Questions have swirled about the New Hartford Business Park since revelations a month ago that The Hartford Financial Services Group building was outside the park's boundaries. But interviews and documents obtained through a Freedom of Information request show that at least one person had known of the mistake relating to The Hartford since summer 2007.
Here's a look at the chronology:
August 2007: Town planner Kurt Schwenzfeier recently said he had sought zoning changes that would have put The Hartford inside the business park at an Aug. 8, 2007, Town Board meeting, and even provided a map with his proposals to the O-D.
But the change never happened, and there is no record in either Town Board or Planning Board minutes that he specifically mentioned the situation.
“We never went forward with it,” Schwenzfeier said.
Asked why, he replied, “I don't know. It was probably a mistake.”
Asked again what happened, he responded, “No one is perfect.”
September 2007: Despite knowledge to the contrary, in a Sept. 28, 2007, letter, Schwenzfeier told the Ryan Cos. - which helped develop the site - that the building was under the panel's purview.
“The proposed project is located within the Business Park District,” he wrote. “The town code provides that staff shall have final approval authority concerning proposed projects by new or existing park occupants.”
October 2007: The first permit for the site was issued Oct. 16, 2007, town Codes Officer Joseph Booth said.
Schwenzfeier said he then alerted everyone on the town panel overseeing the planning for the park at an Oct. 23, 2007, meeting. He cited Arnold, then-codes officer Gerald Back, then-Highway Superintendent Roger Cleveland, Town engineer John Meagher and then-assistant codes officer Joseph Booth.
But Arnold, Cleveland, Back and Booth said they do not recall being told. Meagher could not be reached, but said in previous interviews that he learned of the error on his own.
“If that had been said, I would have asked what the implications were,” Arnold said. “That would have been an issue to take to the Planning Board so they could recommend a change to the zoning.”
October 2008: In an e-mail to town Councilwoman Christine Krupa on Oct. 8, 2008, when she made inquiries about The Hartford and its State Environmental Quality Review, Schwenzfeier again said The Hartford was in the business park.
“The land proposed for The Hartford was included in the New Hartford Business Park,” he wrote, explaining that it, therefore, fell under the SEQR process performed in the 1990s.
That e-mail was copied to the rest of the Town Board, the panel and town attorney Gerald Green.
Soon after, Booth was working on permits relating to signage for The Hartford parcel, and realized it wasn't in the business park zone. He said Schwenzfeier told him members of the Planning Board already knew of the situation.
Booth sent an e-mail to Schwenzfeier, other panel members and the Town Board outlining the conversation so as to have it on the record. Those interviewed about that e-mail, including Arnold and Councilman David Reynolds, said they could not recall receiving it.
