A screen shot from Monday’s Zoom meeting in Ansonia. At one point, more than 100 people were watching.
ANSONIA — Sixteen members of the public — along with Mayor David Cassetti, Ansonia Economic Development Director Sheila O’Malley, Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis and seven members of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen — all spoke against plans to build a motel and gas station at 557 Wakelee Ave.
“If you want to build a 10-story Hampton Inn, I’m for it,” Mayor Cassetti said during a public hearing, held online Monday. “But as far as a motel in that area, absolutely, positively not. I am not for that.”
In addition, resident Matt McGowan showed a petition he shared online that was signed by more than 600 people in opposition to the motel plan — and Ansonia Police Chief Andrew Cota said a motel would increase the call volume for officers already dealing with an increase in crime.
Aijaz Ahmen of New York has an application in front of the Ansonia Planning and Zoning Commission to build what sounds like a mini rest stop off exit 19 on Wakelee Avenue at a property that previously housed restaurant-catering halls Molto Bene and, before that, John J. Sullivan’s. Ahmen’s plan includes a gas station, a bar of some kind, leased kiosks that would sell food (as seen in highway rest stops), and, possibly, a small meeting area for conferences and such. In addition, he wants to build a 25-room motel on the property.
Ahmen’s proposal faces hurdles. While Dominick Thomas, Ahmen’s lawyer, pointed out all the uses are allowed in the city’s commercial zoning regulations, members of the Ansonia Planning and Zoning Commission questioned whether so many different uses could be allowed at one spot. They asked many questions about tractor-trailer traffic, too.
The concerns expressed by the public during Monday’s public hearing were straight forward: a 25-room motel would bring drugs, sex trafficking and other crimes to Wakelee Avenue, they said.
Ahmen owns Big Apple Motel in Waterbury, a business that police and the fire department responded to 743 times between 2015 and 2020, according to the Republican-American of Waterbury. Tim Holman, a member of the Ansonia P&Z, noted that at a meeting March 29 neither the developer or his representatives would publicly acknowledge Ahmen owns Big Apple Motel.
Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti speaks against the motel plan.
Neighbors and the speakers Monday repeatedly pointed to the Waterbury motel, saying a business like that is not needed at 557 Wakelee Ave., which is within walking distance of athletic fields, a playground, and tennis courts.
“This is a bad idea, for so many reasons,” resident Tommie Howell said.
“This is a totally unneeded project for Ansonia,” resident Don King said.
Resident Conrad Brejwo picked apart the technical details of the site plan application, concluding that it was “crude and poorly designed” and should be denied.
Resident Mike Witek echoed the concerns of several speakers. The Wakelee Avenue area is already in decline, with speeding cars and increased crime. A small motel in the area would make things worse, he said.
Melissa Smith, an owner of the Shell station just up the road in Seymour, said she’s seen a sharp increase in crime locally, whether it be stolen vehicles or purses being stolen out of cars. She also worried building a 25-room motel would make things worse.
Thomas, the lawyer representing the developer, pointed out that Ahmen’s business in Waterbury fell victim to a rumor spread online that eventually caused a mob to attack the place. Timothy C. Moynahan, another lawyer of Ahmen’s, wrote about the ordeal in The Connecticut Post.
Thomas said it was not fair to compare the Ansonia application to the existing Waterbury business. He said that Ahmen has a strong relationship with Waterbury police, and that the Waterbury motel happens to be in a tough neighborhood with crime issues. The Ansonia proposal isn’t a stand alone motel — it’s a mixed-use proposal, and the neighborhood in Ansonia is different.
Still, neighbors pointed out there was a major drug raid at the motel earlier this month.
O’Malley, the Ansonia economic development director, said the motel plans in its current state would not benefit the city or its citizens.
“This is not a project I would endorse or would want this board to endorse,” she said.
Josh Shuart, president of the Ansonia Board of Aldermen, also indicated he was not in favor of the project, as did Alderman Joseph Jaumann, who urged the P&Z to reject the application. Alderman Chicago Rivers spoke against the motel plans, as did Alderman Tony Mammone, Alderman Bill Phipps, Alderwoman Dian Stroman, and Alderwoman Bobbi Tar.
“I am in agreement that this does not belong in Ansonia,” Mammone said.
“I say deny the application,” Stroman said.
“I don’t want this crime coming into my town,” said Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis, noting the location is close to the Seymour border.
The Ansonia Aldermen don’t get an official vote on the matter. Neither does the public. Ultimately the decision is up to the Ansonia Planning and Zoning Commission.
The commission did not take action on the application Monday. The public hearing will be continued, at a date to be announced May 17, the next regularly scheduled meeting of the commission.
City Hall staff — the police department, the town’s engineer, the fire marshal — all have to issue reports on the application as well.
The property at 557 Wakelee Ave. is currently owned by Jerry Nocerino and his family partnership. They have extensive holdings in downtown Ansonia and successfully redeveloped the Valley Bowl site on Pershing Drive in Derby. There were plans to redevelop the property into a banquet hall, but the project never moved forward.
According to what was said at Monday’s meeting, Nocerino is selling the property to Ahmen — often those deals are contingent on a project being approved by an agency such as a P&Z commission.
Thomas said that after listening to all the public comment, he will talk to Ahmen about changing the site plan. He was not more specific than that.
At one point in Monday’s hearing, more than 100 people were watching, which makes it one of the most heavily-attended Valley meetings since COVID-19 forced local government to hold meetings using videoconferencing software.
