By James Lomuscio

It looks like a four-story, 94-unit rental property on the Post Road East near the Sherwood Island Connector could be in Westport’s future -– even though the developer has offered an alternative three-story building.

An architect’s rendering of the proposed project at 1177 Post Road East. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Contributed photo

That was the consensus of a 4 to 2 straw vote taken by Planning and Zoning Commission (P&Z) in a work session tonight.

The reason: the original 8-30g proposal put forth by 1177 PRE Associates LLC would give the town more affordable housing units, 30 percent, and an eight-year moratorium on how to handle the state’s affordable housing statute, 8-30g.

The developer’s second plan, put forth July 7 at the request of the P&Z, (see WestportNow July 7, 2016) would reduce the number of affordable units to 26.6 percent. That small reduction, however, would cut the number of moratorium points from 60 to 36.

By Judy Szablak

We are beginning to see more offers that include a “Hubbard clause” in Westport these days, and that may be because of the state of the market.

Featured Home:This home at 33 Sherwood Drive is listed at $3.3 million. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Photo courtesy of The Higgins Group, Westport

Currently, there are three homes that are under deposit"with a Hubbard clause, and their average price is $812,333. At any given time, we normally see just one in the entire town.

A Hubbard clause is when a buyer places an offer on another home subject to the sale of their own property. The clause itself is in direct reference to the buyer’s home sale.

In other words, the buyers have not yet secured a purchaser for their own home. They will need to effect that sale, and the equity from it in order to complete the purchase on their next home.