The legislation would have given an authority the right to seize land around transit stations by eminent domain, but that language has been removed.
Municipal leaders say they’re deeply concerned about legislation that would see the state taking a bigger role in transit-oriented development in towns.
The bill that’s currently before the legislature would create a Transit Corridor Development Authority.
The authority would create a funding mechanism for development in individual communities, but Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson said she doesn’t want to cede control to the state.
"Those of us who are local government leaders are quite concerned about the lack of communication and involvement in the process for creating that bill with local leaders: no impact studies; no concerns about the impacts to our local plans of conservation and development -- which the town of Darien is actually in the process of revising right now," Stevenson said on WNPR's Where We Live.
The original draft of the legislation would have given the authority the right to seize land around transit stations by eminent domain, but that language has now been removed.
Transit advocate Jim Cameron, who also lives in Darien, said he’s disturbed by the lack of consultation.
"Now the state's going to come in, and say, we know best what's good for you at that train station in the heart of your community?" Cameron said on Where We Live. "Shame on them. How did this bill get slipped in? How did the governor go around the state for the last two months, bally-hooing this wonderful $100 billion investment in transportation, and never mention this idea once?"
Cameron and others say they’re still waiting to review the language in the revised bill to ensure their concerns have been addressed.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Governor Dannel Malloy defended the proposed legislation.
"We’re not giving a quasi any power that a state agency doesn’t currently have directly," Malloy said. "All’s we’re doing is saying that a quasi would have the same power as the agency it’s there to support, and to finance. That’s all. So this debate that’s ongoing is, quite frankly, made up, and is being exploited by folks with respect to this issue. The Department of Transportation can already do that. The Department of Housing can already do that. Other state departments can already do all of those things already. So there was no grand plan. And quite frankly, [it] never crossed anyone’s mind, because it’s a power that currently exists."
Heather Brandon contributed to this report.
