Durham PZC to Vote on Housing Proposal Tonight

Durham's planning and zoning commission is expected to vote Wednesday night on a housing initiative recently proposed by First Selectman Laura Francis.

If approved, the commission would apply for a $20,000 grant offered through the Office of Policy Management's Housing for Economic Growth Program to explore "workforce housing" opportunities in the town.

"The grant will assist our community to study areas that would accommodate higher density or mixed use housing," said Francis. "It will also give us an opportunity to discuss the bigger picture – what kind of development should we or could we encourage."

Francis, who has encouraged the commission to apply for the grant, said there are two large pieces of commercially zoned property in Durham "that are empty but could be producing much needed tax revenue and services."

"We should not ignore the reality that we have very little housing for our youth, middle-income professionals and retiring seniors," she said.

In 2008, a similar effort was rebuffed by the commission after some members expressed concern over the town's water and septic limitations, as well as fear the grant would lead to mandates by the state.

Francis recently said there are no strings attached to the money, although the grant application deadline is April 1.

Francis said the potential benefits to Durham outweigh any requirements on the town. Other towns that have been successful using the program, she said, such as Old Saybrook, Hamden and Simsbury.

"Grand list growth is flat because we have had very little development of any kind over the last six years. This is a reflection of the change in demographics and housing needs as much as it is the state of the economy.

"Whether or not we apply for the grant, it is time to embark on a search to discover how our community can balance multiple priorities, needs and opinions, get development that most residents can be satisfied with and secure a more sustainable future," she said.

As part of the process, many towns have held community discussions to seek input from residents. (Watch attached video to learn more about the process)

"There is no silver bullet. A holistic approach is necessary. Now is the time to be proactive in order to protect our quality of life now and into the future," Francis said.

The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Durham Public Library.