Stonington mulling ‘Work Live Ride’ status
Town’s transit designation could be affected by proximity to flood zone
Stonington — The town is in a unique position when it comes to a proposed transit-oriented land-use bill, according to Peter Harrison, director of DesegregateCT, who spoke at the Planning and Zoning meeting Tuesday.
The bill would incentivize high density, walkable communities in municipalities with — and near — regular bus and train routes and village centers, through the creation of new zoning districts, called transit-oriented districts.
“You are one of the completely unique edge cases in the state framework for ‘Work Live Ride’,” said Harrison, who has been pitching the bill to towns and cities throughout the state.
The Mystic Amtrak station, the only rail station on the shoreline without commuter service, makes the town an outlier in the state because it cannot be clearly categorized under the proposed ‘Work Live Ride’ bill currently working its way through the Joint Committee on Planning and Development.
The proposed legislation would categorize municipalities as “a rapid transit community,” having at least one train or rapid bus station, “a transit community,” having at least one local bus route, or “a transit-adjacent community,” meaning a town neighboring either a rapid transit or transit community.
A handful of other municipalities in the state would be considered non-transit communities, lacking transit and not adjacent to a town with transit.
DesegregateCT is a coalition of individuals and organizations formed to promote racial equity, environmental sustainability and economic growth through a reexamination of land use policies, education and legislative change locally and statewide.
Proposed bill language states municipalities with rail stations are considered rapid transit districts. It does not take into account that the Mystic station is the only rail station with no commuter rail service.
Harrison, reached by phone Wednesday, agreed the bill was unclear regarding the town’s classification but said he would work with legislators to determine how and if the language should be clarified.
“Our train station is going to be flooded not long from now,” said Chairman Ben Philbrick after the meeting.
The proposed legislation would categorize municipalities as “a rapid transit community,” having at least one train or rapid bus station, “a transit community,” having at least one local bus route, or “a transit-adjacent community,” meaning a town neighboring either a rapid transit or transit community.
Under the proposal, towns that opt in would receive guidance from planning professionals and priority status for infrastructure-related grant funding in areas like water and sewer system expansion and the remediation of polluted sites.
The station is in a flood zone and likely to be affected significantly in the next 30 years by rising sea levels. This may factor into the town’s designation, allowing the town to choose to be either a rapid transit or transit-adjacent community.
Philbrick said that the area around the train station would be the best location for the new type of zoning district, but its location in a flood zone makes it mostly unsuitable for high density housing.
He pointed out that, if designated a transit-adjacent community, the area around the aquarium would be a good location for a district, due to its proximity to Interstate 95.
The two options look quite different for the town.
As a rapid transit community, the designated district would allow 20 homes or units of housing per acre within that district and would require 18% of the units be deeded as affordable housing.
A transit-adjacent community would require a district near a village center, state road or commercial corridor like interstate 95, allowing 10 housing units per acre, with 18% deeded affordable housing.
“To my mind we would opt in,” said Philbrick, pointing out the town would not be required to do anything beyond create a district within 18 months of opting in, and by opting-in, the town would have access to state assistance for planning, obtaining funding for infrastructure improvements and creating affordable housing in the districts among other benefits.
Harrison said the purpose of the bill is to incentivize affordable housing, and he describes it as a leap of faith that if towns create these districts, the development will follow.
“We think we can spur a certain amount of public/private development by having this kind of infrastructure in place,” Harrison said.
The Joint Committee on Planning and Development held a public hearing on the bill last week.
Under the proposal, towns that opt in would receive guidance from planning professionals and priority status for infrastructure-related grant funding in areas like water and sewer system expansion and the remediation of polluted sites.
Cities and towns that don’t participate would go to the bottom of the priority list for competitive grants.