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Windsor Locks Board votes to join Connecticut Municipal Development Authority to pursue transit‑oriented funding
Summary
The Board of Selectmen voted Oct. 21 to opt Windsor Locks into the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority (CMDA), a nonbinding move that opens the town to potential state funding for transit‑oriented redevelopment within a delineated district; the board amended the resolution to name the authority explicitly.
The Windsor Locks Board of Selectmen voted on Oct. 21 to opt the town into the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority, a state program that can provide project‑specific funding for transit‑oriented development within a designated district.
Justin Fountain, a contracted land planner with Golen York, told the board that opting in does not obligate the town to any immediate financial contribution or require changes to local regulations. "There's no cost obligation to the town," he said, and he described the process as three steps: opt‑in by resolution, designate a specific area (the town's existing TIF district is the likely overlay), and have CMDA review projects and local regulations as needed when a developer applies.
Board members and residents questioned whether CMDA funding could come with conditions such as housing mandates or constraints on local planning decisions. Fountain said funding decisions would be project‑specific and that planning and zoning retain their standard approval authority; he also noted the program is newly active and that long‑term program cutoffs and priorities are not yet fully known. Fountain said the program currently had roughly $60,000,000 available and an additional allocation of about $50,000,000 expected the following year.
Supporters argued the town is a good candidate given its new train platform and the 255 Main Street project; they said early participation could help fund infrastructure in older parts of town. After discussion, the board amended the resolution to explicitly name the Connecticut Municipal Development Authority, authorized the first selectman to execute any necessary memoranda or agreements, moved, seconded and approved the resolution by voice vote.
Outcome: The resolution to join CMDA was approved by the board; the decision is nonbinding and project‑specific approvals will require subsequent review if and when developers apply for CMDA funds.
Next steps: staff will coordinate any required mapping or district designation and return to the board for any project approvals tied to CMDA funding.
