The Town of Washington, Connecticut
Minutes: Housing Commission
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www.WashingtonCT.org The Town of Washington, Connecticut Minutes: Housing Commission |
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Disclaimer: While we have attempted to reproduce them accurately, the electronic documents you see here are not the official public documents. Official copies may be obtained on paper from theTown Clerk . Also note that minutes of recent meetings are often not yet approved by the Commission, and are subject to correction.
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December 8 •December 6 •November 10 •October 6 •August 11 •July 14 •June 9 •May 12 •April 14 •March 17 •February 11 •January 14 •
Posted: December 16, 2008 December 8, 2008
Present: Wayne Hileman, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Visitors: Ken Cornet, Chris Charles
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Housing Commission was called to order at 5pm by Chairman Wayne Hileman.Minutes of November 10, 2008 Regular Meeting
Minutes of December 6, 2008 Special MeetingSue Werkhoven moved to accept the November 10 regular minutes. Wayne Hileman seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Wayne Hileman moved to accept the December 6 special meeting minutes. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Inclusion of Items Not on Agenda
Wayne Hileman presented the proposed Meeting Dates for 2009, which were approved by unanimous consent.Continued Examination of Incentive Housing Zone
Wayne Hileman reported that the perk hole tests have been done at the Old Town Garage site. This is a necessary prelude to exploring whether this site could be considered an Incentive Housing Zone. The First Selectman, Mark Lyon, will make a copy of the test results and combine these with a report to the Housing Commission. Poor results would end the pursuit of the Technical Assistance Grant.At the last meeting of the Northwest Council of Governments, Mark Lyon met a person who has helped towns with their Technical Assistance Grants. Mark will give contact information to Wayne.
Part of the Grant Application requires a delineation of the consultants to be used. The Housing Commission’s thinking would be for three separate entities to address the areas of planning, legal, and engineering. Should the site report be favorable, Wayne Hileman suggested meeting with people from the Planning Commission to elicit their suggestions, including recommendations for people with expertise in the three areas above.
Chairman Wayne Hileman asked visitor Ken Cornet if he had a comment or question. Ken asked about Incentive Housing Zones. Wayne gave him a brief overview of this Act (PA07-4) and the Technical Assistance Grants for towns to use in exploring the feasibility of sites. Ken also wanted to know if the Housing Commission could use some of its funds to help people in trouble with their mortgages. Wayne explained that this would be beyond the parameters of the Housing Commission’s Ordinance. Ken noted that there were a lot of houses for sale in town and felt that their prices would probably keep dropping. He wondered why these weren’t candidates for affordable housing. Wayne said the Housing Commission had revisited this idea a few times but so far had found that the cost of renovations precluded such houses for consideration. Ken expressed doubts about building any affordable housing units since he felt the town is currently almost only affordable for the people already living here. What with the fuel crisis and lack of jobs, he said, now was not a time to be planning anything.
Executive Session
At 5:50pm, Wayne Hileman moved to enter into Executive Session to discuss a potential municipal property transaction.
At 6:06, it was moved and agreed by unanimous consent to come out of Executive Session.
Adjourn
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion which was approved unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 6:10pm.The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on Monday, January 12, 2009, in the Land Use Room at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Secretary
Posted: December 7, 2008 December 6, 2008
Special Meeting
Present: Wayne Hileman, Andy O’Hazo, Jean Suddaby
Call to Order
The special meeting of the Housing Commission was called to order at 9:47am by Chairman Wayne Hileman, who noted the presence of a quorum.Executive Session
The Commission agreed by unanimous consent to enter into executive session at 9:48am to examine a potential municipal property transaction.The Commission agreed by unanimous consent to come out of executive session at 10:45am.
Adjournment
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 10:46am.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on Monday, December 8, 2008, in the Land Use Room at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Wayne Hileman
Posted: November 13, 2008 November 10, 2008
Present: Wayne Hileman, Andy O’Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven, Liddy Adams
Guests: none
Visitors: Chris Charles
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Housing Commission was called to order at 5:00pm by Chairman Wayne Hileman.Minutes of October 6 , 2008
Corrections: Page one- 3rd line up from bottom of page, changed Oct.21st to Nov.1st. Page two- line 6 under heading, inserted how after talking about ; line 9, deleted to after commission’s.Wayne moved to accept the minutes as amended; Jean seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Inclusion of Items Not on Agenda
Updates: Liddy’s report from HOMEConnecticut Seminar on November7th in Hartford.
New Business: Preliminary Discussion on a new affordable housing application by Washington Partners LLC.Both of these items were added to the Regular Meeting Agenda by unanimous consent.
Updates
A. Freedom Of Information Seminar
Commission secretary Patte Doran attended the recent FOI Training Session at Town Hall. An incredible amount of information was disseminated, and Patte found two items noteworthy:
1. While members of the public are allowed (& encouraged) to attend Regular Meetings of Town Commissions, they do not have the right to speak at these meetings. They may do so solely at the discretion of the chair, who may schedule public comment as an agenda item (Privilege of the Floor) or invite members of the public to participate on an ad hoc basis.
2. A Town Commission may consider and act upon matters added to, but not previously listed on, an agenda in a Regular Meeting. In a Special Meeting, however, they cannot act on any added (unnoticed) agenda item
. Patte passed out contact information for the State FOI Commission. Members thanked her for attending on their behalf.B. Annual Volunteer Reception
Wayne reminded members of the Washington Rotary Club’s Annual Volunteer Reception on Friday November 21st at Bryan Town Hall.C. HOMEConnecticut Seminar - Hartford
Liddy attended this seminar as a representative of the Town of Washington. It was presented by Shipman & Goodwin LLC and Concord Square Planning & Development as a forum on creating Incentive Housing Zones. She thought the event was very well done, with a round table format involving towns both large and small (though Washington was by far the smallest town).Each person had a few minutes to discuss what their town was doing and what their challenges were; Liddy listed the concerns over our proposed site (on the river, no water or sewer, unknown public support) and learned that many communities faced similar obstacles. Specifically, some towns have proposed converting old mill sites into IHZs and have already received grant approval; thus it is not disqualifying for an IHZ to be next to a river (or in a flood plain).
As for gaining public support and attaining the TA grant, moderator Tim Hollister made some observations:
1. To date 20 towns have applied for the TA grant and no one has been denied; 14 have been approved and 1 already has their funding (Wallingford).
2. We should get our completed grant application filed sooner rather than later; the biennial state budget process is upcoming and those who do not have their application in place by the 1st quarter of 2009 may not be guaranteed funding.
3. When discussing this project with town commissions, the press and the public at large, the emphasis should be on mixed-use development and workforce housing. Though there is an affordable housing component to this plan, it is not the primary focus.
4. We should be prepared to debunk the “school myth” that this or any development proposal will have a detrimental impact on the town’s educational costs. We should be consistently reminding folks that enrollments are in decline, both at the local and state level.Some interesting points were made by other town planners:
1. Stamford requires all new housing developments to include 10% affordable housing, or else they charge the developer a “fee in lieu of affordable housing” which goes into their city’s housing fund.
2. Hamden is going to comprehensively review/revise their zoning regulations to accommodate mixed-use development and incentive and workforce housing.
3. Several smaller towns are looking at partnering with neighboring communities to share planning & consulting costs (perhaps we could do the same?).Shipman and Concord have extensive experience and have offered to help with the application process. Additionally, they will create a power point presentation from the seminar for our future reference. Liddy brought back a copy of the seminar booklet, which has comprehensive information (including an approved completed application). She thought that the sponsors and participants were very knowledgeable and brought much to the table. The commission members thanked Liddy for attending this seminar.
Preliminary Discussion - Washington Partners LLC
Members examined an application that has been filed with the Inland Wetlands Commission for a 9-lot affordable housing subdivision called Pond View Estates. The site is a 30-acre parcel in New Preston between Route 202 and Flirtation Avenue.The Commission examined a site map, and Wayne invited Chris Charles to the table to participate in the discussion. It was noted that the application appears to be for a “set-aside” development under the provisions of C.G.S. 8-30(g).
Wayne offered to extend an invitation to the principles of Pond View Estates to share the details of the proposal. Members noted that the applicants were not required to appear before the Housing Commission, but if they did so it would be construed as a good faith effort to move the proposal forward. Chris Charles thought this could expedite the application process – the developer would have some basic sense of whether the project would be approved before getting too far into the process.
The Commission did not concur on the timing, however, and agreed to hold off on an invitation until the application was further along.
Plan for Site Visits/Interviews - Postal Patron Mailing
The previous dates for site visits did not work out; the first was a rain-out and Wayne was called out of town on the second. The Commission agreed to try again for November 16th (weather permitting) and Wayne will try and coordinate with some of those on the list. Liddy added another name to site visit list – Wayne will give this person a call and inquire as to their interest.Continued Examination of Incentive Housing Zone
A. Initial Drafts for TA Grant
Wayne has begun developing some of the drafts for the application (cover letter, overview) and will email these to Commission members for their review.
B. Discussion of Budget
The State OPM wants a line item budget as part of the TA grant application. The Commission is still unclear as to how detailed it needs to be, but agreed that certain categories need to defined, even if estimates are not available at this time.Wayne asked for input from the Commission regarding this, specifically, “What basic line items do we need?” Suggestions included:
1. Engineering design/consulting – the Town is well into remediation of the site and has scheduled preliminary perc-hole testing, but we will still need septic design and examination of potential for Judea Water Co. to supply water.
2. Site planning/design - a professional planner who can offer a mixed-use model and give some creative alternatives.
3. Legal help - someone with experience/expertise with housing issues and working with the State.Another question that came up was “What do we need to do to make this project feasible?”
Andy felt strongly that a mixed-use approach was the only way to succeed; perhaps a few businesses/storefronts as you enter with apartments/condos up above, then a few houses with small yards, maybe place a park along the river bank Sue agreed that public access along the river (park, path) was a must, and any plan without it would fail. Wayne felt that any overall plan needed to be integrated and ‘organic,’ as if this part of the Depot was always part of the Depot. Liddy added that at the seminar mixed-use applications were seen as more successful and desirable.
The Commission noted that commercial rents in the Depot business district were quite high and that adding a few more opportunities could help support small businesses. Members felt that proper site planning was key, so the bulk of the grant money should go for planning with engineering & legal fees taking the rest.
Adjournment
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:40pm.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on Monday, December 8, 2008, in the Land Use Room at Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Secretary
Posted: October 12, 2008 October 6, 2008
Present: Wayne Hileman, Andrew O’Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Visitors: Peter Talbot, Chris Charles, Mark Picton
Call to Order
The regular meeting of the Housing Commission was called to order at 5:00 by Chairman Wayne Hileman.
Minutes of August 11, 2008
Wayne Hileman moved to accept the minutes. Liddy Adams seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Inclusion of Items Not on Agenda
Wayne Hileman informed members about an upcoming seminar on HOMEConnecticut Incentive Housing Zones. This seminar will be an informal, off-the-record, round table discussion. Each municipality can send no more than two people.
Liddy Adams volunteered to go and Wayne Hileman will let the First Selectman know.
The State’s revisions to the Freedom of Information regulations were clarified.
Reaction of Joint Letter – WHC & WCHT
A number of responses to the “We’re Looking for A Few Good Acres” letter sent to residents in September were received by Wayne Hileman.
Liddy Adams remarked that townspeople she had run into commented on how well-written this letter was.
Wayne Hileman handed out a compilation of the responses. He had received some by phone and emails plus one by letter. He has acknowledged each response.
Jean Suddaby said another person had phoned her asking for more information. Andy O’Hazo said he had also received a phone call from someone expressing interest. These responders would be added to the list. After reviewing the responses, the Housing Commission will reply to each responder.
A visit by the Commission to each property was discussed. Members agreed they should set aside a day to do this and determined on Saturday, October 25th with an alternate date of Saturday, October 21st. Wayne Hileman will lead the coordination, along with the Housing Trust, between the WHC, the WCHT, and the responders.
Continued Examination of Incentive Housing Zones (PA 07-4)
Liddy Adams reported back on her presentation to the Board of Selectmen about the Housing Commission’s recent field trip to the Old Town Garage Site as a possible incentive housing zone. She included in her presentation a cartoon from a recent Litchfield County Times newspaper showing 2 people talking about great it would be live within walking distance of a town center. She said the BOS asked excellent questions. The BOS were unanimous in their endorsement of the Housing Commission’s to taking this exploratory first step.
Wayne Hileman said the preliminary work, consisting of perk tests and analysis, would be done in the next couple of weeks.
Both Peter Talbot and Chris Charles stressed that use(s) for this site should be considered in the larger context of the village center as a whole.
Mark Picton agreed but went on to express concerns that this site might not be the best place for housing. Further discussion brought up such issues as flood plain insurance and definitions of ‘affordability’ and ‘limited equity’.
Wayne Hileman said the Housing Commission members had discussed a variety of purposes for the approximately four acre site such as affordable and moderate housing units, a few commercial spaces, and a park with a greenway along the river’s edge.
Plan of Action for TA Grant Application
A Technical Assistance Application Checklist was given to members by Wayne Hileman. Until the Housing Commission gets the results of the perk tests and analysis, the project plan portion can not be addressed.
Adjournment
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Andy O’Hazo seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.
. The next regularly scheduled meeting will be on Monday, November 10, 2008, in the Land Use Room at Town Hall.Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Secretary
Housing Commission
Posted: August 28, 2008 August 11, 2008
Present: Wayne Hileman, Andrew O’Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests: None
Visitors: Chris Charles, Bill Fairbairn, Dick Sears
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.Minutes of July 14, 2008
Sue Werkhoven moved to accept the minutes. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.Inclusion of Items Not on Agenda
Bill Fairbairn, from the Washington Community Housing Trust, informed the Housing Commission that there will be an article in a forthcoming town newsletter about an available limited equity house. The article will explain the limited equity concept and the application process. For this house, an applicant’s income requirement would be 80 percent of the area medium income. This house is handled through the Housing Trust, not through a realtor.The Housing Trust, a private, non-profit 501(c)3 organization, is currently using some grant money to pay a consultant to help with procedures such as vetting properties and applying for grant funds. Also, Bill Fairbairn brought to the Housing Commission’s attention a book titled “Shared Equity Homeownership”, a 2006 publication by John Davis from the National Housing Institute.
Wayne Hileman referenced an article in a recent Litchfield County Times about the Connecticut town of Salisbury looking into ways to provide moderately priced housing for seniors, young families and people working there.
Joint Letter- WHC & WCHT
The Commission reviewed the draft letter suggested by Housing Trust member Jack Boyer at the last Housing Commission meeting. The goal is to send out a postal patron mailing seeking to purchase a small land parcel where a couple of single-family affordable homes could be built for qualified Washington families.Wayne Hileman will incorporate the suggestions from Housing Commission members into the final version of a letter titled “We’re Looking for a Few Good Acres” and send this version to members for further input. This letter will hopefully be sent the first or second week in September.
Incentive Housing Zones
Andy O’Hazo reported back to the Housing Commission that an investigation of the Old Town Garage Site as a possible area for an Incentive Zone Grant would involve perc-hole tests, at an approximate cost of $600 each and an analysis of soil types for approximately $750.Dick Sears thought such an analysis would be helpful information for the town to have. Wayne Hileman concurred, saying any information gleaned would benefit the town in future decision-making about what, if anything, this area could support.
Bill Fairbairn said that Washington’s 1962 Plan of Development had described the Old Town Garage site as a place for a possible sewage treatment plant. This would allow for greater building density within the village center. A question was raised whether the anti-sewer development policy had been removed from the latest Plan of Development. Chris Charles added that it might be helpful to involve the Health Director when analyzing this site.
Sue Werkhoven said the River Front Loop Committee had given their report on suggested uses for this site to the Selectmen.
The focus, Wayne Hileman said, was on answering this question: Is this site (parcel) a possibility for an incentive housing zone? He proposed the next Housing Commission meeting be devoted to a field rip to the site. He will also invite people who have expertise in various aspects of site analysis.
Adjourned
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.The meeting adjourned at 6:25.
The next meeting, on Monday, September 8, will be a field trip to the Old Town Garage site.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: July 22, 2008 July 14, 2008
Present: Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Andrew O’Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests: Jack Boyer, Marty Meyers, John Millington, Martha Gavenas, Chris Charles
Visitors: None
Call To Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m.Minutes of June 9, 2008
The following corrections were made under Inclusion of Items Not on Agenda: “---which Phil Markert attended. Liddy Adams thought---. Patte Doran gave the contact information to---.” Liddy Adams moved to accept the minutes as corrected. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.Updates
- Affordable Housing Appeals List. The Congregational Church on the Green has decided not to renew the deed restrictions on those Ellsworth Apartments that had been dedicated as affordable. However, the Church has affirmed that the rents for these apartments will not be raised until the present tenants leave, after which market rates would apply. The elimination of these deed restrictions will result in a loss of 6 points on the Town's Affordable Housing Appeals List, moving the total from 51.5 to 45.5.
- Partnership with Open Space Committee. Wayne Hileman informed members that the joint project which Open Space and the Housing Commissions had been considering will not be pursued further. There appears to be resistance within the Conservation Commission to partnering with Housing on any land acquisition initiative.
Forum with the Washington Community Housing Trust.
Wayne Hileman welcomed members of the Trust to the meeting and asked them what criteria they would like to see the Housing Commission use when considering available properties. Chris Charles felt it might be easier to pursue a small parcel of perhaps 2 or 3 acres if the soil type was appropriate. Trying to utilize larger parcels seemed likely to incur a lengthy process that could go on for years. For example, a small parcel with a house already on it might be used for 2 limited equity family homes with the original house sold at market rate. Chris also recalled that when the Open Space Steering Committee had first tackled conservation issues the emphasis had been on acquiring open space, but the Open Space Committee always recognized that housing issues were an integral part of the overall plan of development. Marty Meyers asked whether Steep Rock or other land trusts might donate a small piece of their land that was perhaps isolated from their main acquisitions. John Millington said in his experience land trusts were wary of doing this. Jack Boyer proposed sending out a bulk mailing jointly from the Housing Trust and the Housing Commission to Washington property owners to see if they might have a small land parcel they would be willing to sell. Also, the public misperception that the Housing Trust and the Housing Commission were overlapping organizations needed to be clarified. The Housing Commission operates as a research group and facilitator of housing choices for the town whereas the Housing Trust builds and/or administers affordable housing. Wayne Hileman said he would draft a letter for the bulk mailing and send the draft to the Housing Trust and Housing Commission members for input.Housing Incentive Zones
Wayne Hileman described for Housing Trust members the State’s Incentive Housing Zones (Public Act 07-4), which can provide technical and financial support for a higher density of development in or near transportation hubs and village centers. Wayne felt that protecting rural character included maintaining the vitality of village centers. The threat of sprawl in Washington was not with small houses on small lots but with large houses on larger lots. By having some clustering of houses, more land could be left untouched. But village centers couldn’t remain viable unless their basic businesses, such as a hardware and grocery store, a drug store, a bank, and so on, were retained. Chris Charles added that a viable community included people available for activities such as the Fire Department, the PTO, Little League coaches, and so on. Chris Charles asked if the Housing Commission, in their role as a research group, might come up with a set of criteria for determining workable parcels for affordable housing that would be in the best interests of the community. Such criteria could help private entities understand what was acceptable before they thrashed around wasting their time. Wayne Hileman complimented the Housing Trust for its hard work over the years to provide affordable housing. The Housing Commission, in addition to supporting such efforts, also had a role in helping to facilitate a range of housing choices that included moderate and market rate housing. The Housing Trust members said they could only give support for the affordable part of housing choices, due to their not-for-profit status. Their role would then be to administer houses a developer designated as affordable. Wayne Hileman said the application for an Incentive Zone Grant necessitated identifying an area in or near a village center, since Washington has no public transportation hub. The old town garage site was discussed in that regard. A preliminary site inspection, especially soil testing, might be considered, using some of the Housing Commission’s discretionary funding. Based on the results, the Housing Commission and the Housing Trust could further explore applying for an Incentive Zone Grant.Adjourned
Sue Werkhoven moved to adjourn the meeting. Wayne Hileman seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:35.The next scheduled meeting is Monday, August 11, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: July 3, 2008 June 9, 2008
Present
Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Andrew O’Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue WerkhovenGuests Phil Markert
Visitors None
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:05 p.m.Minutes of May 12, 2008
Wayne Hileman moved to accept the minutes of May 12. Liddy Adams seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Inclusion of Items Not on Agenda
Patte Doran asked members whether they would be interested in getting a DVD of the Mayors’ Forum held recently in Hartford on Green and Affordable Housing, which Liddy Adams and Phil Markert attended. She thought this DVD might be a good educational tool to use in possible town meetings on this subject. She gave the contact information to Chairman Wayne Hileman.Updates
Accessory Apartment Regulations
Wayne Hileman informed the members that the Zoning Commission has dropped the idea of making a change to the accessory apartment regulations.
Incentive Housing Zones PA07-4
Wayne Hileman informed members that he has followed up on finding out what is entailed in the Technical Assistance Grant to municipalities. He contacted the person assigned at the state level to this project. She forwarded him a handout outlining eligible funding activities, which he distributed to the members. Also, there is a Hartford law firm that has put together a guide document for applicants. In order to apply, a location must be identified, i.e., an actual area, plus a written rationale and budget. Small towns, rather than using a smart growth concept such as proximity to mass transit, could instead identify a village center. Andy O’Hazo and Jean Suddaby both felt it would be good to have a discussion of the pros and cons of each of Washington’s village centers as possible places for an incentive housing zone. Phil Markert asked about the possibility of demonstrating a need for school personnel to have moderately priced housing available since he felt that Washington’s private and public schools could be seen as a dominant “industry”.Executive Session
Wayne Hileman made a motion to go into executive session to discuss a potential municipal transaction. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Wayne Hileman made a motion to come out of executive session. Liddy Adams seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.Adjournment
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.The next scheduled meeting is Monday, July 14, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: June 5, 2008 May 12, 2008
Present Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Andrew O'Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests None
Visitors Chris Charles
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Minutes of April 14, 2008
Sue Werkhoven moved to accept the minutes of April 14. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Updates
Wayne Hileman recently met with Susan Payne, Chairperson of the Open Space Committee. The two discussed the encouragement they have received from the Board of Selectmen to consider where the Housing Commission and the Open Space Committee could utilize their funds in joint projects. Susan Payne said her group was interested in collaboration whenever a property came along that met the criteria of both their groups. Wayne Hileman assured Susan Payne of his commission's desire to analyze appropriate properties together and he looked forward to future meetings with Open Space.
Responding to a member's question, Liddy Adams said that the Board of Finance makes its recommendations based on those from the Board of Selectmen.
Green and Affordable Seminar
Secretary Patte Doran distributed a flyer about a May 20, 2008, forum to be held at the Hartford Lyceum, titled "Green and Affordable: Can Our Homes Be Both?". She gave out some handouts from the www.homeconnecticut.org web site, including one titled "Why Is the High Cost of Housing My Problem". She also shared with the commission a booklet that an Open Space member had brought to the attention of that group. Information on this booklet can be found at www.communitiesandconsequences.org.
CT Housing Program for Economic Growth (Public Act07-4)
Wayne Hileman said the Board of Selectmen has given the Housing Commission the 'go ahead' to explore the concept of Incentive Housing Zones.
The legislation, contained in Public Act07-4, provides incentives to municipalities that voluntarily create Incentive Housing Zones (IHZs) at sizes and locations of their choosing. The zones must accommodate higher densities and the municipalities must agree to ensure that 20% of the housing units in each development will be affordable to residents earning 80% of the area median income or less.
In addition to the state incentives such as $2000 per unit allowed in the zone, Budget Act HB8001 provides $4 million in the first year for technical assistance. This technical assistance includes planning grants for towns.
Wayne Hileman showed this grant application form (Office of Policy and Management: Housing for Economic Growth Technical Assistance Grant Application Form) to the members. He mentioned his positive reaction to the brevity of this form as it consisted of only three pages. He said he will find out what this technical assistance entails.
Liddy Adams said she felt a lesson to be learned from the Potter Farm project was the need to address citizens' suspicions that sometimes the full story wasn't being told about various proposals.
Members also speculated about the benefits of having a Housing Authority, since small towns such as Cornwall and Morris have this office.
Preliminary Canvas of Available Properties
Andy O'Hazo gave members an overview of various residential properties currently available. These range in price from $164000 to $6 million.
Discussion ensued about the various factors that had to be accounted for when considering affordability. These included mortgage payments, property taxes, home insurance, and essential utilities.
Adjournment
Sue Werkhoven moved to adjourn the meeting. Liddy Adams seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
The next scheduled meeting is Monday, June 9, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: May 3, 2008 April 14, 2008
Present: Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Andrew O'Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests: None
Visitors: Heather Leonard
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:10 p.m.
Minutes of February 11, 2008
Wayne Hileman made the following correction to the minutes: Under Budget, after "budget request" added "and operating budget request".
Sue Werkhoven moved to accept the minutes as corrected. Wayne Hileman seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Updates/Reports
A. Liddy Adams reported on the two successive Saturday meetings of the Future Uses of the Washington Primary School Committee. This group was to have suggestions ready in case the WPS no longer would be used in its present capacity.
The brainstorming sessions produced a wide array of ideas. Everyone agreed on keeping the gym to use for appropriate activities. Other suggestions were leasing a portion of the building as studio space for artists, offering adult education classes, relocating the senior center, and/or providing elderly housing in the form of condos or rentals. Administration of housing units could be through a private interest or the Washington Housing Trust. Other ideas were added at the second meeting such as relocating Park and Recreation. Liddy Adams asked people she met informally for their opinions. She heard from several that the town should consider the building as an asset and sell it. Bantam sold its school building to the State of CT while Ridgefield sold a school building to a private company currently using it for office space. The committee agreed that this idea was definitely something to consider. The flood plain aspect of this site didn't seem to be a major issue. Whatever the school's possible uses, a resident who lives near it was concerned that the school not 'go dark' but be an active place.
All these suggestions were put into a report and given to the Selectmen. The Committee then disbanded.
B. Meeting with Don Brigham
Wayne Hileman met with Don Brigham when Don was recently in Washington. Don had come across an affordable housing complex in Sanibel, Florida. He brought some brochures on this "Below Market Rate Housing on Sanibel" for the Housing Commission to look at. The way this complex is administered reminded Don of the Washington Housing Trust's approach.
C. Letter to Zoning re: Accessory Apartments
Wayne Hileman has submitted a letter to David Owen, Chair of the Washington Zoning Commission, recommending that the Zoning Commission leave the present regulations unchanged. The current regulations help provide a source of modestly sized and priced dwellings thus promoting housing diversity.
Long Range Plan
A. The group designated as 'Tweeners', a word coined by Wayne to designate those people who have too much money to qualify for affordable housing but not enough to buy a house in town, was discussed. There is a discrepancy in determining the Area Median Income (which is fixed annually by HUD & assigned to us--currently under $80K) versus determining the Area Median Home Price (which is market driven and 'floats'- 2005-$491K, 2006-$410K, 2007-$600K). To qualify for Affordable Housing a family's income cannot exceed $64K. A median home price of $490K, with 20% down, would require an annual income of around $130K. In developing the Housing Commission's long range plan, the housing needs of various groups should include these 'tweeners'.
B. Discussion of Public Act 07-4- Incentive Housing Zones
The Connecticut Housing Program for Economic Growth, researched and promoted by the HOMEConnecticut campaign to make housing more affordable for low and moderate income workers, families and elderly residents across the state, was approved by the 2007 General Assembly during its June special session. The bill provides incentives to municipalities that voluntarily create Incentive Housing Zones at sizes and locations of their choosing. The legislation gives municipalities' complete control over the location, amount and design of the new housing. A full description can be found at www.HOMEConnecticut.org.
Wayne Hileman recommended that the Housing Commission explore this legislation to see what might be in Washington's housing interests.
Adjournment
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Liddy Adams seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m.
The next scheduled meeting is Monday, May 12, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: April 5, 2008 March 17, 2008
Present: Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Andrew O'Hazo, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests: None
Visitors: None
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Minutes of February 11, 2008
Sue Werkhoven moved to accept the minutes as submitted. Wayne Hileman seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Welcome
Wayne Hileman officially welcomed the Housing Commission's new member, Andrew O'Hazo.
Updates
Wayne Hileman reported that he and Addie Roberts met with the Sharon Association, a 'think-tank' for area towns where public officials can exchange ideas. Although the main focus of the Sharon Association is on land use and approaches to conservation, concerns such as housing and cell towers are also shared. Wayne had an opportunity to talk to State Senator Andrew Rorabach about smaller towns' housing needs. The Senator lent a sympathetic ear but pointed out that the larger towns having more state representatives sometimes made it difficult to get the votes needed to address various issues faced by smaller towns.
Accessory Apartments
Wayne Hileman gave the Housing Commission's new member some background information on the town's accessory apartment regulations. The Zoning Commission is currently discussing a possible change to these regulations to allow either an attached or an unattached accessory apartment but not both, as now allowed. The Housing Commission feels the regulations should stay as they are since these help provide a source of modestly sized and priced dwellings, thus aiding the promotion of housing diversity. The present regulations also align with the 2003 Town Plan of Conservation and Development's recommendations to encourage housing options. The Zoning Commission has drafted a proposal to present at an upcoming public hearing. Wayne Hileman will draft a letter for members' comments and have it ready before the public hearing.
Budget
Wayne Hileman has submitted the Housing Commission's capital, non recurring housing fund budget request for this budget year.
Long Range Plan
Wayne Hileman suggested that the Housing Commission, when developing their long range plan, use Chapter Five from the Town Plan of Conservation and Development to help provide more specificity as they proceed.
Executive Session
Wayne Hileman made a motion to go into executive session to discuss a potential municipal transaction. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.
Wayne Hileman made a motion to come out of executive session. Liddy Adams seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.
Adjournment
Wayne Hileman moved to adjourn the meeting. Jean Suddaby seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.
The next scheduled meeting is Monday, April 14, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: February 23, 2008 February 11, 2008
Present: Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests: None
Visitors: Chris Charles, Stephen Kiss
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Minutes of January 14, 2008
Jean Suddaby moved to accept the minutes as submitted. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Communications
Wayne Hileman informed the members that the Zoning Commission received the Housing Commission's letter in support of the redesigned Myfield Project. This letter along with a letter from the Washington Housing Trust and several other letters all in support of the project were read at the Zoning Commission's meeting. The Zoning Commission approved the Myfield project, after adding a few minor provisions.
Liddy Adams felt it was important for the Housing Commission to give input on projects such as the Myfield Project when these related to the Housing Commission's goals. This input could be included in the Housing Commission minutes and/or through written letters.
Proposed Revision of Zoning Regulations re: Accessory Apartments
Wayne Hileman reported that the Zoning Commission has pushed back the accessory apartment issue to their March meeting. This should give the Housing Commission time to craft a written response, since this issue is directly within the Housing Commission's field of interest. Wayne Hileman will develop a draft on this matter for the members to peruse.
Proposed Committee to explore the future use of the WPS
Wayne Hileman said he was informed by First Selectman Mark Lyon that the Selectmen have decided to put together a committee to explore the future use of the Washington Primary School in case it would no longer have its current use. The Selectmen would like a representative from each of the various commissions. Wayne Hileman asked if any member was interested in volunteering. Liddy Adams offered to represent the Housing Commission. She saw the purpose of the WPS Committee as an ad hoc group that would have some recommendations ready to answer 'what if' questions.
Inclusion of Items Not on the Agenda
Sue Werkhoven gave an update on the Titus Road Committee's January 31st meeting. Ideas and suggestions were brainstormed regarding this area's future uses. Perk tests were recommended to determine the feasibility of a housing component. Bids were being taken for the removal of the old building. There seemed to be broad agreement that an area presently used for parking should remain with some possible reconfigurations. Other ideas included a dog park area, an indoor tennis court, and a linkage to the greenway trail. Also, it was suggested that dry hydrants be installed so fire trucks wouldn't have to back down to the river. The thinking seemed to be toward a mixed use scenario for this area. The Titus Road Committee will not meet again until spring.
Chris Charles felt that this area should be part of a broader overview where soil types and flood plain designations be determined for the entire village area as part of the Depot Study.
Housing Commission Budget
Wayne Hileman informed members that, since the town budget was voted on in May, the Housing Commission needed to get their official budget request done. It was suggested they use last year's request form as a template.
Long Range Housing Plan
In gathering Fire Department data for the long range housing plan, Wayne Hileman reported on a discussion he had with the Fire Chief which included the issue of available housing for fire department members.
Wayne Hileman suggested using the categories given in the Housing Section of the Plan of Conservation and Development as a framework for the data they collected.
Adjournment
Liddy Adams moved to adjourn the meeting. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.
The next scheduled meeting is Monday, March 10, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Posted: February 10, 2008 January 14, 2008
Present: Liddy Adams, Wayne Hileman, Jean Suddaby, Sue Werkhoven
Guests: Stephen Kiss
Visitors: None
Call to Order
Chairman Wayne Hileman called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m.
Minutes of December 10, 2007
Jean Suddaby moved to accept the minutes as submitted. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Election of Officers
Liddy Adams nominated Wayne Hileman for Chairman. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
Sue Werkhoven nominated Liddy Adams as Vice Chairman. Wayne Hileman seconded the motion, which was approved unanimously.
The members complimented Wayne Hileman for the outstanding leadership he has provided as Chairman. They noted his dedication as well as his ability to handle contentious situations with finesse and diplomacy.
Communications
A. Letter from Don Brigham
Wayne Hileman informed members of receiving a letter from Don Brigham to the Housing Commission in which Don states that, because he has moved away from Washington, he will not be able to continue to serve on the Commission. However, Don hopes to be in town occasionally and looks forward to seeing members then.
The Housing Commission members noted Don's excellent service to the Housing Commission and look forward to his sharing ideas with them in the future.
B. Open Space Committee
The Open Space Committee has spoken to Jack Boyer from the Housing Trust and Wayne Hileman from the Housing Commission about keeping both groups 'in the loop' when considering any properties lending themselves to dual purposes (i.e., open space plus housing potential).
Items Not on the Agenda
Stephen Kiss, who has formed the Washington Low and Moderate Income Volunteer Housing Committee (WVC), gave the members an update on his organization's progress. The WVC has established by-laws so as to fulfill state requirements for a CT non profit organization. Mr. Kiss distributed a handout describing the initial structuring of the WVC, such as its officers, meeting times, and sub committees.
Sue Werkhoven asked Stephen to clarify the answer he gave to Valerie Friedman at the last meeting about duplicating the Housing Trust's efforts. Mr. Kiss felt that it was all to the good to be an additional organized community voice for the cause of moderate housing, especially limited equity single family housing. Moreover, he felt that helping to raise money for this cause could only have a positive effect.
Myfield LLC - Referral
At the Housing Commission's December 17 meeting, Joe Gitterman, seeking feedback, presented a large rendering of the Myfield Project's redesign.
Wayne Hileman asked members what, as an advisory body, the Housing Commission's role should be in regard to this project.
Liddy Adams said the Housing Trust, in a letter to the Zoning Commission, is in support of the new application.
Wayne Hileman said he examined this new application and feels the proposed Affordability Plan is in compliance with all necessary requirements as stipulated in C.G.S 8-30(g). Moreover, the proposed development concurs with a stated goal of the Housing Commission, namely, to encourage the development and continued availability of affordable housing for the people of Washington. Also, the proposed plan is consistent with Section 5 of the Town's 2003 Plan of Conservation and Development and is located adjacent to an area that has already been developed. Wayne Hileman will email to Housing Commission members a draft letter to the Zoning Commission stating that Myfield LLC has offered a plan of development that provides a diversity of housing desperately needed in the Town of Washington, and thus the Housing Commission endorses this proposal.
Accessory Apartment Regulations
A. The Zoning Commission has been discussing whether to continue to allow two accessory apartments (attached and unattached) for future dwelling units. One idea would be to restrict the number of accessory apartments to one unless the second one was deed restricted as affordable. However, there were questions regarding the logistics of implementing this approach.
The Housing Commission discussed the detrimental impact on housing diversity that this reduction would have. Wayne Hileman will draft a response to the Zoning Commission's proposals for members to peruse.
Long-Range Housing Plan
Each member gave a status report on his/her data gathering assignment.
Adjournment
Liddy Adams moved to adjourn the meeting. Sue Werkhoven seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.
The next scheduled meeting is Monday, February 11, at 5:00 p.m. in the Land Use Room, Town Hall.
Respectfully submitted,
Patte Doran
Meetings in 2007