The Danbury Zoning Commission will continue their public hearing tonight on an application from Pacific House to turn the former Super 8 motel into a homeless shelter with wraparound support services. 

One of the questions that came up during the first hearing was why Pacific House went ahead and bought the building before zoning approval was secured.  They said it wasn't necessary to wait due to the governor's executive order on congregate settings during the pandemic.  The applicant also said they are confident that the City Land Use agencies will grant approval. 

The applicant submitted a follow up report to questions raised during the 7 hour long hearing in September, including if preference is given to Danbury residents and how residents seeking shelter find this location.  The most recent addresses for the current shelter population included 21 in Danbury, 5 in New Milford, 2 fromin Wethersfield and 2 in Bethel.  There was one each from Bridgeport, Brookfield, Torrington, Fairfield, the Bronx, and Putnam.  They also reported people from Dorchester, Massachusetts; Mineral Well, Texas and Minnieapolis, Minnesota.  Any individual in Connecticut seeking shelter can contact the Coordinated Access Network (CAN) by calling 211. 

A question was raised about whether people crossing into the U.S. through the Southern border and those fleeing Afghanistan can be sheltered at 3 Lake Avenue.  If they are screened by CAN, regardless of citizenship status, they may be housed there.  But the Department of Housing is not aware of any such individual actually being housed in Danbury or any other similar facility in Connecticut.

The follow up report included about 90 form letters signed in support of the project.  The Zoning Commission separately received 22 letters in support since the hearing on September 28th. They also received 36 letters in opposition during that time.  Most of the letters submitted ahead of the first hearing were in opposition. 

Zoning Commission chair Ted Haddad requested that a new police report include not just Westville Avenue extension, but Westville Avenue and not just Abbott Street, but also Abbott Avenue.  He also requested police information for Lake Avenue and extension, Mill Ridge Drive and Road, Midfield Road, School Ridge Road, and High Ridge Road. 

Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour prepared the requested information using calls from mid-May through early October.  Out of more than 60 calls reviewed, Ridenhour says only one was connected to the shelter.  On May 23rd, a resident was reported to be in distress and located at O'Brien's Pub on Lake Avenue.  Ridenhour noted that it was not his role or the role of the police department to endorse or object to the proposal, but to review calls for service to determine whether or not it has impacted police resources.  Ridenhour stressed that the review was based solely on incidents reported to police.  He added that he can't confirm or refute any observations or perceptions reported in other forms. 

There were four specific requests that Ridenhour provided further detail about.  One was the location of the gas station in front of the motel.  While there were several calls for service, they ranged from motor vehicle stops to a couple of well-being checks.  Ridenhour says some may be connected to the shelter next door, but a check of 2019 calls showed there were a few more calls of a similar nature.  As for the McDonald's across the street, Ridenhour says there were several calls for service with at least two appearing to be related to residents of the shelter.  There were a similar number and nature of calls in 2019. 

As for the request for information about Mill Ridge Drive and Road, Midfield Road, School Ridge Road, and High Ridge Road, Ridenhour says there are numerous calls for service and historically the call volume on these streets has been significant.  Ridenhour did not do an analysis because it would be difficult to attribute any of the calls solely to the shelter.  On Midfield Road, there were only 5 police calls during the time period in question and none were related to residents of the shelter.