New London - The City Council on Monday night voted unanimously to send to its Economic Development Committee the mayor's request for authorization to, on behalf of the city, take title to parcels of land on the Fort Trumbull peninsula from the Renaissance City Development Association.

Last week, Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio renewed his push to have the city assume ownership of any Fort Trumbull land that could legally be transferred. He had urged the council to authorize him to request and accept title to the land before the RCDA meets on Thursday.

"Per our standard policies and procedures it is appropriate to fully vet this in committee, I think it is the appropriate place for a thorough discussion on this singular topic, which is meritous of such a discussion," Councilor Martin T. Olsen said. "I don't see the need for a rush, it seems to me to be a very arbitrary time line that's been put forth by the mayor."

Though every councilor who spoke agreed that the city's use of eminent domain over a decade ago has hindered its ability to develop the land, they also said they wanted to be able to fully understand what effects taking title to the land at Fort Trumbull would have on the city's finances.

"I think it is a mess the way this property was taken from our community. I think it was wrong," Councilor Anthony Nolan said. "There are a few things that I need to know ... what risk does the city take on? How would this affect us if we take on these properties? How would our terms change and what kind of liability changes?"

Finizio, in a roughly 10-minute speech Monday night, again implored the council to move ahead and grant him authority to take title to the land.

"This is something that I feel in the very marrow of my bones," he said. "I believe, quite simply, that what happened was utterly wrong, that it was an example of classism and that it has created a dark cloud over our city in terms of our ability to get development at Fort Trumbull."

Some councilors said they hope the issue does not languish in the Economic Development Committee, but rather that it will be the topic of public meetings to hear the opinions of community members.

"I hope that going to committee that it doesn't sit in committee," Nolan said. "Because that is a way to stall things from moving forward. I'm not saying that's going to happen, but it has happened. So I hope that if it does go to committee, that it is going to move in the next two weeks so we can decide if we're going to do something or not."

The land that could legally be conveyed to the city includes parcel 5C and lots in parcels 3C and 4A that the city does not already own. Parcels 3C and 4A include the former sites of homes taken by eminent domain to make way for developments that still have not been realized. Within those parcels the city already owns the lots that were part of the Kelo vs. City of New London Supreme Court case.

Land at the peninsula that was once part of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center must remain in the name of the RCDA due to federal Defense Base Closure and Realignment laws.

Finizio has said he wanted the council to act Monday night so that the RCDA Board of Directors could debate the transfer at its meeting on Thursday. He also argued that the city should grasp the opportunity to take title to the land while a friendly state administration is still in place.

"The November election could change the position held by various state leaders on this matter," Finizio wrote in an email to councilors. "In order to effectuate a transfer by the election, if that is the desire of the council and the people of the city, the council should act on this resolution before September 18th."

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, whom Finizio has said has agreed to effectuate the transfer, faces a rematch against Republican businessman Tom Foley in November's gubernatorial election.

Malloy spokesman Andrew Doba last week would only say that the governor "is supportive of the idea and looks forward to working with the city and other stakeholders on the next steps."

When asked, Doba would not say whether Malloy has agreed that the state will not object to the title transfers. He also wouldn't say whether the state will object to reasonable changes to the Fort Trumbull Municipal Development Plan.

c.young@theday.com

Twitter: @ColinAYoung