Patch Candidate Profile: Virginia Harger, Shelton Planning And Zoning

SHELTON, CT — The 2023 municipal election is heating up in Shelton and there are plenty of local races with candidates eager to serve in elected office.

Shelton-Derby Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Republican Virginia Harger is a Shelton resident running for the Planning and Zoning Commission.

Education

Shelton High School, Class of 1969; B.S. and M.S. in Business Education, Central Connecticut State University.

What is your occupation?

Retired. Was a Business Education teacher in the Shelton school system during 1975-1981; a Marketing Communications and Public Relations manager for two major international corporations for 15+ years and the Office Manager at St. Joseph Church for 19 years.

Do you have a family? If so, please tell us about them.

Yes; have been married to Mark Harger for 48+ years.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Have you ever held a public office, whether appointive or elective?

Yes. Have served on the Planning & Zoning Commission since 2005; have been the Commission Chairperson since December, 2017.

Now we'd like to ask a few questions about your reasons for running and your general views on politics and government. First, why are you seeking this office?

To take on the responsibility of deciding which economic development proposals are in the best interests of our City and its residents.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Shelton residents might not realize it, but the single most pressing issue, when it comes to zoning, is not a local issue, but a statewide one.

Since 1989, the 8-30g state statute has allowed residential proposals to ignore local zoning regulations if less than 10% of a municipality’s existing housing stock qualifies as “affordable” housing. “Affordable housing” units in a residential project have deed-restricted rental rates for at least 40 years and are available only to those whose income is 80% or 60% of State Median Income or Area Median Income, whichever is lower. These units are separate from those in Connecticut’s Section 8 housing rental assistance program.

If an 8-30g residential proposal is denied by a municipality, it must prove, based upon the evidence before them, the following: the decision was necessary to protect substantial public interests in health, safety or other matters the municipality may legally consider AND public interests clearly outweigh the need for affordable housing AND public interests cannot be protected by reasonable changes to the affordable housing development.

In addition, just after the end of the most recent legislative session, Governor Lamont signed Senate Bill 998 into law, effective October 1, 2023. This new law gives Connecticut’s Office Of Policy and Management, and an expanded “Office of Responsible Growth”, the ability to establish a bureaucratic structure to impose extreme development mandates without regard to a municipality’s capacities, constraints or needs, AND without consideration of environmental issues, open space and historic resource preservation. It also establishes a methodology to set an “affordable” housing development quota of up to 20% of each municipality’s total housing stock AND established several high-level housing development “advisory” groups with only token zoning participation.

This ill-conceived scheme is the largest unfunded mandate for Connecticut municipalities over the past several years. It removes the authority of local planning and zoning commissions, eliminates public hearings for public comment, degrades environmental protections, overrides local concerns, and imposes central planning by unaccountable State officials.

Without a doubt, appropriate development is best achieved on the local level to ensure that changes in land use and our natural environment are done in a thoughtful, considered, fair and equitable manner that encourages public participation by all residents.

What I intend to do is what I have done in the past: keep myself informed of the legislation proposed each year in the General Assembly that affects local zoning regulations, speaking to our local state representatives and senator about the possible consequences of such legislation, sharing information about proposals that will negatively affect our local zoning regulations with residents, encouraging residents to communicate their opinions to our local state representatives and senator, and speaking at the appropriate Connecticut General Assembly public hearing to express my views on proposals for zoning that will negatively affect us locally.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Planning & Zoning regulations are complex and can be complicated. Due to my 18-years on the Commission, I have acquired a great deal of knowledge about zoning regulations and how they apply to numerous economic development proposals, which have to be carefully scrutinized to make sure they conform to our regulations. I consider my time on the Commission, and the knowledge I have gained, would be an important consideration for a voter when choosing who to support in our upcoming municipal election.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

N/A

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Being fair, consistent, and open to new ideas; but -- at the same time -- making sure to evaluate each proposal during the application process to determine if it would benefit to the City, its residents and the business community.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

As Commission Chair when the pandemic came upon us in March, 2020 I proposed holding weekly meetings to allow Commission and City business to continue. I also directed and assisted staff to develop outdoor dining regulations to allow local restaurants to continue operations. I have appointed special subcommittees to study special topics, including recreational cannabis, accessory dwelling units, high-density residential developments and short-term rentals to determine if regulations needed revision.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth shut!

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Shelton is my hometown and I was fortunate to be raised here by two parents who were very community-minded and dedicated to our church. The only time I have not resided in Shelton was between 1975-1978 after my marriage to my husband, but my employment as a Shelton High School teacher meant I was in town for a minimum of five days a week during the school year and many weekends for family events. In 1978 we had the means to purchase a home in Shelton and have resided here since with no regrets as we knew Shelton would be a very affordable and safe community offering a variety of shopping and recreational opportunities.