Council Review
Hartford City Council Meeting

Monday, August 11, 2003

Prepared by: Citizens’ Research Education Network, Hartford Public Library, and Hartford 2000

There were 102 items on the regular agenda: twenty-two more were added during the meeting. The next Council meeting will be Monday, September 8, at 8 P.M. at Hartford City Hall in Council Chambers, and will be preceded by a public hearing that will begin at 7:30 P.M.

The Council meeting was preceded by an open agenda public hearing at which thirty individuals spoke. A large group of residents addressed safety issues and argued that Council should find more money to hire additional police officers. Several more residents expressed concern that the planned expansion of the Kingswood-Oxford school in West Hartford would adversely affect traffic along Prospect Avenue, which is maintained by Hartford.

Parkville Square Industrial Reuse Overlay District – The Council passed an ordinance establishing an Industrial Reuse Overlay District (IROD) on the south side of Park Street between Bartholomew and Pope Park Highway # 4. IRODs allow for mixed retail, housing, and office space in areas formerly zoned for industrial use. Establishing the IROD would allow development on the site that would take advantage of the proposed Hartford/New-Britain Busway.

Homeownership Counseling Funds – The Council referred to the Housing Committee a resolution allocating $150,000 from the Homeownership Initiative – Housing Counseling Pool to Hartford Areas Rally Together ($75,000) and the Urban League of Greater Hartford ($75,000) for their homeownership counseling and education programs. The Homeownership Initiative – Housing Counseling Pool is composed of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from previous Council allocations.

Community Development Block Grants Funds for Neighborhoods of Hartford, Inc. – The Council referred to the Housing Committee a resolution allocating $1 million to Neighborhoods of Hartford, Inc. The funds were previously allocated from Program Years 28 and 29 of the Community Development Block Grants funds. Neighborhoods of Hartford is a non-profit established to manage the activities associated with the City’s homeownership initiative.

Kingswood-Oxford Traffic Flow – The Council passed a resolution directing City Manager Lee Erdmann to work with the town of West Hartford to change its traffic plans related to the expansion at the Kingswood-Oxford School. The school is on the border of Hartford and West Hartford and plans to direct traffic flow from the school onto Prospect Avenue which is the border of the two towns. At the last Council meeting several area residents raised concern about potential traffic problems on Prospect Avenue arising from increased traffic into and out of the school.

Bushnell Park Overlook Project – The Council referred to the Public Works and Parks committee a resolution which would allocate $100,000 from the Hartford Parks Trust Fund to the Bushnell Park Overlook Project. The purpose of the Overlook Project is to build an overlook on the capital lawn which would include a Puerto Rican Family Monument and an ice rink. The Bushnell Park Foundation will receive the funds and oversee the project.

Batterson Park Master Plan – The Council passed a resolution approving the Batterson Park Master Plan. The plan was financed by a $300,000 allocation from the Hartford Parks Trust Fund. The plan calls for improvements costing $2.5 million by the end of fiscal year 2007. The Public Works and Parks Committee voted to recommend acceptance of the plan.

If you have any questions about the agenda call Greg Vickers at CREN, 249-1416 or Richard Frieder at the Hartford Public Library, 695-6365.   The Council Preview is a joint project of the Citizens' Research Education Network and the Hartford Public Library.