The Planning and Zoning Commission on August 31 is scheduled to take up a “Petition of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Co., Inc.–Seeking a site plan review and a coastal site plan review to permit the construction of a ferry terminal and dock, retail/office building, and a marine repair facility in an MU-LI zone and coastal area” at 567 Seaview Avenue. The ferry terminal move from Downtown has been in the works for a few years in part to provide closer access to the Steel Point redevelopment area featuring Bass Pro Shops as the anchor tenant. Officials consider Long Island ferry service a key market for Bass Pro and redevelopment of the East Side. Also on agenda is rezoning of Black Rock.
Full agenda for P&Z meeting City Council chambers, 6:45 p.m.
CONTINUED BUSINESS
C-1 (15-44) 210 Boston Ave. – Petition of American Steakhouse – Seeking a special permit and a site plan review to permit the installation of an on-premises identification roof sign at the existing restaurant facility in an OR-G zone.
CITY BUSINESS
(15-48) Text Amendment – Petition of the City of Bridgeport Planning & Zoning Commission – Seeking to establish a Commercial Village Overlay District (CVOD) along the Fairfield Avenue frontage from Martin Terrace to the Fairfield town line for new development and existing sites expanding the floor area by more than 50%.
(15-49) Zone/Map Change – Petition of the City of Bridgeport Planning & Zoning Commission – Seeking map and zone changes from R-B, R-BB, R-C, I-L, OR, OR-R for eight (8) specific areas in the Black Rock section to an R-CC zone so high density projects in proximity to transit hubs can be developed.
(15-50) Zone/Map Change – Petition of the City of Bridgeport Planning & Zoning Commission – Seeking a map and zone change from I-L to R-CC to permit mix use and high density development near the transit hub along Canfield Ave – from Bennett St. to King St.
(15-51) Zone/Map Change – Petition of the City of Bridgeport Planning & Zoning Commission – Seeking a map and zone changes from R-C and OR-R to R-CC to permit high density development in transit corridors along Ellsworth St – south of Canfield Ave, Orland St. properties abutting Whittier St., Orland St., Bryant St., Wakeman St. and Belmont Ave.
(15-52) Zone/Map Change – Petition of the City of Bridgeport Planning & Zoning Commission – Seeking a map and zone change from I-L to R-B to encourage the construction of one and two family dwellings along Bennett St. – east of Fox St. and west adjacent to Bennett St, Canfield Ave., adjacent to and north of Canfield Ave. – from Davidson St. to Fox St. to the east, including parcels to the south of Canfield Ave. and adjacent to and east of Fox St.
(15-53) Zone/Map Change – Petition of the City of Bridgeport Planning & Zoning Commission – Seeking a map and zone change from R-C to R-BB to encourage the development of one, two and three family dwellings along Hemlock St. – south of the Fairfield town line abutting Hemlock St. and Canfield Ave.; Hansen Ave. – property parcels abutting Davis Ave., Hansen Ave., and Canfield Ave. – between Scoffield Ave. and Ellsworth St.
DEFERRED BUSINESS
D-1 (15-43) 567 Seaview Ave. – Petition of the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Co., Inc. – Seeking a site plan review and a coastal site plan review to permit the construction of a ferry terminal and dock, retail/office building, and a marine repair facility in an MU-LI zone and coastal area.
NEW BUSINESS
(15-54) 365 Cherry St. – Petition of 365 Cherry, LLC – Seeking a special permit, a site plan review and a coastal site plan review to permit the redevelopment of industrial buildings into a storage unit building in an I-L zone and coastal area.
(15-55) 640 Crescent Ave. – Petition of Seaview Equipment Sale & Rental, LLC – Seeking a site plan review and a coastal site plan review to permit the establishment of a sale and repair facility specializing in industrial equipment in the existing industrial building in an I-L zone and coastal area.
(15-56) 399 Boston Ave. – Petition of Express Kitchens – Seeking a site plan review and a special permit to allow the installation of an on-premises ID roof sign on the existing commercial building in an OR zone.
(15-57) 2622 Fairfield Ave. – Petition of Eugene’s Green Garage – Seeking to establish a used car dealership and the issuance of a and the issuance of a motor vehicle used car license in the existing automotive repair facility in an OR zone.
The other important vote at the P&Z on August 31 is the rezoning of parts of Black Rock. You can learn all about it here:
www .bridgeportintheknow.com/zoning.htm
That’s a very busy zoning schedule for what might otherwise be a midsummer’s night slumber party. What with all of these petitions from the City of Bridgeport Planning and Zoning Dept. Did they all of a sudden start working or, wait, could it be this is the last meeting before the primary and Finch is pushing all these things through while he still is mayor?
It is more than obvious Mr. Finch is pushing all this stuff through the pipeline because his job security is being threatened by a convicted felon.
Cha-ching. Keep those donations flowing.
www .ctpost.com/local/article/Money-floats-ferry-across-Harbor-5135578.php
Today it rained champagne!
Translation?
I hope they ask David Barbour to design the new terminal, he did a great job on the last one and we can only expect the same. He is a Bridgeport resident as well.
It would be nice to have him design the train STOP also.
This is great news. The new ferry dock will totally change Bridgeport’s curbside appeal from those arriving from Port Jefferson. With a new gateway on East Main St and a new train station I imagine the East Main Street corridor will be thriving.
After being neglected for the past 7 and a half years.
When the initial changes were prepared and ready for display in July, imagine my surprise to find the City wished to re-zone eight properties on the North (even numbered) side of Beacon Street from RA to RAA, which is the zoning on the other side of the street. No explanation at the time as to the reason for this. Later heard it “conformed” but no one said to what, so we continued questioning, especially when we learned seven of eight of those properties had plots that were below the minimum for RAA of one quarter acre.
Somehow and somewhere the matter was dropped before formal hearings. Found it curious Peter Spain and I are two of the eight property owners. Watchdogging things of value, for instance your own home, is critical in Bridgeport. You must be timely as BEPO has commented. And there is only so much time to ask questions.
With these changes that allow for more residences close to traffic hubs like the Fairfield Metro station, zoning must be watchful that accurate assumptions and allowances for automobiles are considered. Many streets in the District are narrow to start with and residents may have more cars per unit than ever thought likely. Two-sided on-street parking makes two-way traffic difficult and provides question regarding fire safety apparatus access as well in many places. Will zoning keep all of these issues in mind as they juggle considerations? Time will tell.
This is great news for the city in general and the East Side in particular. Bill Finch just happens to be in the wheelhouse; the ferry terminal and the railroad station would be happening regardless of who is warming the office chair in the mayor’s office. If Bill Finch really cared about the people of the city of Bridgeport, these projects would have happened much sooner. Waiting until he needs to score points with the electorate is self-serving and not in the best interests of the city. Why not get these things off the ground earlier in his term? Ground would have been broken and the projects would be further along.
More dorms for Stamford close to the “wonderful train station” in Black Rock. Sound like quite a bit of affordable/low-income (non-tax-generating) housing. Sound like we’re rezoning properties so they can’t be developed for tax base and job creation.
“Better every day.”
Oh, yes. And let’s move the ferry to the East Side, so we can make it easier to move even more people from Long Island and the suburbs to Stamford via the Bridgeport train station and new Seaview Avenue Parkway Connector (which will use what could have been taxable industrial land). Why, even a few people from the East End/East Side might find their way to low-paying Stamford-area, service-sector jobs by all this “transit-oriented” development.
Looks like “One Coast, one Future” is really taking shape. Things are getting better every day in Bridgeport–for Stamford.
Well, based on this, it looks as though Downtown Bridgeport is moving to the East Side!!! How will “tourists” coming over on the Ferry from Long Island be able to access downtown Bridgeport? And if most of the shopping and dining will be at the new facility, how will that go for vendors and restaurants in downtown Bridgeport???
This new Steelpointe Harbor complex will be sort of Bridgeport’s version of Atlantic City. Safe so long as you stay within the borders, but risky business should visitors stray out onto East Main St.