CT Patch Candidate Profile: Craig Schiavone For Planning & Zoning Commission

WESTPORT, CT — The 2025 election is heating up in Connecticut and there are plenty of races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Connecticut Patch asked local candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as election day draws near.

Candidate's Name:
Craig Schiavone

What office are you seeking?
Planning and Zoning Commissioner

What town do you live in?
Westport, CT

Campaign Website
https://all3forpz.com

Party Affiliation:
Democrat

Occupation:
Commercial Real Estate 35 years

Family:
Maxim Schiavone (33) Bryan Schiavone (30) Shana Handschumacher (32) Misha Handschumacher (36)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Previous public office, appointive or elective:
Yes. Co-Chair Saugatuck TOD Plan (Appointee) Downtown Development Committee (Appointee

Why are you seeking this office?
First, I am committed to our town and its future. I want to have a direct role in how our community grows, what gets built, and the suitability of where it is built. I believe that the Planning and Zoning Commission is the most impactful local board in shaping our town's future. In following, I am also interested in participating in the writing of the 2027 Plan of Conservation and Development that will shape land use and the environment for the next decade and ensure that development is compatible with our town's character and neighborhoods.

The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it:
Affordable housing is the most pressing issue facing our community. The path forward requires vision and balance. By planning for lower-density projects, partnering with developers willing to collaborate, and using town-owned land strategically, Westport can meet its housing obligations while protecting what makes it unique. The alternative—fighting unwinnable 8-30g battles—only weakens local control.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am aligned on most issues with my fellow Democratic candidates on my ticket this year. I have great respect for my Republican opponent, with whom I am co-endorsed by the Coalition for Westport as well as the Alliance for Westport.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?
(1) developing plans to Protecting our environment and mitigate flooding in our coastal and inland waterways. (2) exploring ways to improve traffic and pedestrian circulation, taking into account increased use of bicycles. (3) work with the State to advocate for a moratorium on the 8-30g statute so towns such as ours can take back control of our land use and development.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
My career spans the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. I have led and collaborated on complex real estate and urban renewal projects totaling several million square feet, blending visionary planning with the needs and priorities of the communities they serve. My ability to work with diverse groups, navigate complex issues, and communicate effectively—skills I believe will be invaluable on P&Z—is reflected in my ongoing service to the Westport community, including:
• Co-chair, Saugatuck Transit Development Master Plan Commission
• Member, Westport 2020 Task Force & Implementation Committees
• Gubernatorial Appointee, Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
• Mentor and Guardian ad Litem with Homes for Hope, Child Advocates of Connecticut, and Children in Placement
• Candidate for State Senate – Connecticut 26th Senatorial District

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?
It is not whether you fail, but whether you get up, go on, and learn from it.