Arthur’s opinion piece on the High Ridge Office Park court ruling was published in the Stamford Advocate on July, 10 2025. We recommend you read the full piece at the Stamford Advocate. Below is an excerpt:
There is a reason why some decisions are made through a political lens — where you have to serve interest groups and corral support — but there is also a reason why we don’t politicize every element of government. We don’t politicize health guidelines, building codes, or traffic laws. You’re either following the guidelines, codes, and laws or you’re not. For the same reason, we don’t politicize land use.
Stamford’s Board of Reps supported a charter revision to politicize land use decisions. It failed for good reason — it would create a bureaucratic nightmare. But if it had passed, at least the effort would’ve been democratic.
Connecticut’s court has now ruled our charter already allows for politicized land use decisions. It is hard to overstate how badly this could be abused.
Why would any business owner operate in Stamford, if they know the board can make business personal?
Why should any developer play by the rules, if they can buddy up to politicians to grease the wheels?
How could any candidate run for office, if they know the incumbent faction can use their powers to make your life difficult?
The implications of this ruling go beyond land use. It enables our government to replace laws with access — where being friends with people in power matters more than following the rules. It confirms backroom politics are legally defensible. It reveals if you disagree, the only remedy is a new Board of Representatives and significant charter revision.
