Politics & Government
LTE: Why I Supported Fairfield's Opt-In To CMDA - And Why It Does Not Mean More Unchecked Development
Our Town Needs A New Strategy To Take Back Local Control
To the Editor:
At last night's Fairfield Representative Town Meeting, I co-sponsored and voted for our town to join the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA). I didn’t support this to promote more development - I've been deeply frustrated by much of what we’ve seen in recent years. I supported the resolution because we need better tools to shape growth on our terms.
Development in Fairfield will continue. Market forces, state laws like 8-30g, and our town’s appeal make that certain. The real question is how we manage that growth while protecting what makes Fairfield unique.
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Today, we’re under-equipped. Our volunteer Planning & Zoning Commission has been buried with 8-30g applications for years, and even more projects flooded in shortly before we entered our moratorium. Our town faces complex challenges around infrastructure, housing, and traffic - with limited support and resources. CMDA offers access to state funding and technical help in specific transit locations like the Fairfield/Black Rock train station. These resources include school capacity studies, traffic analyses, and funding assistance for smaller or mixed-use projects that fit our community's values and priorities.
Importantly, CMDA does not override our zoning. We get to choose the transit districts where CMDA can lend support. Our TPZ retains control over all zoning decisions. CMDA can only help us implement our plan.
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Some residents worry CMDA will increase dense housing or reduce local control. Those concerns are legitimate, but they reflect a misunderstanding. This isn’t about giving up power - it’s about gaining resources to plan smarter.
CMDA isn’t a fix-all - it is a modest tool. I share the distrust so many in our community have towards our state government. And while you may believe working with a quasi-state agency is a trojan horse, I believe this is a small step in turning the page on our town's strategy. We can no longer do nothing and hope developers skip over us - that has not worked. Instead we must build public and private partnerships to gain resources, work together as a community, and be proactive in taking back true local control.
Sincerely,
Collin Colburn
Fairfield RTM Representative, District 8
