New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Council pressures officials on blight at Haven site
WEST HAVEN — Councilman Ron Quagliani, D-At Large, said the city was “sold a bill of goods” when a waterfront outlet mall was pitched for First Avenue nearly a decade ago.
Today, city residents and leaders are clear-eyed that the project as it was proposed will not come to pass, and two of the city’s representatives in the General Assembly last May declared the project dead.
However, the city cannot seem to resolve issues surrounding the site, where rotting, boarded-up houses tilt and decay behind a chain-link fence.
“At some point we have to fish or cut bait, and it’s very frustrating,” Quagliani said. “These same old legacy issues continue.”
City Corporation Counsel Lee Tiernan said Simon Property Group, the owner of the site of the planned outlet mall, called The Haven, had begun the process of demolishing some of the properties on the site this week, a process that was delayed as the city’s building office had been awaiting a hazardous materials plan before issuing a permit.
City Council Chairman Peter Massaro, D-6, a retired fire chief, said the developers began on Monday, but they had not pulled permits with the fire department and ended up damaging a water main and fire hydrant — an issue he said was settled that same day.
When Councilman Steven Johnstone, R-10, asked whether the city had “missed a golden opportunity” to issue blight fines to the developer over the last few months, Tiernan said the city treats the Haven property in the same way as all other property owners.
“Our first step is to not issue a blight fine,” he said, but to approach the property owner and ask that they remedy the issues. “Sometimes people ignore you on blight fines and they start to roll on, but this group did not ignore us. They addressed some of the blight issues.”
Multiple council members expressed frustration that, despite repeated desires to see the city apply pressure, it seems to struggle to enforce its ordinances.
“We’re the most friendliest city around and people do not take us serious,” said Councilwoman Robbin Watt-Hamilton, D-5. “We need to be a little bit more forceful.”
Councilwoman Sarah Ackbarali, D-3, whose district includes the property, said the city had discussed blight fines for months.
“This is our city. We don’t want people coming into our city looking at a dump site. It’s disgusting and horrible,” she said. “Everyone in West Haven deserves some movement and respect.”
Ackbarali said she would like to see whatever
the maximum fine that could be imposed to be imposed.
Councilwoman Katherine Tucker, D-7, questioned whether the city had initiated the process it had said it would. Tiernan said the city had been more effective at blight enforcement when the team was four people. Reducing that department, he said, was a “budgetary decision” made in response to a budgetary
problem.
Tucker expressed skepticism at the explanation.
“If we added three more people you would then be able to enforce the ordinance?” she asked.
Tucker said she believed Tiernan’s explanation amounted to an excuse for inaction.
Councilman Robert Bruneau, D-9, asked whether the city had received any further plans or communication from the developer, disparagingly comparing the current state of the site to “downtown Detroit.” He said that, even if the city were successful at pressuring the developer at razing buildings, it would not suit long-term goals of developing the property while also reducing the property taxes paid by the developer.
“Now they’re going to take it off the tax rolls. They don’t have a plan in front of us on what they’re going to do,” he said.
Tiernan said the city’s options are limited, as its contract with the developer did not include a penalty phase. However, he said the “one saving grace” is that the developers are showing the property.
“They don’t want to show a property that looks like – I won’t disparage any particular community, but not at its best,” he said.
Simon Property Group did not return a request for comment Thursday.