Ridgefield Selectpersons Advance Public Safety Building Vote

RIDGEFIELD, CT — The Board of Selectpersons on Tuesday approved ballot language to put a $77.4 million public safety building proposal before voters this fall and heard a detailed presentation from Habitat for Humanity on potential affordable housing development. The meeting also included public hearings on ordinances ranging from e-bike restrictions to the creation of a housing trust fund.

Public Safety Building To Go To Voters

By a unanimous vote, the board authorized placing the revised public safety building plan on the Nov. 4 ballot. If approved, the town would bond $77.4 million to build a shared facility for police and fire departments on a wooded area at 36 Old Quarry Road.

First Selectman Rudy Marconi said the updated design lowers costs by about $8 million compared with the proposal narrowly rejected by 71 votes in 2023. “We listened,” Marconi said. “This building is a forever building, and it will provide the future needs of this town.”

Project manager Jake Muller said the redesign raised the building site to reduce excavation costs, eliminated a parking deck, and trimmed the building’s footprint while maintaining operational needs.

Police and fire chiefs said the combined facility would allow departments to coordinate training and response more effectively. “We are better together,” Police Chief Jeffery Kreitz said, urging residents to attend upcoming public information sessions.

Several residents asked about traffic safety on Quarry Ridge, the financial impact on property taxes, and whether the building would include renewable energy systems. Officials said details would be addressed at the informational meetings before the referendum.

Habitat for Humanity Outlines Housing Plans

Earlier in the evening, Housatonic Habitat for Humanity presented its interest in developing up to six affordable homes on Halpin Lane. Executive Director Kristin Kyle said the nonprofit, which began in Ridgefield in 1991, has never built in town despite decades of projects across western Connecticut.

Habitat’s program serves households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income. Candidates include teachers, health care workers and administrative employees who cannot afford local housing costs.

Buyers would pay mortgages capped at 30 percent of household income and complete financial literacy programs and sweat-equity construction hours. Habitat also places a “silent second mortgage” on homes to preserve long-term affordability.

The board discussed possible town partnership options, including transferring land to Habitat, while emphasizing the need for zoning and environmental reviews. The Affordable Housing Committee voiced support for the proposal.

Ordinances Cover E-Bikes, Housing Trust, Roads

The board also held public hearings on four ordinances:

• Halpin Lane Lease Transfer: Nolan Properties seeks to assign its long-term lease for the Halpin Lane housing complex to Acadia Housing of Rocky Hill.
• Motorized Transportation Restrictions: A measure would regulate e-bikes and e-scooters on sidewalks and public pathways. Residents cited safety concerns on the rail trail and requested more enforcement and signage.
• Tertiary Road Definition: The update would broaden eligibility for neighborhood roads to receive capital improvement funding, eliminating a restriction based on the number of homes.
• Affordable Housing Trust Fund: The ordinance would create a dedicated fund to support affordable housing initiatives. Officials clarified it would rely on zoning fees, grants and donations rather than tax appropriations.

Next Steps

The ordinances are expected to move to a Sept. 17 town meeting. Meanwhile, officials will begin a series of public information sessions on the public safety building proposal at the Ridgefield Library and other venues ahead of the November referendum.