Affordable housing proposed for Berkeley Road in Fairfield
FAIRFIELD — Another affordable housing development is making its way through the Town Plan and Zoning Commission.
This time planned for 277 to 301 Berkeley Road, the proposed development consists of eight studio, 29 one-bedroom and three two-bedroom apartments, according to town documents. There are currently three houses in that spot.
The commission recently moved the project to a public hearing to be scheduled at a later date. The developer Berkeley Rd, LLC is seeking zoning compliance approval.
According to the proposal, the single building would have about 34,000
square feet of total floor space.
“The building will be a four-story wood frame construction over a steeland-concrete fire-rated pedestal with 19 spaces below,” according to the proposal.
There will be a total of 51 parking spaces provided on site. The exterior facade will be a combination of brick and stone veneer, and horizontal, vertical and shake siding. A traffic report submitted by the developer said the development would generate an average of 16 vehicle trips during the mornings on weekdays and 20 vehicle trips during the afternoons.
Twelve of the units are going to be set aside as affordable, as the proposal was filed under 8-30g. State statute 8-30g allows developers to bypass municipal laws and regulations as long as a certain percentage of the project is
affordable housing.
Local boards must prove the project presents serious enough health or safety risks that outweigh the need for affordable housing there. The aim is to get such housing into communities where affordable housing makes up less than 10 percent of the municipality’s total housing options, while municipalities argue they lose local control.
Half of the units will be set aside for people making less than 60 percent of the statewide median income, the proposal says, and the other six would be reserved for people making less than 80 percent of the statewide median income.
According to town documents, the plan has already received approval from the Inland Wetlands Agency.