Residents raise concerns about proposed zoning changes at public hearing 

NORWALK, Conn. — More than 40 people spoke at a Wednesday evening public hearing on the proposed zoning reform in the city, with almost all citing concerns about some of the proposals, including Mayor Harry Rilling and Council member Jenn McMurrer (D-District C). 

The city is currently undergoing its first zoning rewrite in more than 30 years. One of the main goals of the process, according to a presentation from Planning and Zoning Director Steven Kleppin, is to “modernize and develop a user-friendly code aligned with the citywide plan.” Kleppin noted that some of the other goals included concentrating development near train stations, moving toward a “form-based code” that featured more graphic and table elements, and consolidating zoning districts. 

But one of the biggest recommended changes and what most of the attendees voiced their opposition to, is a proposal to move some areas that are currently a B residence zone, which is a single-family zone, into a zone that would allow for one- or two-family houses. 

Mayor Harry Rilling said that he had “serious concerns” about moving single family zones to two family and encouraged the Planning and Zoning Commission to take a step back.

“I’ve dealt with consultants in the past—sometimes consultants take a one-size-fits-all kind of thing. I don’t think they’ve looked at some of the unique neighborhoods in Norwalk,” Rilling said. “They’re concerned about what this is going to do to their neighborhoods. Take a step back and really sit down and think about what is appropriate for the city of Norwalk.”

McMurrer also voiced her concerns with the proposed changes. McMurrer—and others—said that they believed two family homes wouldn’t provide more homeownership opportunities, but instead as investment properties.

“You are opening up a great possibility for investors and developers to purchase them,” she said. 

McMurrer also said that the Council was working on an affordable housing study and making these changes before they had that information didn’t make sense. 

“Too Crowded”

Almost all of the speakers who were opposed to the proposed change from one-family zoning to two-family zoning said that the city was already too crowded and too dense, so adding more people would just exacerbate existing issues. 

“There’s too many cars, and there’s not enough room in this town, we’re full,” said resident Brian Gough. 

Gough raised questions about “when we pack all of these new people into the city” who would pay for the needed infrastructure improvements, such as additional water capacity. 

Fred Wilms, the chair of the Republican Town Committee, which organized a protest before the event, said that it “seemed like you were trying to take a square peg and stuff it into a round hole.’”

“We’re all these different neighborhoods…what I saw from this report is trying to consolidate a community that maybe isn’t designed to be so consolidated,” he said. “Instead of focusing so much on density or upzoning, why don’t we focus more on livability?”

Wilms said that “all single-family zones should remain single-family zones.” 

Resident Dan Russell said that he tuned into the Commission’s special meeting before the hearing when they were discussing preserving land for the Land Trust.

“Why are we trying to save four acres when we’re destroying an entire city?” he said. “It seems a little counterproductive.” 

He voiced Wilms’ concerns that the proposal was too broad.

“I like living in Norwalk—it’s quirky, it’s interesting,” he said. “You can’t take a broad brush and paint Norwalk as one thing.” 

Still some residents were frustrated by the idea that the city “was full.” 

Resident Emily Burnaman said that she grew up in Norwalk and moved back a few years ago. She’s been renting since but said that she would love the chance to own soon.

“But as we’ve discussed it’s a challenge to find affordable housing,” Burnaman, who serves as vice chair on the Bike/Walk Commission, said. 

She said that the city should be making efforts to accommodate many different people in all walks of life and provide more options to people.

“Hearing my own neighbors say Norwalk is full upsets me—that’s not a reason to exclude anyone from living here,” she said. 

Investment Properties

Other residents echoed McMurrer’s concerns that if the zone changes were made, investors would purchase current single-family homes in the area, convert them into two-family, and then rent them out, causing a shortage of ownership opportunities. 

“The difference is you change an area from single family to two-family—now they become investment properties,” said resident Lou D’Acunto. “You’re not going to create affordable housing, what you’re going to create is a business.”

Resident Meredith Doyle said that she and her husband specifically picked a single-family zone when they moved to Norwalk and bought their first home. 

“We moved from Brooklyn—we specifically sought out this neighborhood and single-family [zoning],” she said, adding that she didn’t want to see the area rezoned to two-family. 

Others said that they want to see the city enforce blight and other ordinances in areas where there already is multifamily housing before adding more. 

“We have illegal apartments all over the place,” said resident Harding Dies. “No one comes and enforces the laws.” 

A Lack of Affordable Options 

At least four speakers said they were in favor of the proposed changes—and some wanted the Commission to go even further—to help add to the housing stock and make the city more walkable with denser housing near transit and more commercial properties, like stores that people could get to.

“Norwalk was established long before anyone drove a car,” said Tanner Thompson, a resident and chair of the city’s Bike/Walk Commission. “We have an opportunity to save the original walkable neighborhoods of Norwalk.

Thompson said that the city’s current zoning code and the “automobile-centric neighborhoods it’s produced” are what’s led to the current housing crisis.

“So in that sense, Norwalk is full,” he said.

Thompson also said that he was speaking on behalf of a demographic that wasn’t really represented in the public hearing—residents under the age of 40. 

Resident Paul Chenard also said that he was in favor of the proposed changes to the zoning code.

“It’s unfortunate some of the two-family zoning was scaled back,” he said.

Chenard said that Norwalk was “under supplied” when it came to housing and that’s why prices are high. 

Housing in the Region

Many residents also said that they believed Norwalk does try to provide affordable housing—particularly more so than surrounding towns. 

“We’ve already got more diverse housing than our neighboring towns,” said Lisa Brinton, who made land use in the city a central theme of her recent campaigns for Mayor. “Norwalk is doing its part and shouldn’t be expected to carry the water for neighboring towns that won’t step up.” 

They called on surrounding communities, like Darien, Westport, Wilton, and New Canaan to “step up and upzone” their communities to allow for more housing options in the region, and not just in Norwalk. 

“The affordability of housing has a lot to do with the zoning restrictions of the towns around us,” resident Paul Welte said, adding that those towns needed to loosen up their rules and “allow more housing stock to be there.” 

Next Steps

Kleppin said that there would be another public hearing next Wednesday, June 28, at 6 p.m. in the Common Council Chambers and on Zoom. The timeline then calls for the Commission to weigh and debate the proposed changes through July and August, with a potential final public hearing in September. At that time, the Commission would review all proposed changes before taking a vote in September/October on the updated zoning. If approved, it would go into effect Jan. 1. 

Kelly Prinz, formerly Kelly Kultys, is the founder of Coastal Connecticut Times.

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