward correction to unify a split-zoned property, enabling future high-density development consistent with downtown plans.
  • Angelo Bochanis (545 Bedford Street) supported, noting the scaffolding is an eyesore and he looked forward to redevelopment and a wider sidewalk.
  • Kathy Klicker (21 Friar Tuck Lane) supported but raised concerns about library parking, urging coordination to address the shortfall.
  • Cher Harper (Ferguson Library, Director of Administrative Services) supported the re-zoning and expressed hope for a partnership to provide parking for the library.

Discussion Items

Presentation by Jonathan Gottlieb (Charter Oak Communities) on Affordable Housing Needs and Financing

  • Gottlieb presented Charter Oak's waiting list data: for one-bedroom units (non-elderly), the average income was $21,540 (18% of 50% AMI); only 5 out of 519 applicants could afford rents at 50% AMI. For two-bedroom units, average income was $36,820 (27% of 50% AMI); only 11 out of 1,225 qualified. He argued that on-site BMR units at 50% AMI serve a very narrow population and that off-site units funded through fee-in-lieu can be made affordable at 25% AMI, serving more families.
  • He detailed financing sources for nonprofit developments, using Lawn Hill Terrace III as a case study. The primary source is Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC), which for that renovation covered 32% of total costs. Other sources included federal historic credits, a first mortgage, seller loan, state and city capital funds, and fee-in-lieu grants. He emphasized the lengthy timeline (1-2 years for tax credit applications, plus additional time for other commitments).
  • Gottlieb urged better coordination between the zoning board and the affordable housing trust fund, noting that when developers propose fee-in-lieu contributions, the board lacks transparency on how the money will be used. He suggested that if the board had a clear pipeline of projects, it could make more informed decisions.
  • Board members discussed topics including site acquisition costs (typically 20% of project costs), the concentration of affordable housing on the West Side (80% of Stamford is zoned for single-family homes), and the need for homeownership options. Gottlieb noted that Charter Oak's developments on the West Side now include 40% market-rate units and have stabilized neighborhoods.

Public Hearing: Application 223-44 – Pacific House Inc. & Micah Development Co. (66 Stillwater Avenue)

  • The applicant was requesting site plan approval, coastal site plan review, and a special permit for an 18-unit deeply affordable residential building on a 0.27-acre site in the VC (Village Commercial) district.
  • The board reviewed updated plans including additional windows, a redesigned bike storage area, and dimensions of open space. The applicant, represented by Ray Mazzeo, addressed public comments, noting that Pacific House has been a good neighbor and revitalized properties in the area. Rafael Pagan, representing Pacific House, acknowledged concerns about safety and management and committed to being a partner in the community.
  • The board deliberated on conditions, including a photometric plan for lighting, and ultimately voted to approve with conditions.

Public Hearing: Application 224-03 – GBR Broad and Summer LLC & Rubford LLC (74 Broad Street Map Change)

  • The applicant, represented by Rick Redniss, proposed changing a portion of two parcels from CL (Limited Business) to CG (General Commercial) to eliminate an arbitrary zone line that cuts through the buildings (the former Burlington Coat Factory/Caldor site and the library). The change would allow higher density (up to 2.2 FAR vs. 1.2) and greater height (150 feet vs. 75 feet), consistent with downtown master plan strategies.
  • The Planning Board had recommended approval, noting consistency with the downtown category. Library representatives expressed support and requested future parking solutions. The board noted that any future development would require a special permit and they would ensure parking coordination with the library.
  • The application was unanimously approved.

Administrative Review: Application 222-04 – Correction of BMR Obligation (18 Dock Street, 441 & 41 Canal, 50 John Street)

  • Staff explained that a calculation error had been made regarding the BMR requirement for the RHD district. The bonus FAR (up to 0.75) is not subject to BMR requirements, so the required BMR units should be 32.8 units instead of 39. The board approved the correction.

Key Outcomes

  • 66 Stillwater Avenue (Pacific House): Approved 4-0 with conditions including: consistency with plans; submission of open space/play equipment plan before building permit; affordability plan for 18 units at 50% AMI or less recorded on land records; 9 parking spaces for tenants; 4 Class A and 2 Class B bicycle parking; compliance with TTP, EPB, Engineering, Fire Marshal, and WPCA comments; photometric plan submission; street tree fee-in-lieu; and standard general conditions.
  • 74 Broad Street Map Change: Approved 4-0. The change unifies two parcels into the CG zone, enabling future mixed-use development with heights up to 150 feet and higher density.
  • Correction of BMR Obligation: Approved 4-0, reducing the required BMR units from 39 to 32.8 (rounded to 33) for the Dock Street/Canal Street development.
  • Next Meeting: Scheduled for March 5, 2024 (next week), featuring a presentation by Desegregate Connecticut, a public hearing on 1911 Summer Street, and an update on 302 Chippan Avenue (including possible executive session due to litigation).

Meeting Transcript

So Ralph, you did you bring Vanita up to date on what's going on with Pacific House application? Yes, I did. Okay. I'd like to welcome everyone and call tonight's meeting to order. Um this is the zoning board. The date is February 26, 2024. I am David Stein, chairman of the board of the zoning board. And um the members of the board and staff are holding tonight's meeting by Zoom video conference, and the public is in attendance both on video conference and by teleconference. Oh now I did it. Um first I'd like to uh call the role. Um Bill Morris here. Roseanne McManus. Here Smith Anderson. Here. Uh Ralph Blessing. Present. Anita Matter. Here. Okay, we have a quorum. Um the uh during tonight's meeting, the board's mics will be open throughout. Applicants' mics will be open during the public hearing for their application. However, I would ask the applicants to please mute their mics for not speaking in order to reduce background noise. The first part of tonight's meeting is the public hearing. Actually, it's it's the second part after the presentation, um, during which the public will have an opportunity to speak. 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 would like to speak. If you came 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 telephone conference call phone numbers, press star nine, and that will raise your hand and then press star six to unmute when you have fall done. When members of the public speak, please state your name and address for the record and whether you are in favor of 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. Tonight's meeting is being recorded and will be posted at the zoning board's website. You can find the agenda for tonight's meeting and the meeting materials and applications by going to our website at www.stamford ct.gov slash zoning. Um and now the first item on tonight's agenda is a presentation from Jonathan Gottlieb, who is president of Ripplewam Corporation Charter Oak Communities. And Jonathan will be speaking to us on affordable housing needs and sources of financing for um nonprofits which are seeking to build affordable housing. So uh Jonathan, thank you for being here tonight and uh welcome. Thank you very much. I I appreciate the invitation and the opportunity. Uh Vanita had sent me uh a few items that she thought it would be helpful to go over. So um we'll do that. I'm going to try to speak quickly to leave as much time as possible for members of the board to ask questions or make comments. First item uh that Venita asked me to talk about was the COC Charter Road Communities wait list. If it's possible, Vinita, to put up that uh table that I sent you. That would be great. Um what we did was to look at the 50 and 60 percent of the area median incomes by household size, since that's how affordability is typically calculated, and it's on those 50 and 60 percent of AMI figures that the on-site BMR rents are typically calculated to be affordable to those levels. So we wondered what how many people on our waiting lists at COC had incomes of that level. And we looked at one bedroom, two bedroom, and three bedroom um waiting lists. Another thing we found from doing that that's relevant to the discussion about the off-site fee and loo units versus on-site BMR units, is that the majority of our waiting list is made up of two and three bedroom households. The one bedroom households, more typically found in the on-site BMR units, uh comprise a somewhat smaller number. Um of the interesting things was to look at the average income. Thank you, Vanita, of folks on the waiting list.

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