Much has happened since I wrote two months ago that the future of the Fort Trumbull area needed to be part of the debate in the New London’s mayor race. Most remarkable is how drastically Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio has shifted his position since then and, in so doing, limited the ability of his future opponent in the Democratic primary to offer an alternative vision.

When I wrote that column in early February, Finizio was still on a mission to try to effectively dissolve the city’s development agency and move control of development efforts to his and future city administrations.

Finizio also vowed that under his watch none of the parcels seized through eminent domain 10 years ago, via a landmark 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling, would ever see any private development. He said he would entertain only some public use, in keeping with the original spirit of eminent domain taking.

He seemed ready to make injustices seen at Fort Trumbull the centerpiece of a second straight campaign, having won election the first time in 2011 running against the evils of eminent domain abuse and calling for the dissolution of the New London Development Corp. (NLDC).

Now none of that is the case.

The mayor has given up on the effort to muscle the Renaissance City Development Association, successor to NLDC, out of the picture. The Planning and Zoning Commission issued a negative finding on his plan to transfer control of the Fort Trumbull parcels to city government, the majority in the 5-2 decision saying they saw no advantage.

That means Finizio would need a super majority of five votes to get his plan approved by the City Council. He has four votes. Among those blocking approval is his opponent for the Democratic nomination, Councilor Michael Passero.

“I fought it as hard as I possibly could, but fell one vote short,” the mayor told me.

Finizio has also given up on his fight to block development on the parcels taken through eminent domain. It is possible a project could surface this year, he said.

“Easily it is the hardest thing I’ve done as mayor,” said Finizio of ending his quest to block private development on those particular parcels.

The mayor considers the Kelo vs. New London ruling among the vilest in the court’s history, giving government the power to seize property from an owner of moderate or meager means and turn it over to a private corporation under the guise of economic development.

But rather than fighting a losing battle, and continuing the eminent domain war, Finizio appears to recognize that development at Fort Trumbull would enhance his re-election chances.

“I pledge to work with RCDA, and the council, to see meaningful development move forward without delay,” Finizio said Tuesday in his State of the City Address, adding, “let us move on.”

This is welcome news because, as I noted in my prior column, New London needs development to broaden its tax base and should not restrict its options.

A developer is working with RCDA on development of 104 high-end apartments, not involving the Kelo decision properties, and development agency President Linda Mariani, a Passero supporter, expressed optimism that more projects will follow.

Finizio did eke out one small concession, reaching a tentative agreement with RCDA that would prohibit development on the tiny parcel once owned by Susette Kelo. The mayor envisions some type of marker referencing the historic constitutional property fight. The most well-known symbol, Kelo’s modest pink house, was moved to 36 Franklin Street.

As for the election, with Finizio now on board with the development agency, Passero loses a potential issue as the pro-Fort Trumbull development candidate, a calculation that perhaps made the mayor’s reversal not quite as tough as he maintains.

Paul Choiniere is the Editorial Page Editor.

Twitter: @Paul_Choiniere