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Simsbury board to ask staff to draft updated abatement and fee‑waiver policy after CHAPAC recommendations
Summary
Board discussed CHAPAC (housing advisory) recommendations on fee waivers and tax abatements and asked the town manager to prepare a draft revision for review with finance, planning and other stakeholders before returning to the board.
On Jan. 12 the Board of Selectmen discussed recommendations from the town’s housing advisory group (referred to in meeting materials as CHAPAC/SHAPAC) about using fee waivers and tax abatements to encourage multi‑use and affordable housing and commercial redevelopment.
Several board members said the recommendations should be considered as part of a comprehensive update to the town’s fee‑waiver and abatement policy rather than implemented piecemeal. One member urged that conservation and open‑space expertise be included on any working group.
Town Manager Mark and others recommended staff prepare a near‑final draft and circulate it for written comment to a limited set of boards (finance, EDC, planning, selectmen subcommittee) before returning to the full board and holding public input. No ordinance change was adopted; the board asked staff to draft language and propose a review process.
Why it matters: Board members framed tax abatements and fee waivers as tools to make investment viable in a town with a relatively high mill rate and said careful, consolidated policy work will help align housing, economic development and conservation priorities.
