Re: [CornwallCommunityNetwork] P+Z PUBLIC HEARING TONIGHT 7pm: "LET THEM EAT CAKE!"

Has someone who really truly wisely knowledgable been consulted before opening things up to "private developers"?

On Tuesday, June 11, 2024 at 07:41:45 AM EDT, Steve Schmidt <steveschmidtct@gmail.com> wrote:

The Public Hearing is tonight at 7pm.

You can find the Zoom link here: https://cornwallct.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Website-legal-notice-06112024-Public-Hearing.pdf

There is no phone call-in number to the meeting for those who need it.

The meeting will also be in-person at the Cornwall Library.

At this meeting, among other things, the Planning and Zoning Commission is planning to allow private developers to build affordable housing in Cornwall. Before this time, only not for profits were allowed to do this, such as the Cornwall Housing Corporation.

They are making this decision without having any dialogue with the Cornwall community since as of June 2021, they do NOT ALLOW Any public comment at their regular meetings (The only town in Connecticut to do so apparently.) But we're told we can read a bunch of charts and data on the Cornwall website created by outside consultants and lobbyists and that should satisfy us. ("Let them eat cake!")

Has Cornwall become a town where the "lobbyists" have more power than the people who live or have businesses in Cornwall?

Unfortunately it would appear so.

They CLOSED all comments for the public hearing on June 6th.

They have NO DATA on the Cornwall website supporting their decision to allow private developers to build affordable housing here.

From a review of their meetings, it appears that they also did not consult the Town Land Use attorney about what the possible implications are when you allow private developers. A private developer named Vessel Technologies has expressed interest in building in Cornwall. The head of this company was sued by the New York State Attorney General for harassing his tenants. Is THIS the type of company that the Planning and Zoning Commission would like to welcome here?

It's understandable that the Planning and Zoning Commission might not have heard about Vessel Technologies.

What is NOT UNDERSTANDABLE is that the Planning and Zoning Commission believes that IT ALONE has the answers, and that they can make sweeping changes to the regulations with just a "swipe of their pen," and a so-called "public hearing." It's been all too clear at recent public hearings that by the time the public hearing happens, it's too late. The Planning and Zoning Commission has really already made up their mind, and nothing you or I say or do really has any effect.

If you still believe that your voice matters in Cornwall, there's the public hearing tonight at 7pm by Zoom or at the Library. It probably won't matter what you say, but I suppose you can always try.

Sincerely,
Steve

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