By Peter Barhydt
New Canaan First Selectman Dionna Carlson and state Rep. Tom O’Dea joined municipal and state officials in Greenwich on Friday, July 24, to warn that Connecticut’s housing policies could place additional strain on roads, stormwater systems, water supplies and the electric grid unless infrastructure planning comes first.
The two New Canaan officials spoke during a press conference organized by Greenwich First Selectman Fred Camillo, who called for the state to pause housing and zoning requirements while municipalities, utility providers and state agencies assess existing capacity. The gathering included elected officials from Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan and legislators from both political parties.
Carlson centered her remarks on the practical consequences of placing more buildings, pavement and traffic in communities already contending with flooding and congested transportation systems.
“This is a really important issue for all of us,” Carlson said.
She pointed to severe storms and flooding in lower Fairfield County as evidence that local drainage systems are already under pressure. New development can increase the amount of hard surface that prevents rainwater from being absorbed into the ground, sending more runoff toward roads, streams, culverts and private property.
“Adding more hardscape and larger buildings to already dense communities” would intensify those problems, Carlson said. She also argued that state leaders have not completed enough study of the transportation and infrastructure consequences attached to higher housing density.
Carlson referred to a recent regional discussion about Connecticut’s road system and whether it was designed to carry the traffic levels now seen across the state. Her comments placed stormwater management and transportation alongside water, natural gas and electricity as infrastructure questions that should be resolved before municipalities are directed to absorb substantial additional development.
O’Dea, who represents New Canaan, focused on energy production and the state’s ability to provide reliable power at an affordable cost.
“We don’t have enough power generation,” O’Dea said.
O’Dea said the issue has been discussed throughout his years in the General Assembly without sufficient progress. He supported Camillo’s request for a broader assessment of utility capacity before large housing projects are pursued in communities where existing service is already constrained.
“I want some effort to increase power generation before we start trying to throw in massive building where we can’t even support what we have already,” O’Dea said.
He called for a diversified energy strategy that does not place the cost of policy initiatives on ratepayers without enough attention to affordability.
“We’ve got to be judicious on the affordability issue in the state of Connecticut,” O’Dea said.
Camillo convened the press conference after Greenwich homeowners reported difficulties securing expanded natural-gas service after rebuilding or enlarging homes. He said Connecticut Natural Gas and Aquarion had acknowledged capacity concerns in discussions with town officials. Camillo warned that the same constraints could affect planned affordable-housing developments as well as private construction.
Other speakers approached the issue from different directions. State Rep. Steve Meskers, a Greenwich Democrat, questioned whether private utilities had invested enough to anticipate population and economic growth. State Sen. Ryan Fazio, a Greenwich Republican, described the housing policies as unfunded mandates that burden municipalities. Darien Selectwoman Monica McNally said housing plans should account for schools, police, fire protection, transportation, water and other local services.
The broad agreement at the event was that additional housing requires a corresponding plan for the systems beneath and around it. Camillo closed the event by calling for state and municipal officials to work together rather than treat housing and local control as opposing objectives.
“Just building more is not the answer,” Camillo said. “Building wisely is.”
