Council takes another look at building permit allocations

Planning Commission recommends pilot program of an
additional 20 permits for mixed-use development
by Bert Williams, Staff Writer
In the past decade Windsor’s population has increased from
16,073 to 24,496 residents, creating both opportunities and
challenges for the town’s elected officials. In recent weeks they
have revisited the town’s Growth Control Ordinance (GCO).
The topic was brought to the Town Council by the Planning
Commission on Sept. 17. The commission has received several
applications for mixed-use residential/ commercial development – a
concept favored by the council. But the GCO limits the annual
allocation of residential permits to 150, and those are already
committed to two developers for the next several years. As a
result, the commission has found it impossible to encourage
developers toward mixed-use.
The commission has now recommended a two-year pilot program that
would provide 20 permits for mixed-use development outside of
downtown.
The GCO was approved by the Town Council in 1997. With its
implementation, residential building permits dropped from several
hundred per year to approximately 170. Since an amendment to the
ordinance in October 2000, the allocation has been set at 150 units
per year.
There are exceptions, however. Special-needs housing and
affordable housing are exempt from GCO strictures, as is single-lot
development.
Priority waivers are available within the downtown area.
Building permits for Town Green Village – favoring mixed-use
development – have been issued under this arrangement.
In addition, there is a town-wide exemption for small
developments of four units or less, up to a maximum of 12 in one
year. Another exemption has permitted up to 10 units downtown each
year.
Town Planning Director Peter Chamberlin reported that, so far in
2003, 137 residential building permits have been issued and 96 are
pending, for a total of 233 permits, 41 of which are for affordable
housing.
The pilot program, proposed by the Planning Commission, would
allow 20 permits per year, over a two-year period, for mixed-use
development outside the downtown area.
The council did not reach complete accord on the Planning
Commission’s recommendation. Councilmem-ber Lynn Morehouse, citing
the existing exceptions, said, “I absolutely do not believe it’s
right to now approve another package of waivers.”
But Mayor Steve Scott, Mayor Pro Tem Debora Fudge and
Councilmember Sam Salmon favored the pilot program. “I support the
20-unit pilot project … and I know that we’re going to be in the
area of 200 units per year,” said Salmon. “It’s the quality of
growth. There’s a reason for the growth. It’s not leading to more
traffic congestion and air quality problems.”
The council recommended replacing the exemptions of 12 permits
town-wide and 10 downtown with the new pilot project.
Based on the three-member consensus, the Planning Commission
will introduce the pilot program as an amendment to the GCO at the
Nov. 19 council meeting. If approved by the council, the amendment
will be adopted on Dec. 3 and will come into effect on Jan. 3,
2004.