State Representatives Steve Meskers (D-150), Hector Arzeno (D-151) and Rachel Khanna (D-149), provided the following statement on their support of House Bill 5390, An Act Concerning Transit-Oriented Communities that passed the House of Representatives on Friday:
After extensive collaboration with Margarita T. Alban, Chairperson of the Greenwich Planning and Zoning Commission and Francis Pickering, Executive Director of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments and careful consideration of the provisions contained in this bill we proposed amendments to the Planning & Development Committee.
The Greenwich Delegation worked hard with the Planning and Development Committee Chair Kavros-DeGraw and House Leadership to secure the necessary amendments to the bill, and subsequently decided to vote in favor of this measure.
House Bill 5390 provides yet another tool in the toolbox to address the need for housing in Greenwich, and to ensure that we maintain local control of our zoning and development decisions.
“The Greenwich Planning & Zoning Commission is deeply appreciative of our delegation’s commitment to promoting legislation that protects grass roots municipal efforts to advance housing options. This type of governance allows each Town to construct its own best path to greater inclusion and economic growth,” said Margarita T. Alban, Chairperson of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
“The history of planning shows us that places succeed best when development is community-driven. Thanks to the engagement of Representative Meskers, Arzeno and Khanna, this legislation leaves communities firmly in the driver’s seat, setting them up for sustainable, future growth,” said Francis Pickering, Executive Director of the Western Connecticut Council of Governments.
The bill now goes to the Senate for approval.
Substitute for Raised H.B. No. 5390 , Session Year 2024
AN ACT CONCERNING TRANSIT-ORIENTED COMMUNITIES.
To (1) provide financial incentives for municipalities that adopt certain transit-oriented development policies and to coordinate related state funds through the Office of Responsible Growth, (2) establish the interagency council on housing development, (3) direct the State Responsible Growth Coordinator to establish a fund for the expansion of water and sewerage infrastructure, (4) to allow the coordinator to provide additional funding for certain infrastructure projects, and (5) to include transit-oriented districts in the definition of housing growth zones.
The Greenwich House Delegation: State Rep Hector Arzeno (D-151), State Rep Rachel Khanna (D-149) and State Rep Steve Meskers (D-150).