Hartford Business Journal

22 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | FEBRUARY 9, 2026 Movers & Shakers Opinion & Commentary EDITOR'S TAKE If NIMBYism is the problem, what are the solutions? In my last column, I argued that Connecticut's culture of reflexive opposition to development — NIMBYism — is undermining the state's economic competitiveness. It shows up across a wide range of proposals — from multifamily housing and warehouse and logistics projects to renewable energy installations, telecom infrastructure and data centers — develop- ments with real economic upside and impacts that can often be managed. Of course, identifying the problem is the easy part. Fixing it is harder. There is no single policy lever that will suddenly turn every "no" into a "yes." Local land-use deci- sions are inherently complicated, emotional and deeply tied to community identity. But if Connecticut is serious about growth, there are practical steps that could help shift the system from obstruction toward problem-solving. One place to start is with the people making the decisions. Mike Goman, who leads advi- sory and development services at Goman+York Property Advisors LLC, has spent years working with communities in Connecticut and around the country on town center master plans and zoning updates. His firm's work regularly puts it at the intersection of local boards, residents and developers — the front lines of land-use conflict. He offered several recommen- dations aimed at making the local approval process more consistent and less adversarial. In Connecticut, many land-use commissioners are volunteers with little or no formal background in planning, zoning law or economic development. Yet they are asked to interpret complex regulations, weigh expert testimony and make decisions with long-term consequences for a town's tax base and housing supply. Goman argues the legislature should require a baseline level of education for commissioners — even something as simple as a four- hour online course. That wouldn't turn volunteers into planners, but it could reduce common procedural mistakes and help boards better understand what they can and cannot legally require. Some questionable practices, he said, persist simply because appli- cants are reluctant to challenge boards they may appear before again. Another idea focuses not on boards, but on the broader public narrative around growth. The state has invested in marketing campaigns to promote tourism, pizza and quality of life. Goman suggests Connecticut could also invest in a public-facing effort that explains the benefits of well-planned development: stronger town centers, a broader tax base, more housing options for young professionals and seniors, and the ability to support local services without leaning so heavily on homeowners. That might sound like soft policy, but perception matters. In many public hearings, growth is too often framed in terms of traffic, parking and change. Residents don't always get a clear explanation of the fiscal and economic consequences of saying no — higher residential tax burdens, fewer local jobs and less vitality in commercial districts. Developers, for their part, have been adapting. It's increasingly common in Connecticut for project teams to include public relations or lobbying consultants — often working behind the scenes — alongside engineers and architects. Community outreach, message framing and polit- ical strategy have become standard line items. That may help individual projects, but it also raises costs — costs that ultimately get built into rents, home prices or commercial lease rates. A system that requires political and PR spending just to get routine projects approved is not an efficient one. At the policy level, the state has also begun to respond. The new housing law adopted last year requires municipalities to plan in advance for where housing should go, links some state funding to measurable progress and creates more predictable approval pathways in designated transit-oriented areas. For example, within transit-oriented districts, towns must permit, as of right, the conversion of commercial properties into qualifying housing developments, reducing reliance on discretionary hearings. That shift is particularly relevant at a time when the office market is struggling and landlords are seeking new uses for underutilized properties. Still, Connecticut's tradition of local control isn't going away, nor should it. Local knowledge matters, and not every project belongs everywhere. But local control works best when it's paired with a mindset of prob- lem-solving rather than risk avoidance. Training commissioners, improving the public conversation about growth and creating clearer, more predict- able rules are not silver bullets. But they are steps toward a system where saying "yes, with conditions" becomes more common than saying "no" by default. Greg Bordonaro Avon-based Miller Foods, which owns the Oma's Pride and Miller Farm pet food brands, has named Adam DeJulius as CEO, succeeding Capri Brighenti. DeJulius represents the fourth generation of family leadership at the company and will work along- side his brother, Nick DeJulius, who leads operations. Brighenti stepped down at the beginning of January after 25 years with the company, including 15 in lead- ership. She will remain on the board of directors and continue working with the company through procurement consulting and brokerage work. Cantor Colburn LLP has elected M. Brad Lawrence as its next managing partner, completing a transition from found- er-led leadership at the Hartford-based intellectual property law firm. Lawrence, a partner and co-chair of the firm's electrical engineering practice, assumed the role Jan. 1 and is the first managing partner who is not one of the firm's founders. He succeeds Philmore H. Colburn II, who had served as sole managing partner over the past year. Lawrence has two decades of experience in intellectual property counseling and manages one of the firm's largest client portfolios. He earned his law degree from Boston University School of Law and holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Charter Oak Communities, Stamford's housing authority, has hired former Connecticut budget chief Ben Barnes as chief of staff. Barnes will work closely with CEO Vin Tufo in a senior executive role overseeing targeted functions across opera- tions, corporate services, real estate development, asset management and related initiatives. Barnes previously served as secre- tary of the state Office of Policy and Management under former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and most recently was Stamford's director of administration and chief financial officer under Mayor Caroline Simmons. He also served as vice president for administration and CFO of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system. Fiondella, Milone & LaSaracina has promoted Vinny Fanelli, CPA, and James Goldkamp, CPA, to partner in its tax and advisory services practice. Fanelli is in his 14th year at the firm and focuses on federal and state income tax compliance and strategic planning. His work includes engage- ments for private equi- ty-backed companies and closely held businesses in indus- tries including biotech, construction, manufacturing and real estate. Goldkamp joined the firm in 2008 after graduating from Eastern Connecticut State University and earned a master's degree in taxation from the University of Hartford. He manages engagements for the firm's credits, incentives and state tax prac- tice, with a focus on federal and state research and development credits and other incentives. Harris Beach Murtha has hired Holley L. Claiborn as senior counsel. Claiborn has busi- ness litigation experi- ence and will represent organizations across industries in business disputes and related matters. She is based in the firm's New Haven office. Claiborn previously served more than 20 years as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of the United States Trustee. She earned her law degree from Syra- cuse University College of Law. M. Brad Lawrence Ben Barnes Vinny Fanelli James Goldkamp Holley Claiborn

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