Norwich Council sets Nov. 19 for Washington Street hearing

By LIZ MUGAVERO

For the Norwich Bulletin

Norwich, Conn. -

Those who oppose the proposed Washington Street development will have the opportunity to be heard at a public hearing Nov. 19, but a vote likely will not occur until the new council is seated.

Monday, the City Council set the date for the public hearing, moving the item to the top of the agenda to accommodate the standing-room-only crowd that turned out for the meeting.

President Pro Tem John Newson made the motion because of the crowd of people spilling out into the hall.

“I understand many of you here are concerned about the zone change, but all we can do tonight is set a hearing date,” Newson said. “We cannot allow public comment on this ordinance.”

With the public hearing scheduled for Nov. 19, council members may not be able to vote on the proposal without a recommendation by the Commission on the City Plan. The commission is not scheduled to meet until Nov. 20.

Without a special meeting, it will not have a recommendation for the council, since the matter is not on tonight’s agenda.

Resident Brad Wall responded to the date-setting with a call of “Lame duck.”

“I think it’s outrageous they would consider scheduling during a lame duck session, and I would hope they would reconsider taking it up on that agenda and put it on a future one,” Wall said.

Developers Carpionato-LaBossiere Properties LLC are seeking to change the zoning of seven parcels along Washington Street from residential to neighborhood commercial in order to build a 20,000 square-foot development.

Three separate buildings would house a bank, a pharmacy and a coffee shop.
Neighbors strongly are opposed to the plan. Last week, members of the Norwich Neighborhoods Coalition constructed a wooden sign demanding smart development, positioned directly across from some of the parcels.

This weekend, proponents of the development responded in kind, with three signs on the opposite side of the street, one stating “27,000 cars per day is not a residential street.”

Another asks, “Do you want your neighbors to decide what to do with your house?”
Marterese Ferrari, spokeswoman of the coalition, said she welcomes any attention to the matter.

“Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” she said. “We feel that the more attention out-of-town property owners and developers draw to this issue, the more people will realize that the commercial rezone does not fit within the residential neighborhood.
They are finally realizing this is not the done deal they assumed it was.”