Affordable housing hearing continued

WEST HARTFORD – A public hearing initially scheduled for Tuesday’s West Hartford town council meeting has been continued until August, when the council will hear a full presentation on the demolition and redevelopment proposal for an affordable senior housing complex.

The application, which was submitted in May by nonprofit housing group West Hartford Fellowship Housing, proposes to incrementally demolish and rebuild most of the housing complex on Starkel Road.

Town Manager Matt Hart said at Tuesday’s meeting that the town and the housing group agreed to wait until the next meeting on Aug. 13 to conduct a full public hearing.

“The applicant, they needed some time to refine the application,” Hart said. “We reached out to them and thought that the August date would work best for a full presentation and to conduct the public hearing.”

Patrick Alair, the town’s corporation counsel, said that the public hearing will then follow the standard format: the applicant will make a presentation, the town council will ask questions, members of the public will comment and, finally, the applicant will make closing remarks and answer any hanging questions.

Although the housing group has not yet made a full presentation, the group’s application materials outline the basics. Under the proposal, the complex would be expanded from its current 213 age-restricted units to 308 accessible residential units, 287 parking spaces, a new bocce court and outdoor and indoor fitness areas.

To accomplish this, the proposal calls for the renovation of one building and the construction of six new residential buildings and one new maintenance building.

Mayor Shari Cantor said at Tuesday’s meeting that the town council will also accept comments and concerns over email.

The public hearing on the Starkel Road housing complex is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Aug. 13 in room 314 of town hall.

Emily Brindley can be reached at ebrindley@courant.com.