Council stays neutral on 425 Ford Street zoning application after hour-long discussion on parking and accessibility

Bridgeport Borough Council voted on June 10 to remain neutral on a zoning application for 425 Ford Street, saying outstanding parking and accessibility issues should be resolved by the Zoning Hearing Board.

The application, presented by attorney George Ozarowski on behalf of owner Samuel “Sammy” Dowell, proposes three uses in an existing roughly 4,000‑square‑foot building: a private sleep‑study clinic on the front of the first floor, an unspecified commercial tenant in the remainder of the first floor, and a two‑bedroom apartment on the second floor. Ozarowski said the applicant asked in May for the matter to be continued so council questions could be addressed before the borough’s June 23 zoning hearing.

Why it matters: council members and staff said the block around Ford Street already has tight on‑street parking and that a medical overnight use raises specific demands for reliable, nearby parking and possible accessible (van) spaces. The council said those unresolved operational and equity concerns are significant enough that they would not take an affirmative position and instead leave the formal variance decision to the Zoning Hearing Board.

Applicant and project details George Ozarowski, the applicant’s attorney, described the plan and the applicant’s willingness to…