The city of Hartford and Trinity College have resolved a legal dispute over whether the school should be allowed to use artificial turf for new athletic fields. The move avoids a fight between a new administration and one of the city's biggest stakeholders.
Trinity wanted to rehabilitate about eight acres of baseball, soccer and softball fields -- and it wanted to use synthetic turf. The city's Planning and Zoning Commission denied the turf request, and the college filed suit.
Sara Bronin, the mayor's wife, is the chair of the commission. She said the commission originally had environmental and public health concerns about artificial turf. But, rather than fight in court, the two sides reached an agreement. Of the eight acres, two can be artificial turf -- including the baseball field and some batting cages.
"The Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously approved the settlement agreement and we're really happy that we had Trinity College -- which is a great institution in Hartford -- can move on," Bronin said.
Trinity declined to comment.
