9/28/2018 - First Selectman’s Statement on the September 27, 2018 Planning & Zoning Meeting
9/28/2018 - First Selectman’s Statement on the September 27, 2018 Planning & Zoning Meeting
Last evening, September 27, 2018, Trumbull’s Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) voted on a bi-partisan basis to approve a zoning change that will allow apartments to be built on land owned by the Westfield Trumbull Mall. Please understand that no plans for apartments have been approved as a result of this change.
Any plan for apartments must go through the rigorous P&Z approval process before anything is built. This vote was the culmination of months of work by my administration that is detailed in my earlier update. Substantial changes were made to the original proposal made by the mall owners including the reduction in the number of units from 580 to 260 and the disallowance of dens in the apartment units. These and other changes were incorporated in the zoning change passed last evening.
I want to thank the members of Trumbull’s Planning and Zoning Commission for their hard work and thoughtful consideration of the issues. This bipartisan vote demonstrated the ability to put politics aside and work together for the future of our community.
The zoning change was not done lightly. To the contrary, it went through an extensive process of give and take in order to respect and balance all of the interests of the Trumbull community. This is a critical juncture for the future of not only our mall, but malls across the country. This outcome represents the best direction to help transform our mall into a live-work-play destination for the future.
This decision will secure the value of the property and open up opportunities for new and existing businesses to flourish, for additional grand list growth to occur, and for Trumbull to have a vibrant zone that continues to be a regional destination in this new era of retail.
The crafting of this zone draws on best practices from around the country in securing the future of mall properties. Extensive input from residents, town staff, outside professionals, and a variety of national retail experts was obtained during this process. Whether the mall remains with its current owners or is sold to new investors, the bipartisan action of the P&Z Commission has given our mall the best chance to succeed. A successful mall, with ownership committed to investment, is in the best interests of Trumbull.
Some things should transcend politics. Complicated and rapidly changing issues, such as the decline of malls and the disruption to the traditional retail industry, are often difficult to comprehend and communicate to the community and we will work to educate and inform the public.
Thank you again to all the P&Z Commission volunteers and professional staff, who I know will continue to work together to implement this newly approved zone change.
As your First Selectman, I will continue to work with the Mall, our residents and all others concerned for Trumbull’s future to insure a vibrant mall zone and Trumbull community. Together we will make the tough decisions to ensure that Trumbull remains a community of choice into the future for our children and grandchildren.
Archives