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Town planner: permit fees outperformed estimates as apartment pipeline grows
Summary
Bloomfieldtown planner reported permit-fee revenue of $1.547 million versus a $1.2 million budget and outlined a near-term pipeline of apartment projects; commissioners discussed using developer payment-in-lieu funds for an affordable-housing trust but flagged administrative limits and missing past grant records.
John, Bloomfieldtown planner, told the Economic Development Commission that building-permit fee revenue exceeded expectations for the year, producing $1,547,000 against a budgeted $1,200,000.
"We had budgeted 1,200,000 for fees, and we took in 1.547," John said, noting the department performed about 50% better than projected and expects continued activity.
John and other commissioners described several large multifamily proposals in or near town: a project at 800 Cottage Grove that could total about 250 units, a roughly 150-unit project on Woodland Avenue, and additional smaller or infill developments. John said he expects a major wave of activity "in the next 10 to 14 months."
Commissioners also returned to discussion of the town's affordable-housing trust fund. John said the town has not finalized policies and procedures for the fund and that administration remains an obstacle. He described one developer option discussed earlier in which a payment-in-lieu over 10 years could yield roughly $3.5 million to seed the trust.
"The issue is not the money, it's the administrative side," John said, adding that staff capacity and recordkeeping are constraints. He told the commission auditors previously asked about the status of a federal rehabilitation grant, and "none of us have been able to find a complete dataset" that shows whether funds were loans, grants, liens or had been repaid.
Commissioners suggested revisiting a model in which a bank or outside administrator handles loan servicing to reduce staff burden. Denise noted Windsor Federal and a banker previously involved remain interested in a revolving-loan approach that would limit town staff time.
The commission agreed the affordable-housing trust and potential developer payments warrant further study and recommended exploring administrative options that minimize in-house workload. The meeting produced no formal votes on funding or policy.
The commission's next meeting is scheduled for Aug. 11 at 8:30 a.m.
