Land use lawyer Chuck Willinger, on behalf of Community Solutions, Inc., is petitioning the Planning & Zoning Commission for approval of a halfway house for men in the West End. It appears that Willinger is reapplying a special permit application under the new 2010 zoning regulations following rejection by P&Z in February of the second extension request loaded with neighborhood protests. That decision, submitted under the old regulations, has been appealed in court. The new application is scheduled to be heard by P&Z July 25. From Willinger’s application:
The subject property (the “Property”) is located at the corner of Norman Street and Railroad Avenue, with the substantial portion of the site in the Light Industrial Zone and the balance of the Property in the Residence C zone. It was developed circa 1900, and was the former home of a corset manufacturing company. It has stood vacant for a number of years. The existing development of the Property and its location make it well suited to the proposed use.
The petitioner is seeking to utilize the Property as a halfway house. The Property will be renovated to provide housing and bedding for up to a maximum of 120 individuals who will be participating in programs underwritten by Community Solutions, Inc. The vast majority of the participants will be Bridgeport residents.
The property is owned by a limited liability company controlled by developer Sal DiNardo and his sister Nancy DiNardo, Democratic state party chair. Community Solutions www.csi-online.org operates several halfway houses transitioning federal and state offenders from Connecticut. The halfway house issue has galvanized neighborhood groups that question the burden on Bridgeport serving as the dumping ground for regional responsibility.
Bill and his where the Ficarra press machine will be out in front of this with their “Me Too!” as they will leave that neighborhood behind with a wink and a nod. Did Bill ever reimburse Sal for those campaign contributions?
BPT–where the circus never left. Hey Sal, why not just burn that building to the ground like you did with Remington? Bob Curwen is looking for a job.
Why not put that halfway house in, say, Trumbull? Oh! Nancy DiNardo doesn’t want it in HER backyard!
And the circus will NEVER leave town!
Hey! Let’s see if Mary-Jane will speak at the next TPZ meeting against her good friends Sal DiNardo and Chuckles Willinger? The last meeting she had laryngitis.
Finch:
“Now, Mr. DiNardo, I don’t know him, though I’ve heard the name, oh yes.
But, of course I’ve no close contact, so what he is doing I can only guess.
And now, Mr. DiNardo, he’s a blemish on the face of that good town.
I am taking certain steps here, someone somewhere’s gonna have to close him down.”
Ronin,
MJF came out strongly AGAINST the Halfway House both in written statement and testimony.
Countdown–I was there and never heard her opinion. Politicians need to voice their opinions. They say she had a position statement as to the halfway house, if it wasn’t read–I don’t know if she was for it or against it–is she afraid of pissing off her buddies Sal and Chuckles?
Hey Countdown, Testimony to whom?
Well now she’ll get a second chance at her friends.
Here’s Foster’s position on the halfway house:
fosterforbridgeport.com/fosterformayor/issues/community-solutions-proposed-halfway-house/
Ronin,
Good rip. I heard that show might play at the Klein Memorial this summer. “The Best Little Halfway House in Bridgeport.”
The state could take it by eminent domain with Sal’s portion going to Bridgeport to pay back taxes.
*** Perfect political venue for an opposing candidate, no? Time to make some real noise & stop trying to work both sides of the political fence. *** Good guys finish “last!” ***
Ronin: It helps to stay awake at those rowdy PZC meetings. MJF did testify and submitted that statement. Really! She always puts Bridgeport’s neighborhoods first!
If she testified she must have done it telepathically. I saw her there but she only opened her pretty mouth to breath. Next meeting I’ll sit next to you, maybe you will share the bag of magic mushrooms.
Countdown, please back away from your crack pipe, that stuff will kill you.
You said, MJF gave “Testimony,” to whom? She gave the Zoners a written statement ONLY! She did not want to go against her pals Sal DiNardo or Chuckles Willinger. I was shocked she did not speak at that meeting. Obviously you and MJF were at the wrong meeting. Maybe she was speaking in Fairfield that night? Who knows?
Ronin. One more time: Totally not true. I sent two pictures of MJF at the PZC’s speakers podium to Lennie because I don’t know how to post them on the blog. Suffice it to say I have the pictures to prove MJF was there and testified against the Halfway House. Please stop with the “friends before what’s best for Bridgeport” rubbish. You are just wrong. I trust MJF will always do what is best for Bridgeport’s neighborhoods above all else.