Dear Neighbors,

 

As many of you are aware, the Town Plan & Zoning Commission held a Public Hearing on June 2nd regarding a special exception application for a four story, 96 unit apartment complex at 804 Fountain Street. Some 100 residents attended the hearing. Both the Woodbridge Land Trust and Woodbridge Park Association were approved as intervenors and presented expert testimony, in addition to that presented by the applicant. Some 30 residents offered comment, either in person last night or in writing beforehand.

 

The meeting can be watched here 

 

The Public Hearing will continue on Monday, September 2nd in the Center Gym. It is critical that you attend this follow-up meeting and voice your thoughts if you were unable to do so at last night’s meeting. Here are a few topics raised in the meeting: 

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• Our town’s fire chief listed detailed concerns about the ability to respond to an emergency in light of site and building design flaws.

 

• The Land Trust and Park Association experts pointed out significant problems with the proposed stormwater management system, on-site blasting, and other adverse environmental impacts.

 

• Residents raised concerns about the size and aesthetics of the development and its contrast with the surrounding residential neighborhood, traffic safety, school enrollment impacts, and town budget burdens.

 

• Residents expressed concern that only 12% of the apartments will be legally affordable, making almost no progress in our town’s affordability.

 

• Other towns have rejected apartment complex applications due to concerns about environmental conditions, and the size and nature of the structure, even where some of these structures were mixed-commercial and thus in a non-residential zoning district. 

 

• In September 2024, Greenwich denied a mixed commercial application including 30% affordable housing units, given concerns about the size of the structure, infrastructure concerns, stormwater drainage, and traffic/safety.

 

• In April 2025, Westport denied a mixed commercial application including 25% affordable housing units, with concerns about traffic and the size of the structure.

 

• In May 2025, Shelton accepted a revised application after the project was initially denied and affirmed at the Superior Court, where the new application includes 36% affordable housing and is limited to three stories and 30 units.

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