Stonington Blight Ordinance Questioned At Selectmen Meeting

The lack of progress on the is angering residents and officials, but there is little consensus over how to deal with the building.

Some residents and officials would like to see the Port Chester, N.Y. owners of the property citied for blight while others worry the blight ordinance could prevent potential developers from coming to Stonington.

“I’m concerned about Stonington being known as the blight city,” resident Ed Hart said at the Feb. 22, board of selectmen meeting.  “I don’t think that’s the message we want to send to developers.”

Hart said he would not support a decision to cite POKO Partners LLC, which owns the Thread Mill property.

In December, The Day, reported the Town of Stonington was, “preparing to cite the mill's owners, POKO Partners LLC of Port Chester, N.Y., with violating the town's distressed buildings ordinance. POKO would then have the choice of making repairs and securing the building or tearing it down.”

First Selectman ., stopped the ordinance earlier this year when it looked like POKO Partners LLC was ready to move forward with its plans to renovate the building into apartments and businesses. Haberek said he met with representatives from the company who told him they hadn’t realized the lack of progress was upsetting residents, but that the company was seeking new financing for the project and hoped to begin construction soon.

Earlier this week, however, it became clear that not everyone agreed with Haberek’s decision when The Day reported that Pawcatuck Fire Marshal Kevin Burns and Chief Tom Long were distressed the town was not going to force, POKO Partners to make improvements through the blight ordinance.

According to The Day in an email to Haberek Burns said: "I have been very concerned about the condition of this property and especially the risk that it poses to the neighbors. Chief Long and myself have both received complaints from the adjacent property owner about the collapse of the roofs of the two buildings, the rain water potentially entering electrical services, and the suspect stability of the chimney."

Hart raised concerns about the blight ordinance in regards to the Thread Mill property and in general the next day at the board of selectmen meeting. At the meeting Haberek said Building Official Wayne Greene disagrees with the fire marshal and fire chief’s assessment, and that a big concern of the town when it comes to condemning a building is that then the town becomes financially responsible for that building.

Other residents present at the meeting expressed concern about the possibility of the town becoming financially responsible for the building. It seems clear, however, that the majority if not everyone in the town wants to see something done with the building.

When Patch asked residents if POKO Partners should have another chance to turn the that the place is ideal for apartments and wanted to see progress.

POKO Partners received approval of their plan years ago but have not started any work on the building.

Haberek said he would set up another meeting with POKO Partners to discuss the building and when the town might start to see progress.

Stonington adopted a blight ordinance in the summer of 2010, which basically allows the zoning enforcement official to issue an order requiring a property owner to comply with zoning regulations and if the owner disagrees they can appeal to the zoning board of appeals, which will stay or halt the order. Then the town would hold a hearing at which time the board can uphold, reverse, or change/modify the order. That decision can then be appealed in Superior Court. A violation of a zoning enforcement officer order can result in a fine of up to $2,500 as well as local penalties of up to $150 for every day the property is in violation of the order.