Common Council Meeting 6/9/09
Common Council MTG 6/9/09
Attending: Serasis, Brown, Duleep, Lindstrom, Hilliard, Geake, Moccia, Maslan, Bolden, Bondi, Straniti, Conroy, Bonenfant, Kydes, Hempstead, McQuaid
I missd the start of this meeting so I pick up mid:
Public Commentary:
Ghanga Duleep: In oppostion to zone change of Day Street properties.
Chris Potts: Reads a statement from Diane Lauricella in opposition to zone change of redevelopment Day Street properties.
Resignations & Appointments:
Moccia withdraws Historical Commision appointment.
Gerald Foley reappointed to purchasing department.
Kydes, Hempstead, McQuuaid, Brown and Hillaird speak in favor and support.
Voted unanimously.
Mayor Remarks:
Thanks first district for dedication of the canon and that he thought there was 1000 people there. Moccia had a press conference with other municipal leaders in opposition of the Norwalk Court House. Suggests that there is no economic benefit and that people taking buses would be unable to navigate I-95 since the CT DOT hasn’t been able to figure that out in 20 years. Says that it would increase the cost of the police department having to attend court in Stamford instead of Norwalk. Has spoken to Rell, Cafero and Duff on the subject.
Council President remarks:
Bolden: Expresses condolences to Council member Straniti for the loss of her father and says that she is in everyone’s prayers. Reminds people to keep the people of the survivors of the fire and drowning in their prayers. Wednesday night, (tomorrow) the Common Council is holding an open house welcoming all interested in understanding government in Norwalk. Bolden also reminds people about Party in the Park.
Consent Calendar
The consent calendar was complicated by a series of movements to executive session and what Nick Kydes needed to recuse himself from. Eventually they figured this out, and voted in the consent calendar.
First item up is the new item 5, which Geake explains they are voting to receive something. Brown abstains they all vote for it. Brown questioned Geake on the timing of it.
Lindstrom chairs the public works committee in Krummel’s absence. She moves all the items (B 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b) since they are all related to Redevelopment improvements.
Lindstrom explains what the items are for.
Geake: Asks questions why do the infrastructure improvement now when Waypointe and Poko haven’t acquired all the properties.
Alvord: The funding exists today and the need for the work exists today. Claims that it should help the 95/7 project. He cites North Water Street, West Ave and Crescent Street as current needs.
Geake: Asks about cost savings.
Alvord: Says there have been costs savings by how they created the bid package. Says that Crescent Street needs work now, you can’t walk it.
Kydes: Says there’s been improvement in Norwalk’s infrastructure and asks about the process in choosing streets.
Moccia: This is a specific project, they don’t need to get into how they pick streets.
Kydes: continues and wants to proceed.
Moccia: This is not part of the road repaving project.
Kydes: Understands and says he should be allowed to speak, and than thanks Alvord.
Hempstead: Says that the infrastructure underground needs to be done. Norwalk has missed 3 times the economy improving, and that the economy will turn around. This stuff will be done when the economy does turn around. We have a chance to be ready, set go. The state money was approved about 12 years ago.
Brown: Asks about the out of pocket that the City had to put in.
Alvord: Large funding came from DECD, and that there were funds approved in the City’s capital budget process, 1.5 million and 800k that augment the 5 million from the DECD.
Bondi Y
Brown Y
Geake Y
McQuaid Y
Bonenfant Y
Duleep Y
Serasis Y
Bolden Y
Hillaird Y
Lindstrom Y
Kydes Y
Hempstead Y
Staraniti Y
Conroy Y
Lindstom: Reads item 8 which is about trees.
Brown: Asks who is paying for them and who asked for them to be planted.
Alvord: The spring hill neighborhood association and the city pays for it It took over a year for the planting document to be made.
Bondi: Says that this is similar to Gregory blvd.
Brown: Questions the two year period.
Alvord: Says he doesn’t question anything the DOT says.
Bonenfant: Asks that they careful with site lines.
Alvord: Explains where the trees are.
Brown: Asks about other planting on non city land.
They vote unanimously.
They vote unanimously on 7 C 2 and 3 unanimously.
C 7: redevelopments plan to allow residential development on Day Street.
Hempstead: Asks if this is connected to Washington Village.
Sheehan: No.
Hempstead: Asks if the housing authority has been involved.
Sheehan: Said this is not a zone change, it is not. There is a use restriction on the property and that restriction is required to be industrial use. That was the part of the original plan by the state. He references another item to also provide affordable housing on public land and that the planning commission took 5 years to deal with this issue.
Hempstead: Reitereates the Housing Authority question.
Sheehan: ?????? Says has no problem with mixed use in there.
Hempstead: Clarifies whether this is an addendum or a change in use.
Sheehan: Says that the planning commission has heard for the site to yield affordable housing in South Norwalk.
Hempstead: ?????
Geake: Asks about contamination.
Sheehan: There was already remediation of the site by a previous developer.
Duleep: Asks what plan was sued.
Sheehan: From the Master Plan of Conservation Development.
Duleep: Asks about a tenant.
Sheehan: L & L Evergreen is the tenant, on a two year lease.
Duleep: Says it was leased in 2007 and says that there might be 3 additional years.
Sheehan: Disagrees and said the city could close out the lease.
Duleep: Asks about several development taking years and still questions why it is being submitted now.
Sheehan: Says that its a process and that it also requires a zoning change. The Master Plan specifically names the site and that there was extensive public demand.
Duleep: Asks about if it is in a flood plain.
Sheehan: Clarifies whether it is state or not.
Duleep: Says she is troubled by the environmental issues or flood plain issues. Aks about anticipated problems in zoning. References 2011.
Sheehan: Says that state financing in a flood plain is not available, which is ridiculous since most major urban areas are on waterways. CHAFA has no problems, it is DECD and the federal government has no issues with it.
Duleep: Asks about 8-30G.
Sheehan: It’s an issue with regards to how the state allocates state dollars into housing and that they’ve had discussion to resolve that issue. References the 500 year flood plain.
Duleep: Asks about Day street and Ryan park. Refrences the individual sub plans, mid harbor, and south Norwalk.
Sheehan: Those plans were incorporated by the planning commission, and the planning commission took those parts they wanted into the Master Plan of Conservation and Development.
Duleep: What happens in 2011.
Sheehan: The restriction goes way. (The industrial use) We shouldn’t be waiting till 2011 to do something that is consistent with the Master Plan.
Hilliard: Asks about a delay of a month because he needs more info.
Sheehan: That would be the council’s decision.
Brown: Clarifies if there is a plan or developer plan.
Sheehan: This is not a zone change issue. It’s a request by the Council to ask the state to release the requirement for restricting the property to industrial.
Brown: Wants to restrict the use affordable housing/
Sheehan: That could be a restriction placed on it. The zone change would be through zoning and that would be a public and process.
Kydes: Has a problem converting industrial use property into housing, references Norden. Relates it to schools and roads.
Sheehan: Suggests that the zoning commission identified industrial uses areas that would be remaining industrial. This was not one of those areas.
Moccia: Asks about whether we are falling below the 10%.
Sheehan: Suggests Norwalk will, and explains why.
Bolden: Reminds that this is not a zone change, that this is merely to go to the state and get the restriction alleviated.
Sheehan: Confirms.
Bolden: Asks about if any plans exist to make this affordable housing.
Sheehan: Confirms that there are no plans.
Bonenfant: Asks if there is an obligation to relocated them.
Sheehan: Doesn’t think so.
Bondi: Says that there isn’t a line fo light industry coming into Norwalk. Says that there’s more of a need for affordable housing. It’s important to not go under the 10%.
They do a short recess.
Bolden: Moves to table the item (7) till the next council meeting.
They vote unanimously.
There’s some discussion about 10a and 10b about not being in executive session.
Bondi makes the motion and they head into executive session.
They come out of the executive session at 10:40 with no action taken. Kydes didn’t participate in some of the items.
They vote on the NMEA tentative agreement. Next after McQuaid brings it up.
Conroy: Thanks Hamilton, Hasselkemp and Moccia for the work done to avoid losing the 5 positions.
They vote unanimously.
Bolden: Moves item 10a and 10b.
They vote Serasis, Brown, Duleep, Lindstrom and Straniti and McQuaid abstain.
Bondi Y
Brown Y
Geake Y
McQuaid A
Bonenfant Y
Duleep A
Serasis A
Bolden Y
Hilliard Y
Lindstrom A
Kydes recused
Hempstead Y
Staraniti A
Conroy Y
They move to adjourn.
