The Bridgeport News

By Jeff Toquinto – News Editor

BRIDGEPORT (Thursday, January 23, 2003, Page A5)

The final step in the rezoning of five parcels of land at the Charles Pointe development along Interstate 79 should be taken this coming Monday at the final January meeting of the Bridgeport City Council.

At that session, a second, and final, reading of the ordinance making the zoning change official should pass. The first reading of the ordinance unanimously passed with Mayor Joe Timms saying the change was "for the purpose of development."

If approved, the parcels in question, will go from A-1, or agricultural, to B-2, which is for large scale commercial business. Community Development Director Randy Spellman said the land was annexed as A-1 with the understanding that it would change its zoning designation at roughly the time that development would take place.

City officials believe the request to change the zoning is a definitive sign that development is about to take place at the proposed $750 million development along Interstate 79 and State Route 279. Spellman had said earlier that the change in zoning will place the property in a higher bracket for taxation purposes. It was his opinion the developers, Genesis Partners, wouldn’t make the move unless they were certain development was to take place. Officials with Genesis Partners have not returned phone calls to The Bridgeport News on this subject.

The council is approving a measure that was given a thumbs up by the Bridgeport Planning Commission at its Jan. 6 meeting. Although there was public discussion on Charles Pointe at the meting, there were no complaints against the zoning change. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the change.