After months of wrangling in the newspapers, it looks like a plan of sorts is headed to the full council soon.
“We’re talking about maybe keeping a caretaker (at the third house), have it for community use, educational purposes — just a facility that could be utilized by the city while maintaining a nice entryway into Fodor Farm,” said Mayor Richard A. Moccia. “I think Tod (Bryant) and the Fodor Farm people knew my concerns about the historic district. But I also tried to reassure them that we didn’t need a historic district to maintain those houses.”
The houses at 322 Flax Hill Road and 25 Pogany St. would be sold based on request for proposals prepared by the city’s law department. Deed restrictions would be written to “maintain (their) historical appearance,” wrote Moccia in an e-mail this week highlighting the alternative plan.
Proceeds from the sales would go to restore the house at 328 Flax Hill Road. The house “could be used for educational purposes or community use.” Remaining open space would be “protected by a conservation easement” and allow public access to the area, Moccia continued.
The plan appears to resolve differences between Moccia, Recreation and Parks Director Michael A. Mocciae and Recreation & Parks Committee Chairman Fred A. Bondi on one side, and the Fodor Farm Study Committee, headed by Bryant, president of the Norwalk Preservation Trust, on the other.
The Study Committee has pushed to create a state-registered local historic district out of the 9.2-acre property. Moccia said the city would cede control of the property to an appointed panel under the historic district plan. He backed a plan advanced by the Parks Committee, called for selling all three houses under deed restrictions aimed at preserving their historic integrity.“The (alternative plan) came from the Fodor Farm Historic District Study Committee. Since it became clear that the local historic district wasn’t going to happen, we were looking for a way to still preserve the houses and the land,” Bryant said. “So the committee met and came up with these ideas.”
The requirement that the two houses be sold using request for proposals will ensure that they are restored to the highest standards, according to Bryant.
“The city need not take highest bidder,” Bryant said. “It makes sure that the people who buy the houses have the expertise, understanding and passion to do a good job with the houses and rehabilitate them the right way.”
Mocciae suggested that the city keep the house at 328 Flax Hill Road and restore it using proceeds from sale of the other two houses, according to Bryant.
Preserving open space here is a welcome outcome to the city.
source: The Hour, Proceeds from sale of 2 Fodor properties may be used to restore third structure by RObert Koch, September 22, 2007
