Community Leaders, Local Business to Meet Tuesday Night to Review Street Abandonment Plan

JAMESTOWN –  About a dozen people are expected to be on hand for a meeting in Jamestown Tuesday night to discuss a plan to abandon a city street in order to make room for the expansion of a car dealership.

City councilman Alfonso Pagan (R-Ward 3) is asking north side community leaders to meet with city officials and the owner of the Dave Warren Autogroup dealership at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Mayor’s Conference Room. According to Pagan, the purpose is to update the community on the proposed plan, as well as discuss possible alternatives.

“We just want to hear from the dealership about the proposed plan and what he wants to do to that area,” Pagan told WRFA Monday night. “We want to see the pictures, see the plans and be better informed. We want to inform the leaders first and after that we will have another meeting with the full community to come out, ask questions and be informed, and then we can make a decision.”

Pagan also said that he’s hoping by first having a meeting with community leaders, they can then return to other members of the community and talk about what they’ve learned.

“I’m a big believer in leadership,” Pagan said. “We want to talk tot the leaders first so they can see what is being proposed and then they can go forward with their eyes open. They see where it is going. I think the leadership has influence and they can influence people one way or the other.”

Pagan says that in addition to community leaders and the owner of the dealership being in attendance, Tuesday’s meeting will also include several city officials including City DPW director Jeff Lehman and city Development Director Vince DeJoy.

During the City Council’s January voting session, nearly 20 different people spoke out against the planned expansion of the Dave Warren Autogroup dealership on Washington Street. The expansion involves the city de-dedicating a portion of Lafayette St. between 10^th and 11^th streets so that Warren can expand his business onto that property.

However, the portion to be de-dedicated is adjacent to Chadakoin Park and many residents have said the street is needed for access to the park and, in addition, they don’t want to see a car dealership encroaching up to the park’s property line.

The de-dedication of the street was approved by the city’s Planning Commission on Jan. 20 – but still needs City Council’s approval prior to taking place.