To the Editor:

Alright, class, today we’re going to talk about something important that’s happened recently in our town of Greenwich. It involves decisions made by people who were chosen to represent us—our state Representatives Arzeno, Khanna, and Meskers—and how their decisions impact our community.

These three representatives made a promise during their campaigns—that they would support local control over zoning. Zoning, in simple terms, is how areas in our town are divided and used, like which areas are for houses, which are for businesses, and so forth. Local control means that these decisions are supposed to be made by our town, not by someone from outside.

However, something different happened after they were elected. They agreed to support a new law called HB5390, proposed by a group called Desegregate CT. This law aims to change how certain areas near train and bus stations are developed. Under this new law, developers—people who build houses and apartments—can now build more units in these areas, up to 9 units in a building by default. And if the building has more than 10 units, it must include some affordable homes, which are meant to help people with less money afford a place to live.

The tricky part? If our town doesn’t agree to these new rules, it might lose a lot of money from the state that could go towards other important things. This kind of situation is tough because it feels like we’re being forced to agree, or else we lose out.

So why is this a big deal? Well, changing how areas are zoned can really change the feel of a neighborhood. Places like Cos Cob, Belle Haven, Riverside, and Old Greenwich could see a lot more large apartment buildings. This might not fit with how people in these areas want their community to look and feel.

When our representatives chose to support this bill, many people felt betrayed because they expected them to stand up for local control, as they promised during their campaigns. Now, there’s a lot of discussion about whether these representatives should be re-elected.

This situation is a great example of why it’s important to be informed and involved in our community decisions. It shows how the actions of a few can affect many and highlights the value of holding our elected officials accountable for the promises they make.

So, what do you all think? How important do you think it is for our local representatives to keep their promises? What do you think you would do in a situation like this? Let’s discuss.

Steve Warzoha