Any future developments with 30 or more parking spaces will have to make 10 percent of those spots electric vehicle charging capable, thanks to a newly approved change to the city’s zoning regulations. The state legislature, in Public Act 22-25, mandated towns to have regulations for accommodating electric vehicles charging on projects where there are 30 or more parking spaces. According to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, Milford has seven locations available for electric vehicle charging. Some locations include the Connecticut Post Mall, which has six public EV chargers and 14 Tesla Superchargers; Hilton Garden Inn Milford has four public EV chargers. On city-owned property, there are six — two at the public library, two at Parsons Government Center and two at the train station. Two more chargers should be coming online in the coming months, with the Woodruff Family YMCA installing them in its parking lot.

https://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Milford-EV-charging-station-17696973.php?src=rdctpdensecp

A developer is proposing 77 apartments in a four-story building on Windsor’s Poquonock Avenue just a few blocks away from an even larger new project at the Windsor Center Plaza. Town planners last spring gave initial approval to the concept for Sachdev Real Estate Development LLC’s concept plan, and will examine a detailed version of the proposal Tuesday evening. David Ziaks, president and principal engineer with F.A. Hesketh and Associates, told the planning and zoning commission in May that Windsor had previously authorized an apartment building on the property at 109-125 Poquonock. In all, the building would be about 94,000 square feet. Vaca’s plan would replace the outdated retail strip center at the intersections of Route 75 and 159 with three apartment buildings. He estimates it at as a $25 million project.

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-connecticut-windsor-apartments-20230108-oq76tdyepzg57m6t4o65o4z6em-story.html

New England’s reliance on natural gas for electricity generation is expected to cost the region dearly this winter. And in Connecticut, political leaders are suggesting that their northern neighbors are standing in the way of relief. Gov. Ned Lamont has expressed a similar sentiment, telling a reporter, “We’ve got to get access to the hydro-power coming out of Québec. It’s been shut down by New Hampshire and Maine and referendums.” The comments suggest growing frustration with an inability to access more Canadian hydropower, a plentiful form of renewable electricity, as states are working to meet emissions reduction mandates, move away from fossil fuels, and improve system reliability. The existing transmission lines between New England and Québec have a capacity limit of 2,225 megawatts. A recent study from MIT’s Center for Energy found that expanded transmission for hydropower creates one of the region’s cheapest paths to 100% carbon-free electricity. In modeling how the regional power system might look in 2050, the researchers found that greater transmission capacity would result in an efficient, two-way flow between the countries, with Canada importing renewable power from New England when prices are low, and New England buying hydropower when renewable energy is scarce. 

https://energynews.us/2023/01/06/in-connecticut-frustration-grows-over-lack-of-access-to-canadian-hydropower/

After voters approved the city’s referendum to demolish most of the existing elementary schools in Norwich and build four new ones, the project is moving on to its next step. On Dec. 22, Norwich opened a request for proposals for an owner’s representative position for three of the planned school buildings, those on the sites of the John B. Stanton and Moriarty elementary schools, and the site of the former Greeneville Elementary School. The city will accept applications until Jan. 27. A 2022 presentation from the school district states that the new Stanton Elementary and Greeneville schools will open January 2026, and the new Moriarty and Uncas elementary schools will open fall 2028. Quality and experience with school building projects are the most important factors to be considered for the owner’s representative position. To that end, the School Building Committee is developing a grading rubric to evaluate interested contractors, Bettencourt said.

https://www.norwichbulletin.com/story/news/2023/01/03/norwich-elementary-school-demolition-construction-project-update-rfp-owners-representative-hiring/69763944007/

A project cost of as much as $57.5 million was approved by voters in a November referendum, and will include replacing boilers, installing HVAC systems, and code upgrades at Mile Creek, Lyme Consolidated, Center School and Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School. It also includes the addition of classrooms at Mile Creek Elementary School. The only requirements for the committee, which consists of nine members and three alternates, is that at least one person has experience in construction. The committee will be responsible for recommending an architect, construction manager and possibly an owner’s representative. They will then oversee the entirety of the project as it progresses. The board eventually voted 6-2 in favor of Zimmermann, with Jenn Miller and Chris Staab voting against. Wilson did not vote. The board appointed Wilson as chair of the Building Committee and Powell-St. Louis as vice chair.

Lyme-Old Lyme Selects Committee to Oversee School Construction, Excludes Chief Critic

The city is locking into a solar program that could bring it $200,000 in energy savings annually over the next 20 years for a total of about $5 million and essentially shift it to clean energy. The City Council on Tuesday night authorized Mayor Elinor C. Carbone to sign a nonresidential Renewable Energy Solutions Auction Program – State Agricultural and Municipal Solar Program Service agreement. Through the program, the city will be matched with a solar project for which it will become the “virtual off-taker,” attorney Paul Michaud said in a presentation. Michaud represents TRITECH Americas, which will develop the project to which the city will be paired, assuming the company is awarded an appropriate project through an Eversource Energy auction. The six-year program is a response to a state law requiring a zero-energy carbon grid by 2040, Michaud said.

https://www.rep-am.com/local/localnews/2023/01/05/torrington-oks-20-year-5m-solar-deal/

The town has received $3 million in federal funds to complete a “road diet” project on Broad Street. The $3 million, which was included in the year-end $1.7 trillion federal spending bill, will be combined with $1.2 million from the state to reduce the number of lanes on a segment of Broad Street running from Batchelder Road through the center of town, a distance of approximately 25,050 feet. The project is one piece of a downtown revitalization vision for Windsor, which includes a redeveloped Windsor Center Plaza led by Windsor native Greg Vaca. In addition to federal and state funding for construction, the Windsor Town Council, at a meeting Tuesday, accepted additional state funding for the design phases.

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Windsor-revitalization-project-3-million-17694341.php

The project, announced two years ago, is called Hartford 400. It calls for the removal of the massive highway interchanges in Hartford and East Hartford, the construction of new bridges and tunnels, more parkland and the reconnection of North Hartford to downtown, among other things. It is a daunting endeavor: preliminary estimates predict it will take 15 years and cost $17 billion. But some of that money is in the till. The deadline for the Hartford project is 2035, The city’s 400th anniversary, hence the project’s name. It is an ambitious timeframe. Finally, it is ironic, or perhaps unfortunate, that if Hartford 400 moves ahead, the major infrastructure project of the 21st century in Greater Hartford will involve correcting the errors made in the 20th century’s biggest project. Said Larson: “We have to get it right this time.”

Plan to rebuild Hartford highways gaining support, waiting for DOT

City administration is requesting approval from the Board of Aldermen for a $30 million bond authorization to rehabilitate the Chase Municipal Building, the former corporate headquarters of Chase Brass & Copper Co. Mayor Neil M. O’Leary said significant upgrades to the building are sorely needed. The project would include a comprehensive rehabilitation of the building, including exterior window restoration and replacements; electrical, plumbing and mechanical upgrades; handicapped accessibility improvements, and code upgrades, city documents state. On Monday, the board will vote on whether to approve scheduling a Jan. 23 hearing for the project.

https://www.rep-am.com/local/localnews/2023/01/04/waterbury-seeking-ok-from-aldermen-for-30m-bond-to-rehab-chase-building/

Voters on Saturday will be asked to approve borrowing $2.3 million to supplement a $6.2 million project that includes new water mains and improved water storage tanks in town. The projects were first proposed in 2021 by the Water and Sewer Commission. The commission in March received approval from the Board of Selectmen to borrow $6.2 million for the project, which includes replacement of an aging water storage tank on Wallens Hill, construction of a second, smaller storage tank at Crystal Lake and replacing 4,000 feet of water mains on streets served by the water and sewer plant. Mayor Todd Arcelaschi, during a Board of Selectmen meeting this week, encouraged residents to vote on the project. Saturday’s referendum will be held from 8 a.m.to 8 p.m. at the Pearson School. All registered voters are eligible to participate. 

https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Winsted-voters-referendum-water-projects-17693670.php