​Save Our Shelton
Your city. Your vote. Your voice.
Our Projects
What matters concern us in Shelton? High density development, traffic, and poorly planned retail.
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Planning & Zoning and Inlands Wetlands need to develop a plan to deal with the onslaught of applications in a considered, balanced way. Residents are paying the price of haphazard, developer-focused zoning.
Huntington Center/Ripton Road PDD - We support neighbors' efforts to oppose this PDD.
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Residents of this area are leading the way on opposing this project. They have sent flyers and mobilized community opposition to create an amazing first meeting at P&Z.
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"SOS applauds their efforts, and we are gratified to see grass roots groups like ours springing up in Booth Hill and at Huntington Center. It's a strong indication that people have finally had enough of free-for-all zoning. We will continue to support their initiatives in any way we are able, as we believe cluster housing is bad for them, bad for our R-1 neighborhoods, and bad for Shelton."
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The proposal: 20 houses on 1/4 acre each. Application #18-12, Dominick Thomas on behalf of Primrose Development, LLC for Initial development Concept Plan and PDD zone change, (20 single family dwellings in common ownership), Ripton Road (Map 73, Lot 80), R-1 and R-2 Districts.
The location: Corner of Ripton Road and Church Street, right behind the Huntington Green.
The issues to look at: traffic entering the green, housing density in an R-1 neighborhood, the changing character of this area of Shelton. Shelton had zoning plans for a reason - is it appropriate that everyone who wants a zone change gets one?
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There is a late 19th century house on 16 Ripton Road. It is part of the application for the National Historic Register status of this area. Demolition of this building would be considered "a negative impact to the historic district," according to the State Historic Preservation Office in Hartford, CT, when asked about this application. (Further discussion and analysis may be necessary to figure out the exact location and impact in regards to the proposed development). Read the application for National Historic Register status at 16 Ripton Road -
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CT Post Article before the hearing
CT Post Article after the hearing
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What's the status?
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There was a public hearing on Wednesday, June 27 at 7 pm at Shelton Intermediate School. There were 500 residents there! PZ asked questions about traffic and 1-acre zoning versus greed.
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There will be another hearing on August 21. Plan to be there to give your input!
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Booth Hill Patrick Family Farm PDD
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The proposal: 17 houses on 1/2 acre each with a 5-6 open space give back to the City? (Land Trust? Not sure of the beneficiary). R-1 zoning would become DRD
The location: Off Booth Hill Road/Waverly Roads near the Far Mill reservoir.
The issues to look at: Shelton has a poor record of preserving open space. Encroachment (open space being taken by an adjacent neighbor for a pool, additional lawn space, clear cutting the open space) is VERY common in Shelton. The Far Mill Reservoir is very close to this project - The Conservation Commission and Aquarion would really, really prefer the city purchase at least part for the safety of our water quality. Changing 1 acre zoning into a DRD opens the door to anyone's neighborhood changing in unexpected and potentially unpleasant ways.
Our take: We believe that DRD zoning puts all of our R-1 neighborhoods at risk, and is a poor idea for the long-term outlook of Shelton. Additionally we believe that stepping on your rights steps on all of us – if your R-1 neighborhood is “up for grabs” so is everybody’s. Shelton should not be rezoned piece-meal with little to no ability for residents to stop this rampant policy.
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Click here to see an example of encroachment
Click here to see a letter introducing the main topics
Click here to see an article from the Shelton Herald
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What's the status?
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There have been public hearings on this matter.
Aquarion water company has expressed, by letter, concerns about the proximity of the houses to the Far Mill Reservoir area.
There have been questions about septic systems near to the reservoir
There have been questions about a high water table in this area
The developer will be providing public water hook up to some residents
The developer offered to sell part/all to the City of Shelton but never received an answer.
PZ asked The Board of Aldermen for an official letter stating if they were purchasing it, and if so, why not. The project, to our knowledge, is still under discussion.
The developer submitted a concurrent 1-acre zoning proposal of "by right" building. (This basically means that it's zoned R-1, Residential 1 acre, and so, he has a right to build 1 acre homes without many hoops to jump through so long as he follows all of Shelton's general building regulations.) To sum up, what the developer has done is say, okay, if you won't approve my 17 houses plan on .5 acre lots with some open space given back, I'd like to build some 1 acre homes as a backup plan.
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Shelter Ridge - Heck, no
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We're against it. It's too dense. It involves lots of blasting. Bridgeport Avenue will be widened til Shelton looks like the Post Road. And the developers offered NO compromise on the issue of staying below the ridgeline so that scenic and historic features could be preserved. We offered reasonable solutions and compromises. The Conservation Commission offered workable, alternative plans. The developer had no desire to compromise.
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What's the status?
SOS Save Our Shelton LLC is an intervenor in Inlands Wetlands. At the last meeting on 6/28 at 7 pm at City Hall., Wetlands heard the applicant/engineer's defense of comments made by our engineer Steve Trinkaus. Wetlands then decided to hire an independent engineer to look at Shelter Ridge's wetlands application and see how/if it it complies with DEEP guidelines.
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A lawsuit is currently in progress against The City of Shelton for its decision in approving the PDD at Planning & Zoning.
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CT Post article on independent engineer being hired
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Who voted in favor of this terrible project at Planning & Zoning?
- Commissioner Parkins (In the November 2017 election, she was subsequently voted out of office).
- Commissioner Matto (Term will be up in 2019 - watch the elections)
- Commissioner Miller (Currently an alternate)
- Commissioner Harger (Currently the Chairwoman after Ms. Parkins's election loss) (Term will be up in 2019 - watch the elections)
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Bridgeport Avenue - Our wishlist
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What benefits do new PDDs on Bridgeport Avenue owe to residents
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- Open space for public use including benches, tables, shade trees, native plantings
- Reduction in paved areas wherever possible
- Stormwater remediation going above and beyond required standards
- Sidewalks
- Charging stations for vehicles
- Solar panels
- Traffic controls/traffic reductions
- Downward facing lights. Dark sky protections.
- Multimodal transportation corridors
- Protecting existing waterways, wetlands, native species
- Tenants/businesses that promote high quality jobs
- Building standards that elevate Bridgeport Avenue above a 'Post Road' look and feel
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