W. Haven mulls reinforcing retail corridor regulations

WEST HAVEN — Mayor Dorinda Borer’s vision for economic development involves seeing more clearly through retail windows.

Borer, who has spent her first three months in office looking to hire an economic development director, has begun pursuing angles to bring city businesses under more uniform compliance. Currently, there is a moratorium on new smoke shops in the city as officials look at legal language they can implement to place more restrictions on commercial properties that operate for up to 24 hours with flashing signs and that sell smoking paraphernalia. She has said it is part of her effort to “clean up” city business corridors and to avoid certain businesses attracting late-night loitering.

This month, Borer continued her efforts by asking the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission to consider enacting consistent, citywide regulations to prevent heavily tinted windows.

Borer’s memo to the commission requested that potential transparency regulations address “tinting, metal coverings, advertising, handmade signs and other related obstructions or unsightly obstacles.”

“This will not only provide for more uniformity and avoid an unkempt appearance but will improve safety and mitigate risk associated with limited window transparency,” she wrote.

One business in the city with windows that are nearly blacked-out is the restaurant Tropical Caribbean, which has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent months. There have been two fatal shootings in the area of Campbell Avenue around the restaurant since November 2023 and the restaurant was one of three city businesses issued a stop work order during compliancy checks recently. During that inspection, Tropical Caribbean owner Juan Reyes was arrested on weapons charges for allegedly stashing a firearm belonging to the victim of the November shooting. During his arraignment, prosecutors noted he had no direct involvement with the homicide and his defense attorney said Reyes had acted in the interest of safety by protecting customers inside the restaurant.

In the warrant, police said Reyes has an “adversarial relationship” with the department due to the “routine police presence” at the establishment around closing time. According to police reports obtained by the Register, in February 2023 the restaurant’s windows were shattered following an altercation during closing time in which a group of people were attempting to drag a man outside of the restaurant before the door was forced closed. Subsequently, police said, video footage from the incident revealed a woman broke multiple windows and one man was holding a gun at his side.

In August 2023, police responded to a suspicious person report after 3:30 a.m. at the restaurant and documented their warnings to Reyes that the restaurant was out of compliance with state law by remaining open after 2 a.m. Police said around 3:45 a.m. that multiple people were in the restaurant and drinks were on the table.

“Owner was advised that if this becomes a reoccurring problem, there will be a larger police presence in the area at the time of bar close and officers will expect that all alcohol is done being served and parties are leaving the bar by 0200 hours exact according to state law,” police wrote in the report. “The business owner was also advised that failure to adher (sic) to this may result in further police involvement and/or the involvement of the liquor commissioner/fire marshall.”

Six days later, police responded to the restaurant again after 2 a.m. due to multiple people in the bar. Police said Reyes claimed they were family.

“It was brought to Juan’s attention the police departments concerns over the bar operating after hours and patrons loitering in the parking lot,” police said in the report.

In a response to recent events, Tropical Caribbean posted several statements on its Facebook page saying that the restaurant has no control over what happens once it shuts down for the night and locks its doors.

“We would love to be a staple in West Haven,” one statement reads. “We have invested in this town and you as a community have invested in us and that means the world to me and my family.”

The statement said the business will reopen soon.

Edward Voss, owner of multiple area retail properties, asked the City Council during a recent meeting if the city could do more to ensure the safety of the area. He said his security footage is being reviewed by police at their behest.

“We have every incident, every single incident, every shooting on camera,” he said. “It was given to the police department because they asked me for it.”

He said that “blood on the streets of Campbell Avenue” is cause for concern, as it’s a main retail corridor that may be unsafe for children to travel by bicycle. He advocated for a tinted window ordinance so that no one, including police officers, could walk into an “ambush.” He said that any potential ordinance should consider window coverings more broadly so that the issue cannot be circumvented with things like curtains or other coverings.

“If it’s a place of public assembly, you have to be able to see what’s going on inside,” he said. “Something has to be done, it really does.”

To lay the groundwork for potential changes, staff from the city’s planning office paid visits to city businesses to educate them about existing regulations. Assistant City Planner Cathy Conniff said most business owners were amenable to the initial educational visits and didn’t object to having scrolling signs turned off.