P&Z Votes in Support of St. Vincent de Paul

Council member Seb Giuliano addresses the
Planning and Zoning Commission.

After the testimony of many speakers, including several who testified at last Monday's Common Council meeting, the Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-2 in favor of granting the city a favorable 8-24 review allowing a lease of 51 Green Street to St. Vincent de Paul to go forward.  Commission chair Stephen Devoto, and P&Z Commissioner Joyce Rossiter voted against a positive review.  Commissioners Pelletier, Salafia, Emery, Pattavina and Kovach voted in favor.

After the vote, the project will move forward without impediment.

While many speakers provided positive testimony for the work of St. Vincent de Paul, and how it matched the city's Plan of Conservation and Development, a handful of neighbors from the Green Street neighborhood also spoke asking for a delay in the vote to allow neighbors to meet with representatives of St. Vincent de Paul.

"It saddens me to be pitted against homeless folk," said Nur Fitzpatrick, a Green Street resident who introduced herself as a single mother, representing single mothers.  "I was homeless when I moved to Middletown.  I urge you to vote unfavorably again tonight.  How will St. Vincent dePaul fit into the long term health of the North End?"

Ron Krom, retired director of St. Vincent dePaul, who has stayed on to move the proposal through the RFP process, provided citings from the city's Plan for Conservation and Development, and suggested ways in which St. Vincent's did indeed meet the requirements of that plan.

"We believe the move to 51 Green Street would be an investment to the amenities of to the neighborhood," Krom said, citing a requirement listed in the Plan.

Krom indicated that because St. Vincent will "own" the parking area in front of 51 Green Street, and will also install security features, the concerns of the neighbors about loitering should be diminished.  He also indicated that a dedicated room in the building will be open to be used for community purposes.

The evening was not without drama.  Mayor Dan Drew, who attended the meeting with Common Council members Gerry Daley and Seb Giuliano, was accused by P&Z chair Stephen Devoto of writing a memo to intimidate P&Z members.

Devoto said the Mayor's strongly worded missive was a personal attack, that if sent from a resident would be treated as a communication driven by dissatisfaction with a decision of the P&Z.

"This personal attack doesn't anger me," Devoto said.  "I'm surprised it came from another elected official.  As a board, however, an attack on our integrity does make us angry.  This attempt by the mayor to delegitimize another branch of government is reprehensible."

Drew did not address the criticism as he, Daley and Giuliano spoke in favor of the lease of 51 Green Street to St. Vincent dePaul.

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