Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Acquisition topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee backs $1.1 million appropriation to acquire 6 Butler St.; item to go to full council
Summary
The Finance & Claims Committee approved forwarding a special capital appropriation request to acquire 6 Butler Street for $1,100,000 and to issue $1,100,000 in general obligation bonds; the committee approved the item after discussion and a roll-call vote, sending it to the full Common Council for final approval.
The Finance & Claims Committee voted Feb. 13 to forward a resolution to the full Common Council authorizing a special capital appropriation of $1,100,000 to acquire the property at 6 Butler Street and to authorize issuance of general obligation bonds to finance the purchase. The committee voted 5–1 in favor, with Councilmember Jim Frayer casting the lone no vote.
The acquisition was previously part of an ARPA-funded proposal but was revised after the ARPA funding was repurposed to road paving and other commitments. The current proposal reduces the earlier price and removes planned access to an additional 30 parking spaces that had been part of the prior plan.
Why it matters: the parcel sits amid cultural and arts assets in South Norwalk and government presenters described it as a chance to “round out” the area and preserve a small but strategic parcel for public use and future planning. Supporters said controlling the parcel helps tie together the nearby Park, arts organizations and forthcoming development along Wall Street; opponents questioned the timing and optics of a special capital appropriation during a tight operating-budget cycle.
Committee discussion and vote CFO Jared Schmidt explained the transaction’s history: the site had been included in earlier ARPA allocations but, as ARPA deadlines approached, the city repurposed those funds. The city has since reached an agreement in concept with the owner to purchase the property for $1,100,000. After discussion about parcel size, use and fiscal timing, Councilmember Johan Lopez moved the resolution. The committee recorded a roll-call vote: Councilmembers Greg Burnett, Yohan Lopez, Heather Dunn, Anne Witherspoon and Doug Sutton voted yes; Councilmember Jim Frayer voted no. The measure will be considered by the full Common Council on Feb. 25.
What the item does not do The committee vote authorizes the appropriation and bond issuance only pending the Common Council’s final vote; there was no executed purchase contract at the time of the committee meeting. The property’s exact future use and any programming or parking plan remain to be determined.
Next steps - Full Common Council consideration and vote on Feb. 25. - If approved, the city will finalize purchase agreements and identify funding and site plan steps.
Provenance The Butler Street resolution was introduced and discussed during the committee’s Feb. 13 special meeting and is recorded in the meeting transcript.
