Rally Planned For Thursday In Southport

SOUTHPORT, CT — Advocates seeking to maintain local zoning control will rally Thursday at the Southport train station.

The organizers of the event feel laws proposed in Hartford would negate local decision-making in the interest of prioritizing affordable housing. The event is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

“We are good stewards of our State and our towns, knowledgeable of and caring for the sense of neighborhood, historic value, environment, infrastructure capacity, traffic patterns, flooding events and more,” Fairfield zoning commissioner Alexis Harrison said in an email about the rally.

Among bills of concern to those planning to demonstrate are House Bill 5429, which imposes mandatory as-of-right zoning of 15 units per acre within a half-mile of train stations, and House Bill 5204, which empowers the state to define “fair share” affordable housing plans for municipalities, according to Harrison.

Speakers Thursday will include state Sen. Tony Hwang as well as other legislators, local zoning officials, environmental advocates and conservancy leaders.