[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by jesse_f

Yup, and now that their kids are of school age (5+), they're running hand over fist back to the 'burbs. We left last year, and our friends thought we were crazy. Now they're all moving to out too. We've met more ex-Brooklynites in Fairfield and Westport than natives.

Yep. Exactly. I know 3 sets of parents from high school who either have already, or are in the process of relocating Connecticut to raise their kids. All of their kids are under 6.

[jesse_f]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Yep. Exactly. I know 3 sets of parents from high school who either have already, or are in the process of relocating Connecticut to raise their kids. All of their kids are under 6.

Next year the NYT will be saying "Fairfield is the new Brooklyn". And yes, I know they're saying that about the Westchester river towns this year...

[AntonioR]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

Why should every parcel of our state be developed or sub-divided? What is wrong with "exclusionary" practices if it preserves the character and keeps low crime and good schools in tact?

I'm wondering about that too. It seems some people want every single town to look exactly the same. Now that would be boring!

Some people need their space and that should be respected.

Whomever can't afford Darien should move to Stamford or Norwalk and if these cities are too expensive, there are other options further away.

[SailCT]

Originally Posted by basehead617

Actually, Roxbury has an industrial history. Its original boom was mining. And Darien could have low-income housing. That type of housing is not really set by market prices.

Darien has a long history of exclusion (including 'restricted' covenants to keep out jews and blacks) which its regulations just continue in the spirit of. Roxbury's attitude has been more developed since the second home influx of New Yorkers in the 1980s. They are greatly at odds with the long-term residents who would like to see their children able to stay, and aren't against some smart commercial development.

The book is fairly interesting and provides a lot more background than a brief article is able to get at.

This book was written in a way to give a one-sided view supporting the supposed wanna-be developers in Darien; especially one family known who I will not name here; but these two Harvard law graduates; who do all their own legal work discovered that by buying a property among very expensive homes: they could file legal motions and say that they want to build affordable housing; they have never intended to build anything all they do is practice legal extortion. The first time they did it was when they tried to sell their house on Nearwater Lane; couldn't get the price they wanted; heard about 8-30g and filed plans to build a 20+ unit apartment building on a one-acre property on super busy road next to wetlands. Their neighbors eventually got together and supposedly paid them $8-10 million to go away. The land was then donated to the Land trust. Then there was an old farm house for sale on the same road the guy knew he wouldn't be able to buy it because no one would sell it to him after what he had just done. So he had his mother come down from Massachusetts (different last name) she bought and now they hold on to it to taunt the neighbors. These people when RE went down in 2008-2009 went around town with their new found wealth and bought up 4-5 more properties and then filed plans with the town for more 8-30g buildings all in little neighborhoods. They have been approved to build in two of the places by the town and still haven't broken ground on anything. THe local paper has begun to refer to them as "wanna-be" builders and aspiring developers; of course this has become a joke. The sad thing is they have these very talented children.
So far I read that they have cost the town about $500k over the oast year in legal costs; they seem to be saying that they want to peacefully co-exist. I think what is happening is that their kids are getting older and they don't want to be completely alienated although it may be too late for that.

[basehead617]

Originally Posted by SailCT

This book was written in a way to give a one-sided view supporting the supposed wanna-be developers in Darien; especially one family known who I will not name here;

Strongly disagree with your characterization of the book. It's very clear about the shadiness of the husband+wife's motives, and they freely admit to taking advantage of the situation (they refer to it as a 'niche'). I'm sure the pure-hearted capitalists living around them NEVER do such things in their daily business life

Anyway, in no way does the book hold the two people you speak of up as heroes. It's just illustrating the lengths the residents there will go to keep cheaper housing from being built.

I personally would never condone that behavior and I don't believe the book does either.

[trees1]

zoning is applied unconstitutionally most of the time in Connecticut because of the " FOREVER" clause in the original charter. I sure wish someone would do a little research with regard to that document which afforded all very liberal property rights guaranteed FOREVER! Problem is you must fight for them. Typically, if the government doesn't own it they cant regulate what you do with it. But you are not supposed to know that.

[whome224]

Quite frankly, if you can't afford Darien, move to Norwalk.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by trees1

zoning is applied unconstitutionally most of the time in Connecticut because of the " FOREVER" clause in the original charter. I sure wish someone would do a little research with regard to that document which afforded all very liberal property rights guaranteed FOREVER! Problem is you must fight for them. Typically, if the government doesn't own it they cant regulate what you do with it. But you are not supposed to know that.

WRONG! Zoning laws have been around for more than 100 years. If it was applied "unconstitutionally" as you claim, developers would have brought it to the highest courts to get them overturned. Court cases over and over again have proved zoning is legal so I have no idea what real evidence you have to support your statement. Jay

[westwing]

Originally Posted by basehead617

A NYTimes writer recently wrote a book about towns using extreme zoning regulations to keep riffraff out. Two chapters of the book are on Roxbury and Darien.

Reason has a good article about it.

Zoning Kills Affordable Housing - Reason.com

..and another from marketplace that picks on Roxbury specifically:
How zoning affects the wealth gap | Marketplace.org

I can see some of both sides of the argument- it's an interesting topic.

why low income/ affordable housing need to be built in wealthy towns like Darien? Who would be selected to live in these places? obvious tons would apply since there are many low income families but would it be fair if some low income got in and take advantage of elite schools and stuff and others not ?

Affordable housing should not be built in wealthy areas! Subsidies should be necessary not luxury.

[SailCT]

FUNNY PART OF THIS is that the OP doesn't mention any of the positive steps that the Town of Darien has done to address the issue. Yes they were sort of forced into it by a guy in town who has made a business of threatening to build so called affordable housing on tiny lots in residential areas; where even he knows that maybe you could put a building in with maybe 15 units and only two would have to be so called affordable housing. This so called developer has never built anything but simply sues over the right to build; costing the town money. His true nature was on display when recently he won a case to build on some small lots near the Darien RR station. Do you think he ever built anything??? NO a year and a half later he sold the property to another builder for a cool $1.5 million profit! IS he smart YES! Is he a builder? No Can he litigate=YES!
Darien is just wrapping up building a pretty big complex of beautiful affordable housing that is tripling what was there. I think Darien has done more to deal with this issue than other town in CT. Obviously the OP has an issue with Darien. Usually the people who bash Darien in places like this are people that are envious of Darien. It is a great place to live and many who really cannot afford to live there still are struggling to do so because it is such a fantastic place to live and raise a family.