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Drive through Wilton Center and you’ll see something new taking shape — an oversized, four-story apartment building rising above Hubbard Rd. It looks nothing like the Wilton we know, and many residents have asked: how did this get approved?
The short answer is: Connecticut’s 8-30g statute — a state law that allows developers to override local zoning regulations in towns where less than 10% of the housing stock is considered “affordable.” Right now, Wilton falls well below that threshold.
But the longer answer is about something deeper: who gets to decide how Wilton grows? Is it us — our community, our elected boards, our local planners? Or is it Hartford lawmakers and out-of-town developers using a decades-old statute to push through projects that don’t reflect local values, needs or capacity?
What Is 8-30g — and Why Does It Matter?
Passed in 1989, 8-30g was intended to spur the creation of affordable housing by giving developers special privileges in towns with low levels of state-defined affordable units. If a developer agrees to make at least 30% of a proposed project “affordable,” they can override many local zoning rules — like height, density or setback restrictions.
Importantly, “affordable” under 8-30g doesn’t mean low-income housing. It means units priced for people earning up to 80% of the area median income — which in Fairfield County is quite high. That means so-called “affordable” apartments can still carry rents well beyond what many working families, seniors or first-time buyers can manage.
And the bar for towns to reclaim local control is steep. To reach the 10% affordable housing threshold, Wilton would need to add more than 1,200 deed-restricted affordable units. That’s not just unrealistic — it would drastically alter the town’s scale, infrastructure and finances.
What Happened on Hubbard Rd.
The Hubbard Rd. project [12 Godfrey Pl.] is a clear example of how 8-30g works in practice. The developer initially submitted a smaller proposal, which Wilton’s Planning and Zoning Commission reviewed critically and appeared poised to reject. But because we’re under the 10% threshold, the developer was able to come back with a larger plan under 8-30g — one that the town had limited ability to stop.
The final project is substantially larger than what was originally proposed and includes 40 units, with 20 set aside as “affordable.” It’s out of character with the surrounding neighborhood, and it puts pressure on local infrastructure — yet state law tied the town’s hands.
This isn’t just about one building. It’s about whether Wilton gets to make its own land-use decisions — or whether we’re subject to a policy that hasn’t meaningfully solved the state’s affordability crisis in 35 years.
A Better Way Forward
Wilton absolutely needs more diverse housing options. Young families should be able to move here. Longtime residents should be able to downsize and stay. Teachers, police officers, health workers and seniors should not be priced out.
But the way to achieve this isn’t through top-down mandates or legal loopholes. It’s through thoughtful, community-driven planning — backed by infrastructure, local values and smart zoning.
We need to encourage solutions that fit Wilton’s character: accessory dwellings, modest multi-unit conversions, housing for seniors and first responders, and incentives for genuine affordability. These ideas require collaboration — not coercion.
I believe we can — and should — take the lead in shaping our future.
We need Planning and Zoning Commission members who understand the stakes and who will protect Wilton’s interests when evaluating appeals and variance requests. We also need people who are willing to engage productively with regional housing policy — offering alternatives to 8-30g rather than simply reacting to it.
This isn’t a partisan issue. I’m a Republican, but I’ve spoken with Democrats and independents across town who all share the same concerns: They want Wilton to grow responsibly, inclusively and on its own terms.
That’s not too much to ask. It’s common sense.
Let’s make sure Wilton’s future is something we choose — not something forced on us.
I concur with Phil’s op-ed but he does not offer a solution. I believe this needs to be addressed at two levels. The chairman of the P&Z commission needs to get the commission behind this and modify the local regulations to address this oversize problem before too many monstrosities are created. Secondly, our Hartford congressional contingent needs to make it an imperative to work with other congressional members to update 8-30g to better reflect the realities of this decade.
It’s sad because that building is only the start 3 more have been approved for the center of town. All 4 or 5 stories. P&Z do not care and if they would change the building height back to 3 (it should have never been changed to 4 or 5) we would not be looking at massive apartment buildings in the center of town. I wish we could stop all new buildings above 3 stories. P&Z has destroyed what makes Wilton so special. Honestly it’s greed! 2019 P&Z said developers can’t make money if we don’t increase the building height!! With no real town input they voted on the change and now in the center of town you can build 5 stories. However on Danbury rd you can only build 4 1/2 stories. Explain that one to me??? We need the town to come together demand the building height be max 3 stories and figure out a way to stop the other buildings before being built to change to 3 stories before they break ground. It’s beyond frustrating.
Excuse the poor grammar and writing on the train
Ideally, our representatives in Hartford would work toward reforming or repealing 830-g. But until they convince their colleagues in the supermajority to abandon their aggressive one-size-fits-all housing agenda, the people of Wilton will have to hold the line against overdevelopment as best we can