Norwalk Council plans to dot last i in Al Madany settlement

NORWALK, Conn. – Norwalk is set to buy 127 Fillow St. from the Al Madany Islamic Center by July 3, Corporation Counsel Mario Coppola said.

The July 3 deadline is specified in the legal settlement agreed to by the Common Council in September. The final technical touch on this was expected at the June 9 Council meeting but was postponed to Tuesday.

Both the Council and the Planning Commission have to sign off on the $585,000 purchase. The Planning Commission’s approval is expected first, but the Commission did not have a quorum for its June 9 meeting, which was scheduled before the beginning of the Council meeting. So the approval was not in hand for the Council meeting.

The Council could go ahead and approve the purchase alone with a two-thirds vote, Coppola said on June 9. But because there was time, he recommended tabling the technicality to give the Planning Commission a chance to have its input.

The Planning Commission approved the purchase Monday, Chairman Torgny Astrom said. The matter is again on the Council’s agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

“I believe that we will be able to meet the July 3rd deadline for the closing,” Coppola said in an email on Friday. “After the Council votes for approval, the City will proceed with effectuating the purchase of the property with a real estate closing.”

Al Madany sued the city after its application to build a mosque at 127 Fillow St. was denied, alleging religious discrimination. In September, the Council voted to settle the suit. Norwalk will reimburse Al Madany $307,500 for its expenses, pay $925,000 for damages, buy the property at 127 Fillow St. for $585,000 and pay up to $215,000 for development costs at a new location. Norwalk will also help Al Madany find a new site, although there has been no progress reported on that.

This would be done under the 2015-16 operating budget, it was said. June 30 is the end of the 2014-15 fiscal year.