Town to unite to determine animal shelter site

Study circles part of shelter project

by Richard Weizel

June 23, 2008 | Connecticut Post | Stratford, Connecticut

Hillary Rodham Clinton said it takes a village to raise a child.

Mayor James R. Miron, taking a cue from the former first lady and presidential candidate, believes it may take a town to build a new animal shelter.

At a meeting last week that brought together neighbors opposed to using a 1.5-acre Access Road site for a new shelter and animal advocates who contend that replacing the existing shelter is long overdue, the mayor decided that a "study circles" process should be used to find the best site.

That means as many as 100 residents, or more, will work in small groups of 10 or less to study the issue and make a recommendation on a place to build a shelter.

"We're placing on hold any plans to move forward on the Access Road site until after this four- to six-week process is completed," Miron said. The informational session was organized last week by Town Council Minority Leader Alvin O'Neal, D-2, whose district includes the site now proposed for the 7,500-square-foot shelter.

To help review options for the shelter, Miron said he's bringing in the same national nonprofit group based in East Hartford, Everyday Democracy, that helped the town after a racial crisis two years ago.

"I know the two issues are vastly different," he said. "But the study circles process that helped the community to better understand issues involving racial issues can also help us in this effort as well."

Miron said, "90 percent of town residents support a new animal shelter" to replace the 50-year-old cramped facility on Frog Pond Lane that has been cited several times for not meeting state standards.

But, he added, that "90 percent of residents also don't want the shelter built in their neighborhood. I think bringing residents together in small groups can help gain a consensus about the best type of location, and maybe the best actual site."

The proposed facility, with an estimated price tag of $1.5 million to $2 million, would be three times larger than the present shelter.

Supporters of a new shelter said they are disappointed with the delay, while some neighbors said they believe the mayor's may just be a temporary diversion.

"I think [study circles] is a waste of time," said Frash Street resident Marion Perreira, who lives near the site and served on the Frash Pond Redevelopment panel nearly 40 years ago when she recalls a deal was made to keep the land as open space forever.

"I don't think it has to take months to find an alternate site or that all those people have to be involved," Perreira said. She said if the mayor tries again to have the shelter built on Access Road, "we will fight it all the way. I found a 21-page document of our committee's work, agreed to between the panel and HUD [the Department of Housing and Urban Development] from 1969 to 1975, that clearly states the parcel be kept as open space and park land."

She also said the intention was to keep the site as a buffer between residential properties and industry along Access Road.

But Miron said "no official document" exists that supports restricting any development on the property, including municipal buildings.

Neighbors have argued the shelter would create noise, foul smells and have a negative impact on property values.

"I told the people to come out and express their views because this wasn't a done deal, and now they know it isn't," O'Neal said.

Marjean O'Malley, president of the Stratford Animal Rescue Society, said, "We are disappointed with another delay, but we believe the mayor is determined to really find a site for the new shelter."

http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_9669023