Home Real Estate Housing Developers to appeal rejection of affordable housing plan in Westerly

Developers to appeal rejection of affordable housing plan in Westerly

By

Katie Castellani

-

07/17/2024

winnapaug — AFTER MONTHS of consideration, the town Planning Board unanimously voted to deny master plan approval of a 2,300-unit affordable housing development on the Winnapaug Country Club. But the developers aren’t backing down./ SCREENSHOT OF WINN PROPERTIES LLC FILING

WESTERLY – After months of consideration, the town Planning Board unanimously voted to deny master plan approval of a 2,300-unit affordable housing development on the Winnapaug Country Club. But the developers aren’t backing down. The proposal came in December from property owner Winn Properties LLC and includes leveling the 18-hole public golf course to make

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WESTERLY – After months of consideration, the town Planning Board unanimously voted to deny master plan approval of a 2,300-unit affordable housing development on the Winnapaug Country Club. But the developers aren’t backing down. The proposal came in December from property owner Winn Properties LLC and includes leveling the 18-hole public golf course to make way for a 90-building development with 2,300 residential units, 30% of which would be reserved for low- and moderate-income households. Nicholas Scola, who owns Winn Properties with his wife, Jill, has said that the proposal would help address the town’s shortage of affordable housing. Each municipality is required by the state to have a minimum of 10% long-term affordable housing. Few cities and towns meet this and Westerly’s stock is at around 5%. Now the developers plan to appeal the decision, Matthew Landry, attorney for Winn Properties, said in an email to PBN Wednesday. “Winn Properties remains committed to the development of affordable housing…” Landry said. Under a law that went into effect Jan. 1, developers proposing affordable housing projects with at least 25% of the units reserve for low- or moderate-income residents can appeal decisions of local boards directly to Superior Court, instead of the State Housing Appeals Board. The proposal has stirred pushback from local residents, including representatives from the local group Keep Westerly Green, who say the proposal’s volume and density is out of character with the area and it would harm the local environment. Ultimately the planning board agreed. In the 26-page document outlining the decision, the planning board said the proposed development is “a huge departure” from the intent of the Comprehensive Plan, it will lead to the loss of 120 acres of open space and hurt surrounding natural environments. Also, the board said the plan didn’t provide enough details on whether specific housing needs would be met. The affordable housing project was one of two redevelopment proposals for the golf course. In April, the Town Council voted to defeat a zoning overlay that would preserve the golf course and create a golf resort with 700 residential units. The proposal came from the town’s Economic Development Commission as a way to avoid the affordable housing development from moving forward. This is the second proposal to develop a golf resort on the property to be turned down after Winn Properties’ bid was defeated in 2022. Scola has previously told Providence Business News that the 2,300-unit housing proposal was drawn up after their original golf resort pitch was shot down and said he would prefer to move forward with the resort plan. Though the property owners could come back with a revised proposal for the golf resort. And like the affordable housing development, the golf resort pitch has also been subject of extensive debates but both sides have indicated they would be willing to continue discussing how to move forward with it. It’s unclear when, or if, a proposal to create a golf resort on the property will be presented again. Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.