For the 2025 Wilton Municipal Elections, GOOD Morning Wilton asked all candidates to submit a 150-word bio; candidates running for the Boards of Selectmen, Finance and Education and the Planning and Zoning Commission were asked to sit for a video interview and submit an 800-word op-ed. In addition, candidates in the other races were invited to submit an op-ed if they wanted. More information is available in GMW’s Election Guidelines and Policies.
GMW Video Interview
Candidate Submitted Bio
A 10-year Wilton resident and six-year member of Planning and Zoning, Jill has pushed developers to create thoughtful developments that comply with Wilton’s zoning regulations while increasing housing diversity. She has a comprehensive understanding of the affordable housing system in Connecticut and an intimate understanding of Connecticut General Statute 8-30g, given her extensive research in law school. She provides a different perspective than other candidates, given that she is in a different life stage and generation. Professionally, Jill is a civil defense attorney, handling cases from construction defects to dog bites. Her focus is on smart growth, balanced zoning and preserving Wilton’s neighborhoods.
Candidate Submitted Op-Ed
Growing Together: Essential to Building a Wilton Everyone Can Enjoy
by Jill Warren, Republican Candidate for Planning and Zoning Commission
My name is Jill Warren, and I am running for re-election to the Planning and Zoning Commission.
In the time I have served on the commission, I have grown from a fresh college graduate to a (very) recently married defense attorney. In the same timeframe, I have helped our town grow alongside me. It took me six months of constant searching to find an available apartment in Wilton when I graduated from college. Today, college graduates have several different developments to choose from in order to begin growing their roots. As the average age of first-home buyers increases, availability of diverse housing choices expands access to Wilton living. An increase in the diversity of our housing stock benefits empty-nesters as well. More people in town means more foot traffic in our shops, our restaurants, our hair salons and more.
With an increase in development, our town has unquestionably grown — economically, culturally and demographically. Still, development has been contained to more dense areas and has been kept away from the quieter streets and neighborhoods that make up the bulk of our town. This is how it should be. Development is often seen as all or nothing — threaten our quiet, single-family neighborhoods or don’t. Enjoy a bustling downtown or don’t. This black and white thinking has gotten (and will continue to get) us nowhere. Balance is more than necessary. We can have a bustling Wilton Center and enjoy the solace of a private, quiet cul-de-sac in the woods. These things are not mutually exclusive, and we are failing ourselves and the town if we shut out development in more dense areas — including the possibility of economic development — because we are afraid of change.
That said, I would love to address the elephant in the room. I know people are unhappy, not only with development but with the P&Z process as a whole. It’s no excuse, but we are limited in that P&Z is more of a legal process than people expect, and we need to act in specific ways to conform with our town’s regulations and the state statutes. We need to do a better job as a commission in explaining the process to not only applicants, but the public. The best means of publicizing information should be explored. A subcommittee is likely the most appropriate means — I am happy to spearhead this process.
In addition, I am more than happy to insist upon hybrid meetings so that people can attend in person. I will show up for you. In the years I have been on the commission, I have missed just three meetings — one for my birthday, one for a law school event, and one for my honeymoon. I have encouraged people to reach out to me to have coffee or tea and chat about development as a whole. I will continue to do so. We are limited in that I cannot discuss individual applications, but I encourage people to reach out to speak generally. I will continue to be there for you. I cannot underscore enough the importance of accessibility to information and to our elected officials, myself included. We are all neighbors. Times have been tense, but it is extremely important we all remember this.
As you choose who will be on the next commission, I would like to gently remind you that the next commission will be responsible for creating our new Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD). Of course, in my opinion, there should be attorneys, like myself, involved in this process. I take pride in being an attorney, but what is even more crucial is that we have someone well-versed in affordable housing laws and policies involved. I am the only person in the race and on the commission that has studied affordable housing laws (ad nauseam, really) and published a 40-page law review article about the history of zoning and Connecticut General Statute 8-30g. It would be extremely valuable to the town if I were able to participate in this process.
When you come to the polls on Nov. 4, I implore you to consider who will show up for you. I hope you remember that I have a different voice than others in the race, that I am the youngest by a long shot, and that I have an extensive background in affordable housing. But most importantly, I hope you remember that we are all neighbors — neighbors who need to roll their sleeves up and work together to create a Wilton everyone can enjoy — no matter their demographic.
Candidate Interview Clips
Q: Tell us why you are the right person to serve on Wilton’s Planning and Zoning Commission.
Q: Because you are an incumbent, what are some creative solutions you might suggest about 8-30g and about housing for Wilton?
Q: As a P&Z member, is there really anything you can do about 8-30g?
Q: The town used to have a Housing Committee. How long would it take to start a housing commission if that idea were pursued? The First Selectwoman said the Capital Planning Committee could handle affordable housing when that committee was closed. Is that viable?
Q: You’re one of the youngest people who has served on the board and you’ve finished law school, started practicing, and served on P&Z. Have you thought about taking on more leadership?
Q: How do you get younger people or those not traditionally involved in town government more excited about volunteering or voting?
Q: Residents sometimes feel unheard, especially about public comment coming late in the process. How do you respond, and how could P&Z improve that?
Q: You mentioned fairness to developers — can you explain what “unfair to the developer” means in this context?
Q: Do you feel your P&Z Commission has done a good job developing a vision for downtown — things like building height, development, or architecture?
Q: Looking ahead 10 or 20 years, what would you like Wilton to look like, especially downtown?
Q: The Wilton Center Master Plan is complete — where should Planning and Zoning focus next?
Q: As the town moves into its next Plan of Conservation and Development, how have priorities changed since 2019?
Q: What about parking? As Wilton Center becomes more walkable, how can P&Z address parking in the next few years? Businesses are posting “customers only” parking signs — have you heard concerns from business or property owners about parking?
Q: What’s your view on signage — both wayfinding and business signs — and what changes should be considered? Why was the signage RFP delayed so long? That RFP was about signage but also other studies, right?
Q: Is there a nearby town you think Wilton should look to as an example of good planning and zoning?
Q: Looking at Wilton itself, what’s your favorite new building, business, or open space in town?
Q: If you could bring any new public amenity to Wilton, what would it be?
Q: Rather than having the town responsible for creating and funding projects like a dog park should they be organized and funded by residents? Do you think that approach could work?
Q: Finally, give us your 30-second elevator pitch — why should voters choose you for Planning and Zoning?
