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Neighborhood urges clean-up

Date: 7/28/2009

By G. Michael Dobbs

Managing Editor



SPRINGFIELD -- For more than three years residents of the Pine Point neighborhood have questioned the business activities at the site of a former car dealership and this week they may get some satisfaction.

Steven Desilets of the city's Department of Code Enforcement told Reminder Publications, the city will once again inspect the building at 1535 Bay St. at the end of the week. He said the building's owner, Jeff Harby, who has a business address in South Windsor, Conn., was to have the illegal auto repair and towing companies operating at the building closed down.

He said a year ago the property was "quite a mess" and originally also was the home of an illegal junkyard. If the property doesn't meet the standards set by the city the issue will return to court.

Desilets also expressed concern about the future of the property due to $208,485 in unpaid property tax bills for 2007 and 2008. The broken windows on the front of the building haven't been secured and he questioned if the property is going to be abandoned.

Gloria DeFillipo, the secretary of the Pine Point Community Council and a ward candidate for City Council, questioned why the process to clean up the property and remove the businesses took so long.

"The city is moving, from what I see, at a snail's pace," she said. On June 2, city officials issued a letter directing the owner to immediately cease and desist the illegal auto sales business and junkyard, she said.

Noting the neighborhood has been advocating for action at the site for three years, she added, "If we don't hound [the city], nothing happens."

In a recent City Council action, a move to rezone the six-acre site from Business B to Business A was rebuffed. The Business A classification would have required a new developer to work with the neighborhood council on what kind of business could be at the location. With Business B, DeFillipo said, "anyone can go in."

"It was, once again, apparent that members of the City Council care more about local businesses than they do for the health and welfare of their residents and neighborhoods. For many of us, the same people who have stayed and weathered the ups and downs of the city, this is intolerable," she said.

She noted that Councilors William Foley, James Ferrera and Timothy Rooke had not supported the zoning change.

DeFillipo added, "If you don't pay your trash fee the city will take your garbage can. Don't pay your taxes, run illegal businesses and Springfield will deny a zone change that allows for protection of our neighborhood. Any business can now operate on the site without input on issues of quality of life from the neighborhood council."