Linda Hanley waved a copy of the League of Women Voters’ housing study, while opposing plans to sell 10 acres of town-owned Schlumberger land to Toll Brothers. Renderings of the 30-unit project the firm plans were on display in front of the podium. — Macklin Reid
Ridgefield is in need of affordable housing, according to a new report by the Ridgefield League of Women Voters.
The report’s content was used to inform the group’s objection to the sale of 10 town-owned acres of former Schlumberger land to Toll Brothers for high-end condos — which goes before voters next Tuesday.
“Within Ridgefield there is little available land for future development,” the report concludes. “Developers have sought to build multi-occupancy units on property located in established residential areas.
“At times there has been a great deal of opposition from the community,” the report added. “Concerns were voiced about the impact of affordable housing on the infrastructure and social amenities of Ridgefield.”
The report called for more creative zoning techniques to create flexibility in addressing the need for more affordable housing.
“This study makes clear that there is a need in Ridgefield for housing that is affordable,” the report said. “The challenge is to address the need while maintaining the essential character of the town.”
The report’s conclusion also scolded recent development decisions for being “based solely on a ‘cost/benefit’ analysis approach.
“The regional economy surrounding Ridgefield is changing, and the town can help its local economy remain strong by approaching land use, housing, transportation, and economic development policy as inter-related and mutually supportive of a larger puzzle,” the review document read.
The state’s affordable housing law, 8-30g, defines affordable housing as housing for low- and moderate-income residents who don’t pay more than 30% of their income.
For the purposes of the report, the state’s median income of $69,519 was used.
If the land is acquired, Toll Brothers has announced plans to build 30 condominiums that will have a cost ranging from $650,000 to $700,000, which could rise in the future.