[JayCT]

Originally Posted by reason180

For example, in Bridgeport there have been several proposals recently for developing condos/retail along the waterfront in the South End. However, I heard the city is going to allow a power company to expand their operation in the South End and build another giant smoke stack close to where the new housing is going to be. Why?????? This power is going to be used by everybody in Fairfield/New Haven County so why does the plant have to go in Bport?

Where else would you build a power plant? Bridgeport is a city built on industry. The site that this power plant is being proposed for is an existing power plant that has been there for nearly 100 years. It is surrounded by other industrial properties and is adjacent to the Metro-North Railroad tracks. Maybe you would prefer it be built on an undeveloped site out in the hills of Connecticut, but I believe that industrial sites should be used for industry. JMHO Jay

[reason180]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Where else would you build a power plant? Bridgeport is a city built on industry. The site that this power plant is being proposed for is an existing power plant that has been there for nearly 100 years. It is surrounded by other industrial properties and is adjacent to the Metro-North Railroad tracks.

The vast majority of industry left Bridgeport before I was born. Those former industrial sites have a chance at becoming something new and useful. The power plant in the south end is going to expand to a lot across the street if I am not mistaken. That is a block away from where they plan on building all those condos on the old Remington site. Those condos will be on the water next to Seaside Park, that could spur a lot of development in that area. Why put a nasty smoke stack next to it??? That area is mixed use, 2 blocks away there are houses and UB.

There are proposals to build two more power plants on Barnum Avenue on a site that is directly across the street from a residential block with houses. Who wants to live across the street from a natural gas-fired plant?

Fairfield and Trumbull can change their zoning to put in shopping malls, office parks, and a train station. Why can't they change their zoning to put in some industrial?

The power plants, the methadone clinics, the projects, the homeless shelters, etc... all get dumped in Bridgeport so the wealthy towns don't have to deal with them.

[JayCT]

To me it comes down to what the property is zoned for. Bridgeport has a lot of areas zoned for heavy industry which is what a power plant is. The property in question is zoned for industry. Why not build industrial where it is zoned? You are denying the property owner the use of his property by not allowing him to build what it is zoned for.

It amazes me that people think that things shouldn't be built just because they don't like it or want it to be different. Why not just zone Bridgeport for 2 acre lots and only allow McMansions to be built? That would make it even nicer. That power plant will, pay a lot of taxes for the priviledge of being built there.

As for what Fairfield and Trumbull allows and does not allow, that was a decision made long before even I or my father was born. It is what it is and to expect it to change because someone thinks Bridgeport should not have a power plant isn't going to cut it. Jay

[reason180]

Originally Posted by JayCT

As for what Fairfield and Trumbull allows and does not allow, that was a decision made long before even I or my father was born. It is what it is and to expect it to change because someone thinks Bridgeport should not have a power plant isn't going to cut it. Jay

So Fairfield can take an industrial site and build a hotel and office park but Bridgeport can't?

I don't expect it to change, I'm just illustrating the point that the towns take from the city and never give anything back.

[JayCT]

Nobody is saying that Bridgeport can't change its zoning. In actuallity Bridgeport is doing what you suggest with the massive Steel Point project. That site too was the site of an old power plant and is now scheduled for a massive mixed use project. The difference here again is that the Bridgeport power station site is an existing power station that is being expanded. Also the city is going be be getting a lot of additional tax dollars for the station. What more would you want?

The Fairfield Metro Center site sat vacant for over 10 years. It was bought by UPS for a regional distribution center (an industrial use) but shortly after it was purchased UPS made changes to its system structure and realized the site was too small for their needs. That is when the current developer bought it and proposed the Metro Center project and train station. The station came about because ConnDOT developed a policy to make at least 1 station in each town along Metro North fully ADA compliant. It would have cost millions to retro-fit Fairfield station to meet these requirements and increase parking there. As alternative the Metro Center site was proposed.

Anyway, this has gotten way off topic so I am going to stop responding here. Jay

[4 girls]

Back to the car tax. So how much does this run typically ?

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by 4 girls

Back to the car tax. So how much does this run typically ?

That's hard to say, because it varies from town to town. The tax is figured by the town's mil rate, and you pay annual taxes on 70% of your car's assessed value. The larger cities tend to have higher mil rates, which would give you higher tax bills. If you have a specific town/city you are interested in moving to, call their town hall and ask what the mil rate is. Generally speaking, you can expect to pay several hundred a year for car taxes on an average car, but it could be more or less, depending on the value of your car and the mil rate of the town.

[4 girls]

Thanks fo the info.