Brancati Vows Porta-Potty Relief

Raymond Matthews and Sharon Blue have been living for months with rows of portable toilets facing them from across their backyard fence. Sal Brancati promised they’ll have a cleaner view any day now.

Brancati (pictured) made his pledge Wednesday at the monthly meeting of the City Plan Commission, where he was acting as an agent for Dan D’Errico.

As the owner of 50 Eddy St. in the Hill, D’Errico was looking for special permission to have outdoor storage of fencing material and portable toilets.

Matthews and Blue (pictured below) had a few words to say about the storage of the latter. They objected to the rows of toilets that confront them whenever they go out in the backyard. The johns are set up just feet from his grill and they all have their doors open, Matthews said.

Matthews and Blue left Wednesday’s meeting with Brancati’s word that the Port-O-Lets will go and that a fence will be put up around D’Errico’s property.

The City Plan Commission approved D’Errico’s request for outdoor storage permission.

D’Errico runs a fence company, Total Fence LLC, and a portable toilet company, Elm City Sanitation. Both companies occupy the Eddy Street lot. Also on site is a pile of fill used in school construction.

Brancati has a history of striking deals with a stench of sorts at that property right off the Boulevard.

Under a previous, politically connected owner, the property housed a pallet business 10 years ago. Brancati was a city development official then. He gave the owner a six-figure city loan based on paperwork that raised eyebrows — including a provision claiming the owner would be able to start repaying the loan with new revenues before the business even opened. It was one of a slew of controversial loans that led to Brancati leaving his City Hall job amid a period of corruption allegations against the DeStefano administration. Brancati took his political contacts and became a private consultant representing clients before government and arranging real estate deals.

It was in that capacity that Brancati appeared at City Plan Wednesday night.

Brancati told commissioners that as D’Errico’s business has expanded over the years, he began to store materials outside. Brancati said he visited D’Errico one day at the site, saw all the stuff outside and told D’Errico he should get permission from the city. In that area, special permission is required for outdoor storage of more than 500 square feet of material.

“He keeps it very neatly,” Brancati said. ​“Everything’s in racks.”

“It’s not a junkyard,” agreed commission chair Ed Mattison.

Commissioner and East Rock Alderman Justin Elicker sought clarification that the storage was already happening, without permission. ​“It’s already there?”

“It wasn’t done intentionally,” Brancati said. ​“He has a great relationship with the neighbors.”

That comment was brought into doubt when Raymond Matthews and Sharon Blue sat down at the microphone. They live at 81 Adeline St., with a backyard that abuts D’Errico’s property. Next door is a small vacant lot that’s also owned by D’Errico.

“I can’t go out in my backyard,” Matthews told the commissioners. Less than three feet from the low fence around his yard sit rows of portable toilets, he said. They’re not far from his barbecue, he added.

“There are open Porta-Potties everywhere,” Blue said.

“All I see is open Porta-Potties all over my backyard,” Matthews said. An 8‑foot fence encloses other parts of D’Errico’s property, Matthews said.

“Something needs to be put up,” Blue said.

“He’d have no problem putting up a fence,” Brancati said.

Commissioner Maricel Ramos-Valcarcel asked if the toilets could be moved?

“I can assure you they won’t be there tomorrow,” Brancati said.

Further discussion revealed that the portable toilets are being stored on the little lot next door to Matthews and Blue, not on the lot for which D’Errico was seeking storage permission.

“They’ve got to go,” said Tom Talbot, deputy director of zoning.

“I had no idea,” Brancati said. ​“That’s shocking to me they were even there.”

Talbot suggested against fencing in the little lot. ​“You put up a fence, he’ll put stuff back there.”

The fence will be put up just in the back, along 50 Eddy St., Brancati said.

Commissioners approved D’Errico’s storage request, with several conditions. He’s required to plant trees where his property fronts on Ella Grasso Boulevard. Racks and piles can be no higher than 15 feet. Stored portable toilets must first have been sanitized off-site. A fence must be built along residential properties, and nothing is to be stored on the little lot on Adeline Street.

After the commission’s vote, Matthews and Blue expressed their satisfaction with the outcome. They said they’ve been looking at the Porta-Potties for three or four months. The toilets used to smell, but don’t any longer, Blue said.