Massive Affordable Housing Proposal Advances In Milford: Report

MILFORD, CT — Grillo Services received approval from the city's Inland Wetlands Agency on a modification to its existing permit to move forward with its plans to construct a 342-unit apartment complex, which is being filed under the state's affordable housing statute, that includes 512 parking spaces at 553 West Avenue, the Milford Mirror reports.

As part of the condition for approval the work must be done between July to September to insure adjacent wetlands are protected, the Mirror reports.

The project must still be approved by the Planning and Zoning Board, but in reality the PZB is basically powerless to deny the project because it was filed under the state's affordable housing statute, which allows developers to ignore local zoning laws. A community is immune to the affordable housing statute if 10 percent of its housing stock is defined as affordable under state guidelines and Milford is around 6.5 percent.

If the PZB rejects the project it will likely head to court and developers almost always win on appeal, and the municipality often incurs significant legal fees along the way.

Wetland officials have praised the project saying it would improve water quality on the site. Part of the prior approval included relocating the box turtles living on the site. The land is currently owned by Kingdom Life Christian Church.

Read the full Milford Mirror story here.