It’s time that Ansonia faces its growing residential over-development problem.
The bottom line is that Ansonia does not need any additional residential developments. Our education system and public services are already stretched to their limits.
Increasing the population will have a negative impact on the quality of town services and unfairly increase the burden on our taxpayers.
Unfortunately, the recent proposal to build 23 new homes off of Castle Lane is just the latest of several major residential developments proposed in the last two years. Other proposals include the following:
- A 22 unit residential development on Hull Street;
- A “cluster” development of between 30 and 36 houses on Coe Lane between Farrel Drive and Fitzpatrick Drive; and
- A plan to build 55 one- and two-bedroom condominiums on Main Street.
Ansonia is in desperate need of a comprehensive development plan to combat over-development. Without a long-term strategy, Ansonia’s future will be dictated by the plans of out-of-town housing developers who have little interest in the overall success of our city.
It is imperative that we preserve what little open space we have left. How can we seriously talk about going “green” in Ansonia if we allow developers to devour the last wooded areas in town?
Additionally, we need to save space downtown for future business use. Attracting vibrant new businesses into our downtown area is one of the best ways to grow our Grand List and revitalize our economy. Allowing new residential developments on Main Street may very well become an impediment to future business growth. Further, there is no guarantee that condominiums on Main Street will remain at “market rate” in a flagging economy.
Our elected officials must take the initiative and chart a defined course for development. Ansonia’s future is too important to be left up to chance.
I look forward to discussing this issue with my fellow aldermen at our next meeting, to be held at 7 p.m. at Ansonia City Hall on Tuesday, August 9. I encourage Ansonia residents to attend and share their own thoughts on this issue.
Editor’s note: The writer is a Republican member of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen.
Agree 100% !!!!!!
I hope Marini’s fellow aldermen see things the same way.
Truman: I agree with you but, do you really think the rest of the board of alderman will follow in Marini’s lead? I think not.
Oh no Ramona, I’m not that crazy. I realize that if this topic was broached by the Dems then it would be open for discussion, but because it it Marini it will most likely get shut down.
These housing developments will go through if the builder has “connections” with an alderman, planning and zoning or some other local official. There is just some shady stuff that goes on from time to time in this town.
For example, the minutes from the June BOA meeting tell of a man who wants to run a gas line from the street (Prindle Ave) to his home so that he can purchase a more efficient furnace. He is not being allowed to do so because there is an ordinance which says you have to wait 5 years before you can dig into a street which has been paved. That’s a good thing.
HOWEVER, someone dug into that VERY SAME road the VERY SAME year that it was paved. The builder dug into the road by the baseball field near Platt and Prindle when they built 3 homes (on an interior lot none the less). I wondered how that could be so I asked around and come to find out the builders were actually tied in with a prominent lawyer in town. So the old saying “it’s not what you know but who you know” applies here.
So if these builders are in cahoots with local officials, Marini can talk about this til he is blue in the face and it will not stop it from happening.
Please run for Mayor, Alderman Marini! You seem to be someone who truly has Ansonia’s best interests in mind. I would vote for you! 🙂
I think this is the problem in both Ansonia and Derby….too many people living in too small an area. Both towns would benefit from reduced density with regards to housing.