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Planning Commission does nothing
By Ed Goppelt
Monday, 07/23/07
(1185217807709)
The Planning Commission last week put off approving zoning for the Foxwoods Philadelphia Casino until its next meeting on August 21, 2007. The move followed a four hour meeting on July 17, 2007 during which neighbors kept up a steady stream of insults, commentary and humorous barbs directed towards the Casino's representatives and to a lesser extent the Planning Commission itself. Foxwoods representatives and the Commission meanwhile went through the motions of giving and listening to a presentation about a project whose details are well known.
So what was the point of holding a meeting at which nothing was decided? Neighbors certainly sent an unmistakable message of fury about being sold down the river by their elected officials. But is anyone listening in either the Mayor's or Governor's office? The City shored up its legal case in the Supreme Court by showing it wasn't holding up the Foxwoods project unnecessarily. And Foxwoods may have started the 45 day count down on the Planning Commission's decision in its case.
All of this may be moot, however, if the state Supreme Court preempts the City and approves zoning for the project as Foxwoods has asked the Court to do in a recent law suit. According to this planphilly report, Foxwoods expects the Court to rule the end of August and expects to begin construction within 10 days of receiving zoning from either the Supreme Court or the City.