Public Hearing Scheduled On Proposed 204-Unit Apartment Complex In Fairfield

FAIRFIELD, CT — A public hearing of the Town Plan and Zoning Commission is scheduled for Tuesday to discuss a proposed 204-unit apartment complex at 4221 Black Rock Turnpike in Fairfield.

The project is being developed by Primrose Development, LLC, which is also seeking an amendment to the town's zoning regulations to allow for the complex in that area. One Way Associates owns the property, which it plans to sell to Primrose for the project.

Click here to view documents for the proposed development, which were initially submitted before Fairfield obtained a moratorium on affordable housing projects.

Under the proposal, 62 of the 204 units would be designated affordable through a 40-year deed restriction.

According to Primrose, when it submitted its application, Fairfield had 671 units that could be considered "affordable," or roughly 3 percent of the housing stock.

"It is submitted that the apartment building proposed is in a good location for both younger and elderly residents who seek a rental unit," the application reads.

The proposed complex, however, has its critics.

A petition with more than 850 signatures was launched in the spring urging the commission to deny the application, in large part due to its density in an already highly developed part of town.

The petitioners would like to see "independent, third-party reviews of traffic, emergency access, drainage, and environmental impact" on the area.

"We are not opposed to affordable housing," the petition's organizers wrote. "But Fairfield residents should not be forced to gamble with public safety based on developer-driven data."

Tuesday's public hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Regional Fire School, 205 Richard White Way.