[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6545850,"mediaKeyId","3389394-c3dde5c8e5fc207a0ca26cf54b2eb137","parentId",3389394,"title","Colt Park advocates urge ordinance to ban parking on lawns, citing tree damage and blocked emergency access","audioSeconds",461,"startMs",1050000,"endMs",1511000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3389394-c3dde5c8e5fc207a0ca26cf54b2eb137&start=1050&end=1511","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3389394-c3dde5c8e5fc207a0ca26cf54b2eb137/thumbnail_1050000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6545850/Hartford-City/Hartford-County/Connecticut/Colt-Park-advocates-urge-ordinance-to-ban-parking-on-lawns-citing-tree-damage-and-blocked-emergency-access","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545850-9897fca1bd6523fa18191c6c977c384e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205341&Signature=ns1pvd4g-MFc~SZTKl-fjd5G8fiGa0lFeIUpDxAkUEFjyX~VVlg~E2DiH1PY1stas0o4m5RuBQ4Ca-QCVqlmD~neuxCBnJwnIebD2noq6Gfd~yXSNyHUVjoDDY7crNQfPe7iMcNO0EyqAI9OvLTXxKJqFhfVi~t1ERKdRMTQbNc~R4kfXO8FDMKepaQ6ciDl~AuCglODIUMgFxV3hIzL~jSLQEoRPmAECnlxnDHtUCfOh81pn-AZ8CNKRcxWQc5J3RJ~hLlKA-NAtioeFk8bwVvfRHo3kXRecV97irPzPv0TaUnhjl2gLNIGCEcoiJ0fJaBSdec10mrDsK~sx6IjHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Hartford, CN","date","2025-05-20T11:41:18Z","article","Donna Swar, a board member of the Colt Park Foundation, used the May 19 public hearing of the Hartford Court of Common Council to press the council to adopt proposed ordinance amendments that would prohibit parking on grass at city-owned parks and green spaces.

Swar said Colt Park “has suffered for years” from vehicles parking on lawns and “parking in non parking areas,” which she said creates deep ruts, destroys newly planted turf and damages trees. She stated that “a majority of trees' roots grow horizontally in just a few top feet of soil” and that parking on top of those roots kills them; she provided a per-tree replacement cost of $2,000, which she said includes the tree, planting and two years of maintenance. Swar said images documenting recent damage were included in a submitted document.

Public-safety concerns were a central theme of her remarks. Swar said interior roads intended for pedestrians, bicycles and park maintenance vehicles are frequently used by cars traveling at unsafe speeds. She described an incident when \"a fire truck came into the park and was unable to get through that area. They had to continuously blast their horn to get people's attention to move their vehicles. Whomever required medical care did not receive it in a timely manner.\" Swar said illegal vending in the parking lot reduces available spaces and that parking congestion sometimes causes traffic to spill out onto Weathersfield Avenue.

Swar told the council that Colt Park can accommodate visitors in other nearby lots, including a lot between Colt Park and Dillon Stadium, and that the park drew between 2,000 and 4,000 people on a typical Sunday, citing Hartford Police Department figures. She said park organizers have repeatedly told leagues and permit holders to ask parents to use the parking lot rather than park on the grass, but those directions have been ignored.

Swar urged the council to adopt the proposed amendments and to provide enforcement so recent investments — including a refurbished pavilion, flat pavement and food-truck pads — are not destroyed by vehicles parked on turf. Councilman Alexander Thomas acknowledged her remarks and thanked her for her work on behalf of the park. The proposed ordinance was listed on the meeting agenda as item 2.2: amendments to ensure no vehicles park on the grass at city-owned parks and green spaces.

No formal action or vote occurred during the May 19 public hearing; the item remained in the public hearing stage.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of Hartford Public Hearing May 19th, 2025 Live Stream","oneSentenceSummary","Donna Swar of the Colt Park Foundation told the council that vehicles parking on park lawns and interior roads are damaging trees, ruining turf and blocking emergency vehicles; she urged enforcement of proposed ordinance amendments to prohibit parking on grass and in non-parking areas.","taxTitle","Hartford City, Hartford County, Connecticut","taxId",5895,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6545855,"Hartford nonprofit projects seek Neighborhood Assistance Act tax-credit allocations",0,698000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3389394-c3dde5c8e5fc207a0ca26cf54b2eb137&start=698&end=698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3389394-c3dde5c8e5fc207a0ca26cf54b2eb137/thumbnail_698000.jpg","/articles/6545855/Hartford-City/Hartford-County/Connecticut/Hartford-nonprofit-projects-seek-Neighborhood-Assistance-Act-tax-credit-allocations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6545855-c17681bcad5e864063e516f2d54df974/orig.mp4?Expires=1771205341&Signature=EQUVz6p8~vQMsrKOPGiRpCww7MV46HFQNnoPwxlvUQH960uIzltul~OIwH4JmNUZ3W2zqckfQH4mSd6NrNxW98betd7l2aFLxAbdyWIzIf-bIjwNfNPn3Jml2IDmJs6TORPuag1HuG6osk41~-VghFKOfb819FkBXvi-9qt3MoH4MEejrSVSVpUQFnMIy76rKVgp3rpXtW7KXjOlgo5QChfhfkyOINlwCVWY0JMfwR95-Z-OLzpDHqii23cwe07~w6Ic2LNppYHjX9IpW7o1kYuwT7uSkK3Cek6MC0ftSnpdPXDwChmm5ha0F0SQ9Mv7aUUDnhCNKccOZ66pmMd~kw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Councilman Alexander Thomas opened a public hearing of the Hartford Court of Common Council on May 19 to consider local submissions for the Connecticut Neighborhood Assistance Act (NAA) tax-credit program and hear presentations from applicant organizations.

Tamara Ciaz, who identified herself as a liaison in the City of Hartford’s Office of Management and Budget, told the council the NAA is “a Connecticut Department of Revenue Services tax credit program intended to insensitize contributions by business entities to nonprofit organizations.” She described the local and state timeline and application rules, including that the city submits approved local proposals to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services on or before July 1 and that the DRS issues a list of approved NAA programs and funding limits by statute each Sept. 15. Ciaz said this fiscal year the statewide cap on total tax credits is $5,000,000 and that “a contributing business is limited to receiving a hundred and $50,000 in tax credits annually.” She reported the city had received 49 nonprofit applications requesting about $5,200,000 in total.

Why it matters: The NAA program allows businesses to receive state tax credits in exchange for donations to eligible local nonprofit projects, so city approval of a slate of programs is a required step so organizations can solicit corporate contributions within state limits.

Applicants who spoke at the hearing asked the council to support their NAA applications and outlined the scope of proposed projects:

- Phillips-related projects: Presenters from Phillips described two connected proposals. They said they seek $150,000 for energy conservation work at Phillips Health Center (2550 Main Street) and the church facility at 2500 Main Street, including phased replacement of aging HVAC equipment and lighting-efficiency upgrades. Presenters also described planned exterior lighting for an off-street parking lot south of the church to improve safety in winter months.

- Ida B. Wells senior complex (100 Coventry Street): Presenters said the building contains 40 one-bedroom senior apartments and asked the council to support a $150,000 request for energy-conservation work, including replacement of a faulty exterior air-conditioning unit, two furnaces and two water heaters in the mechanical room, and replacement of single-speed heat exchangers with variable-speed units to maintain heating and hot water reliability for residents. A presenter said the building opened in February 2005 and will mark 20 years of operation in October.

- Hartford Youth Scholars: Katie Powers, advancement director for Hartford Youth Scholars, said the program — which serves Hartford students from seventh grade through college — applied to the NAA for a second year. She said last year the organization was approved for $150,000 but received $75,000 and expressed appreciation while asking for approval again this year.

Presenters emphasized the phased nature of some projects and the likelihood of returning in future cycles to complete multi-year replacements. Council members asked the applicants for clarifications on unit counts and timelines; presenters confirmed Ida B. Wells has 40 units and said both the Phillips and Ida B. Wells projects likely will require several application rounds to complete all work.

No formal council vote took place during the May 19 hearing. Councilman Thomas announced a follow-up, fully virtual public hearing on the Neighborhood Assistance Act program scheduled for Wednesday, June 11 at 7 p.m., and encouraged interested parties to sign up to speak.

Sources and quotations in this article come from the May 19 public hearing transcript of the Hartford Court of Common Council, including remarks by Tamara Ciaz, Angela Harris, Fred Phillips and Katie Powers.","At a May 19 public hearing, city staff outlined the Neighborhood Assistance Act process and local nonprofits — including Phillips-related projects, Ida B. Wells senior housing and Hartford Youth Scholars — presented applications seeking NAA tax-credit allocations and described planned energy and safety upgrades.","actionData","errors"]

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Colt Park advocates urge ordinance to ban parking on lawns, citing tree damage and blocked emergency access

Hartford nonprofit projects seek Neighborhood Assistance Act tax-credit allocations