Keep Ashford Rural
Help prevent large scale development in Ashford!
The site was originally created to provide information about the proposed changes to the Ashford, CT Zoning Regulations submitted Jan. 9, 2023 related to the land in northwestern Ashford. Those proposed changes that would allow for a mega-warehouse were denied by the Ashford Planning and Zoning Commission on May 8th, 2023. The PZC susequently instituted a moratorium on applications in the IID zone starting August 1 for 9 months. This website is still active and continuing to share updated information about development in Ashford. Keeping informed is critically important.
May 2024 Updates
The next regularly schedule PZC meeting is 5/13/2024 via zoom. The agenda a meeting link have not yet been posted.
Interesting Read: Mega Warehouses and Diesel Emmissions - Bad for One's Health https://grist.org/climate/quarter-new-york-state-residents-live-near-mega-warehouse/
April 2024 Updates
The PZC discussed changes to the zoning regulations in the IID.
Links to Letters submited to the PZC for the April 8th Meeting
KAR Letter (Keep Ashford Rural)
March 11, 2024 Ashford PZC Meeting - Minutes available here
The Economic Development Commission submitted a letter to the PZC including their recommendations for regulation changes in the IID zone. (Entire letter here) They met with Mr. Rodlakis (primary land owner and applicant behind the mega-warehouse) in January and crafted these recommendations. Margret Chatey EDC chairperson stated the numbers arrived at were based on a compromise between what we have now and what the land owner felt was needed flexibility.
Building size (whether in a single or multiple buildings) not to exceed 400,000 sq. ft.
Impervious area not to exceed 40% of the parcel.
Building height not to exceed 55 feet.
Warehouse and distribution function to be allowed by special permit (Site to be a minimum of 75 contiguous acres).
These do not take into consideration the actual characteristics of the parcel and what can be safely built there. These also do not appear to take into consideration the results of the PZC survey.
February 12, 2024 Meeting Ashford PZC- Minutes available here
All land owners in the IID were invited to speak to the PZC and provide input on the changing of regulations in the IID. Mr. Rodalakis was the only land owner to respond and he shared his desires for the IID. He did not have any reports from consultants or studies of the land to share.
The PZC voted to not extend the moratorium on project in the IID beyond its current closing date.
Survey Results:
At the January 8th meeting of the PZC, Mike D'Amato (Ashford ZEO) presented inital results to the PZC IID Survey. There were 318 respondents. He presented the following charts to summarize results.
Question 6 was a space for additional comments. Mr. D'Amoto did not have those exported in time for the meeting but said he would get them published in their entirety. They have been posted to the meeting materials folder on the Ashford Town Hall Website as of 1/16/2024. They have also been copied and included here in this website.
November Election results:
The unofficial results of the municipal election are posted at the Secretary of State website. You can view all the results by going to this link https://ctemspublic.pcctg.net/#/selectTown.
Select the November 2023 election at the top and then choose Ashford for the town.
Cathryn Silversmith won First Selectman position.
Cathryn Silver- Smith 669
William Falletti - 654
Selectmen will be William Falletti and Roger Phippils
Roger Phillips - 741
Paul Varga - 575
Planning and Zoning Commission (top three elected)
Janet Bellamy - 788
Thomas Hastings - 778
Luther Brauch - 676
Gerald Lojzim - 621
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Mailing List:
We send occassional emails about important meetings or new information. Subscribe below if you would like to receive these emails. Click here to go to our subscription page.
Some informative resourses for you to check out:
It is important for us as citizens to be informed. Ashford is moving forward both with the moratorium and in creating our new POCD. We here at KAR are working to provide you with information to help you stay informed. Below are some articles that are relevant to Ashford.
Pyrrhotite in Ashford: Christine Acebeo put together some valuble information and links in her letter to the PZC about this issue. The Pyrrhotite issue is not currently addressed in the Zoning Regulations but it does impact Ashford Land Use.
Additional Pyrrhotite Links from C. Vidich
Links to some new Zoning Approaches that Ashford should be considering
The Buildable Lot: What makes a lot Buildable?
Impervious Cover Standards: Water Quality & Flood Protection
Open Space Helps Keep Property Taxes Low - Informative article by Dan Donahue relevant to Ashford and future planning
Ashford Plan of Conservation and Development 2015 (POCD)
Quick Link to other Ashford Documents: Page with links to PZC agendas, minutes, Video recordings, and important documents here.
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Links to the Mega- Warehouse Battle: Ashford citizens were successful in petitioning the Planning and Zoning Commission to vote against a zoning changing that would have allowed a massive mege-warehouse to be built at exit 72 on I-84. All the links and timeline of that process are here,
This website is created by The Committee to Keep Ashford Rural