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05/12/2005 |
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Devon ready to oppose affordable housing plan |
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Brian McCready , Milford Bureau Chief |
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MILFORD — A top city official said Wednesday Devon residents
are prepared to take legal action or call the American Civil
Liberties Union to stop the city from approving a local
developer’s plan to construct affordable housing units on
Naugatuck Avenue.
Alderman Vincent Ditchkus Jr., R-2, made the remarks after
issuing a prepared statement demanding that fellow Republican
Planning and Zoning Board Chairman John Jansen, R-1, recuse
himself from voting on the application.
Jansen said he has no plans to step out of the process and that
Ditchkus is "wrong." He said he wished Ditchkus called him
before going public, and labeled the alderman’s comments
"unfortunate."
Ditchkus said the PZB, led by Jansen, is "steering" affordable
housing development into Devon in order to keep affordable
housing out of other sections of the city. He said Jansen should
recuse himself due to his "recent flagrant, misleading and
apparent public support for this (housing) proposal."
The proposal by D’Amato Brothers Builders calls for 28
apartments in six buildings; nine of the units would be
designated affordable under state law.
Republican Town Chairman Jack Fowler had a simple message for
both Republicans Wednesday: Kiss and make up.
"Everyone put down your brass knuckles. Take a deep breath and
count to 10 and then hug each other," Fowler said.
Ditchkus said he takes offense to Jansen’s statement in the New
Haven Register last month, in which Jansen responded to several
points Devon residents made against the zoning board at a public
meeting.
Jansen, in the April statement, said Devon, as well as three
other areas of the city, were designated for affordable housing
in full and open view of the public. He also said that if there
were no local areas that allowed multifamily, affordable-housing
developments, "developers can pretty much put it where they want
and make their own rules."
Jansen also noted that his district has nearly 284 proposed
units of affordable housing on Wolf Harbor Road and 248 units on
Woodmont Road.
Ditchkus, however, said that only 62 of the units on Woodmont
Road are designated affordable, and the other 284-unit complex
is in litigation and has not been built.
"Both of these projects were rejected, and (Jansen’s) board sent
them to court to fight," Ditchkus said.
Jansen said he issued his response to Devon residents because of
the misinformation aimed at the board. He said his mind is not
made up on the project and reiterated that the PZB is not
"dumping on Devon."
"We as a board are doing all we can to help Devon," Jansen said.
"We’re very careful with what we approve in Devon. We’re trying
to get business in there and work with the city’s Devon
revitalization efforts."
The city is in the midst of a major Devon revitalization
program, and $3.1 million has already been allocated for the
work. An additional $3.5 million in state funds is expected
soon.
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