NEWINGTON - A moratorium on high-density housing development in Newington’s two Connecticut FasTrak busway station areas is officially in place.

       The Town Planning and Zoning (TPZ) Commission voted unanimously to establish the year-long moratorium, which applies to high-density housing within the half-mile radius of the Newington Junction and Cedar Street bus way stations.

       â€�"It’s been on the agenda for sometime,” said Commissioner Frank Aieta before the vote was taken. â€�"Our not acting on it moves the moratorium beyond 365 days.”

       Not technically, but it could end before that period expires. The language of the moratorium allows the TPZ to terminate it if regulations regarding development in the either of the two areas are drafted before a year is up.

       â€�"We’ll put it in place, but we’ve got to do something about it,” said TPZ Chair Cathy Hall. â€�"It’s not something we’re going to sit on.”

       Commissioners agreed and said that the issue will likely appear on meeting agendas for the near future. The moratorium applies more specifically to senior independent living, senior housing, the conversion of older homes, small family entry-level housing, and alternate residential building types, but is written to not limit its scope just to these areas. That was a change the Commission asked Town Planner Craig Minor to make the last time it convened.

       Commissioners worried that a moratorium that is too narrow in scope could open the door for developers to bring proposals to the table while the regulation process is ongoing.

       Commissioner Anthony Claffey asked if the outcome of discussions regarding zoning regulations in those areas could impact existing housing.

       The Commission will ensure that whatever regulations it drafts do not make any existing property into non-conforming structures, Commissioners said.

       â€�"We wouldn’t make any changes to affect anything that exists today,” Aieta said.

       Commissioner Carol Anest asked if the outcome of the discussions had to be regulations that allow for some form of housing.

       â€�"You don’t have to,” Minor said. â€�"You could end up with regulations that allow no housing.”

       Commissioner Mike Camillo suggested enlisting a consultant to help with the process.

       â€�"No one here has ever had to deal with this and if we brought someone in to steer us, it might open our eyes a little bit,” Camillo said.

       The TPZ began discussions regarding a high-density housing moratorium months ago, after residents expressed concerns regarding the areas around the FasTrak busway stations and the perceived potential for an influx of new residents that will prompt tax hikes due to a more widespread need for town services. With a stagnant Grand List, Newington is already struggling to bring in revenue outside of property taxes. Citing that issue, Economic Development Director Andy Brecher has encouraged the town to seek high-density, high-income housing development in an effort to offset the burden on less affluent residents--a proposal that some have looked at with skepticism.

       Meanwhile, the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) issued its own statement regarding the moratorium--a letter to the TPZ encouraging members to consider residential development with 15 to 35 units per acre densities in core areas a quarter-mile from the stations, and 7.5 to 15 unit per acre densities for ring areas a quarter-mile to a half-mile from the stations.

       During previous discussions, the Commission decided to impose separate moratoriums for the Cedar Street and Newington Junction areas.

       â€�"The two neighborhoods are very different,” Minor said. â€�"Very different interests. Two different thresholds of concerns and this recognizes that you intend to handle them differently.”