In Dispute with New Britain Mayor Stewart, Sanders Files for Freedom of Information

New Britain business owner and former Republican Council member James Sanders, Jr. has filed a Freedom of Information request from Mayor Erin Stewart (R) and a number of key city hall officials, apparently related to a running dispute over property development in the city’s East Side neighborhood.

Sanders, of FAFO Properties and Chamberlain Square LLC, has been in a very public dispute with the administration of Mayor Stewart, with Sanders saying that the city has been blocking his plans to utilize 600 East Street as an Extraspace Storage facility for the building that has long been used and allowed as a warehouse and a former storage facility for New Britain-based moving companies since the 1950s.

In September, the Council tabled, thus defeating, a proposal from the Stewart administration to institute a two year moratorium that appeared to begin applying specifically to self-storage facilities and was later expanded to include other land uses.

The vote occurred amid signs that Stewart’s longstanding political coalition was fraying, including significant changes in the Republicans slate of Council candidates in 2023, and Sanders and then-incumbent Republican Council members Luz Ortiz Luna and Paul Catanzaro running for Council as candidates of the Independent Party.

Sanders has now requested public documents under the state Freedom of Information law for, “information pertaining to 600 East St, FAFO Properties, Chamberlain Square, and Jim Sanders regarding zoning and development for the referenced entities and address from 02/20/23 thru 02/24/24.”

Sanders asked Stewart, specifically, to provide,

Any and all communications regarding any of the above entities including emails, text messages, meeting dates and times, meeting notes, any notes, transcripts of conversations or meetings. Include the same for Steve Foley or the Foley Group

Include a copy of your letter issued by you to Jeffrey Cormier that was read at the ZBA meeting on 02/22/2024. Any directives issued by you to any department head, city employees, elected officials or ZBA commissioners

Justin Dorsey, Stewart’s Chief of Staff, was asked to provide similar information about messages and meetings, and was also asked to provide a,

List any directives given or received by or to any elected officials, department heads, city employees, or commission members. Confirm whether in writing or verbal conversations with at least two or more board members that were advised that, application 5014 was “personal”

Sergio Lupo, the city Director of Health/Director of Licenses, Permits, and Inspections, was also asked for messages, “State job title, job description, any additional responsibilities, designations and or certifications,” and,

Any and all materials used to formulate and interpret zoning regulations. This shall include a copy of any ordinance, state statute, legal statements/opinions or superior, department heads, and city employee directives issued to you used in the opinion letter dated April 27, 2023 also include the source for the specific language used in said letter regarding “warehouse not open to the public” as well as “I-2 the use is permitted for professional storage”

City Planner Jeffery Cormier, in addition to information about communications, was asked for,

Any and all materials used to formulate and interpret zoning regulations. This shall include a copy of any ordinance, state statue, legal statements/opinions or superior, department heads, and city employee directives issued to you pertaining to development of 600 East st. Any communications or comments made to ZBA members from 12/18/2023 thru 02/22/2024 Copies of your comments, notes, amendments to your report from the previous ZBA meeting dated 02/22/2024 also include a copy of Mayor Erin Stewarts letter. Copy of all materials or communications with any department heads, employees, elected or appointed officials used for preparation of additional comments and rebuttals made on 02/22/2024, copies of audio recordings, and meeting minutes for ZBA meetings on 01/18/2024 & 02/22/2024

Sanders’ requests include, “any and all communications with city employees, department heads, elected or appointed officials,” related to his requests.

The requests for information were made on March 4, 2024.