NORWALK, Conn. – It’s a “don’t count your chickens yet” moment – the challenge to the construction of Washington Village is continuing, despite appearances in April that work might be able to go ahead.
Ganga Duleep has filed an appeal of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Hearing Officer Janice Deshais’ decision against her.
Last fall, Duleep, president of the Friends of Ryan Park, filed a petition with 200 signatures challenging DEEP’s tentative decision to grant a flood management exemption to the Norwalk Housing Authority’s development with Trinity Financial, intended to replace what may be the oldest public housing project in the United States. Deshais ruled in April that the Friends of Ryan Park failed to show evidence that the Norwalk Housing Authority’s project would damage property and create environmental harm, and that it was not in the public interest. With the appeal, the matter now appears headed for court.
A source tipped NancyOnNorwalk to this Monday. DEEP spokesman Dennis Schain confirmed that the appeal had been filed, but had no further details.
“I understand she has an attorney from Stamford. I don’t have much more information than that,” NHA Executive Director Curtis Law said.
Duleep did not respond to inquiries. Diane Lauricella, who worked with Duleep in the challenge, said late Monday that she knew nothing about it.
NHA Deputy Director Candace Mayer said last summer that she expected construction to begin on the new Washington Village in October. The challenge to DEEP’s decision last fall put the project on hold and, after the recent appeal denial, construction was again expect to begin this fall. And while Duleep’s appeal of the denial decision could cause another disruption, Law said it hasn’t been delayed yet.
He said he thought the appeal had been filed last Thursday but he hadn’t had time yet to consider it.
“We are going to be meeting tomorrow (Tuesday) to assess the situation and find out where we are from a legal point of view,” Law said. “We’ll talk to our attorney and see where we go. We just found out last week and so this is the first chance we’ll have to speak with our legal counsel as to what this all means and what the process will be moving forward.”
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded Norwalk a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods Initiative grant to support the Washington Village project. Law has said in the past that the CNI grant comes with strict deadlines connected to its 5-year timeline.
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