Potential United Water Developer Sues New Milford

The Borough of New Milford, the Planning Board and the Mayor and Council are listed as defendants in a lawsuit filed by New Milford Redevelopment Associates (NMRA).

The NMRA currently has an application in front of the zoning board that requires variances for a mixed-use development of a supermarket, bank and 24-units of residential multifamily housing. The United Water property adjacent the high school is the property in question.

“New Milford has failed to create sufficient realistic housing opportunities for low and moderate income households,” says the NMRA complaint.

NMRA claim that their efforts to create 24 low-income housing units are being halted unfairly. Meanwhile, if NMRA’s request for rezoning of the property were met, the developer is looking to plop a 70,500 sq. ft. supermarket and a 4,300 sq. ft. bank alongside the their 24 units of low-income housing.

“We have heard about this and it was filed in court but at this time we have not yet been served with the lawsuit,” said Mayor Ann Subrizi. “We’re not going to spend a lot of time and money on a lawsuit that has not even been served yet.”

Subrizi did say that the Borough would take the proper steps if the suit were served upon them.

The property is currently zoned for single-family detached houses only.

“NMRA is ready, willing and able to construct a mixed-use inclusionary development on the property, including a substantial amount of low and moderate income housing,” says the complaint.

The zoning board will hear more about the proposed development of the United Water property after their reorganization meeting Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. in Borough Hall.