The Fairfield Planning and Zoning Commission has unanimously approved an application to build a 24-unit affordable housing residential development near the corner of Stillson Road and Black Rock Turnpike.
That action, taken on Nov. 12, comes after protest from residents living nearby in the Oaks Condominium complex, who aired concern about parking and the safety of children who travel to school in the area.
The plan was submitted by Fairfield residents Paul and Mary Vimini under state statute 8-30g, which allows developers to bypass municipal zoning regulations in municipalities where less than 10% of the housing units meets the statute’s definition of affordable. The couple plans to build two studio units, 16 one-bedroom units and six two-bedroom units.
Before the final vote, the majority of Planning and Zoning members stated that the commission could not deny the Stillson Road application under 8-30-g unless the project outweighed the safety and health risks for affordable housing. The project does not meet that criteria. One member called the project “modest.”
Planning and Zoning Vice Chairman Tom Corsillo expressed concern about the proposal calling for two driveways instead of one but said, “This is as straight-forward an application as we’ve seen in some time. We need more projects like this. It’s a modest project in a transitional zone. Fairfield’s going to be better off.”
At an Oct. 29 Planning and Zoning meeting residents from the Oaks Condominium urged the commission to deny the application, citing increased traffic and parking issues.
One resident, who spoke at the Oct. 29 meeting and wished to remain anonymous, told the Easton Courier that there are 32 homes at the nearby Oaks Condominium, whose driveway is mere feet from the proposed building. She expressed concern that there is not enough parking available in the plan and that a nearby pond could cause liability issues.
“Something’s going to happen, somebody gets injured or worse before they decide they did the wrong thing,” she said.
