Members of the town’s planning and zoning commission Thursday explained why they want to use money from the state to commission a study of suitable spots for affordable housing along the Route 67 corridor.
The study’s findings could lead to a new affordable housing regulations that could preserve the town’s rural character while protecting it from developer’s lawsuits, commission members said.
Planning and zoning chairman Vinny Vizzo opened the special meeting at the high school by saying the town is currently in litigation with developer Garden Homes Management Corp., who was denied an application to build affordable housing in an industrial zone two years ago.
Vizzo said the case is in appeal because the town currently does not have any existing regulations on affordable housing developments.
He said that with state regulations and mandates that encourage affordable housing for economic growth, it is difficult for towns when applications come through planning and zoning commissions for those projects.
“Town’s don’t have much of a leg to stand on without zoning regulations,” he said.
Vizzo said to date the town has spent approximately $268,000 in legal fees and is currently awaiting a court decision.
In order to help the situation, the town applied for and received a $50,000 Technical Assistance Grant from the Office of Policy Management (OPM).
Vizzo said the funding would pay for the study along specific areas of Route 67 and the writing of new regulations, if necessary.
“This is so the (planning and zoning) commission could have a little more bite when the next application for affordable housing comes along,” he said.
Vizzo said through the study, commission would be able to “control a lot of things” through regulations, such as traffic flow, parking and architectural design.
Planning consultant Brian Miller of The Turner Miller Group said the state grant is for the study of the area in conformance with smart growth principles, incorporating the interaction of residential, commercial and retail uses.
Miller also defined the difference between “affordable” and “low income” housing. He said prospective buyers into the affordable housing developments would have to be employed and qualify for a mortgage.
Miller explained that developer would be required to have 20 percent of development be affordable while the other 80 percent is unrestricted.
In addition, the guidelines to qualify for affordable housing would require a household to be within 80 percent of Oxford’s median income level of $85,700 requiring an income of $64,000.
Miller said this would be ideal for town employees or teachers who may not be able to afford $500,000 or $600,000 for a house in Oxford.
“We are not talking about low income housing, we are talking about workforce housing,” he said.
Ed Carver, a resident since 1983, is opposed to the concept of high-density housing. He said the rural character is why he and other residents chose to live, work and raise their children in Oxford.
“The reason we should fight this is because of the quality of life,” he said.
Vizzo said the public is invited to participate at planning and zoning commission meetings and public hearings on the study and regulation changes.
For more information, visit www.oxford-ct.org.
