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04/30/2017 12:00 AMTo the relief of both Parkside Village residents and those who live in Branford Hills, on April 26, no action was taken by a committee which had been gathered to help answer a request from the Branford Housing Authority (BHA) to consider use of the former Branford Hills School site for Parkside expansion. The vote to take no action essentially drops the former school location off the radar for BHA's plans.
The BHA and its selected developer, Beacon Communities (MA) is seeking to completely upgrade and expand the affordable housing complex for seniors and disabled (over 18), currently located at 115 South Montowese St. To qualify for federal and state funding, the expanded facility would also welcome some families meeting low-income housing guidelines.
The Representative Town Meeting (RTM) Branford Hills Property Usage Committee met to attempt to address BHA and Beacon's town land use inquiry. The idea was first discussed at preliminary meeting called by BHA on April 5, to which BHA had invited the public, First Selectman James B. Cosgrove, and some members of the RTM from the two town areas involving the matter, Districts Four and Five.
As described on April 5, BHA and Beacon are anxious to move forward with plans to either renovate and expand in place, or, if feasible, move the project to the former Branford Hills School site. See the story here.
However, as Branford Hills Property Usage Committee member Robert Imperato (R- District 4) pointed out on April 26, changing information about the former school site, the want of neighbors in his distrcit to have it designated as a park, as well as the "strong desire" of many Parkside Village residents to remain at the present location; in addition to needs such as time to allow the town's Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) to be updated with the best use of the former school site, were reason enough to make a motion to take no action.
The RTM committee included Imperato as well as Adam Hansen (D-District 4), Maryann Amore (D-District 4), Don Conklin (R-District 5) and committee chair and RTM majority leader Ray Ingraham (R-District 5).
After some discussion, the committee voted unanimously to take no action on the matter; which means that the request under discussion by the committee is no longer on the table.
BHA and Beacon had sought input on the potential for use of the former Branford Hills School site from the town staff, and additionally, the RTM, after withdrawing an unpopular 2016 expansion plan for 115 South Montowese. One of the questions asked by the public in 2016 was whether there were other sites where Parkside could expand. After a 2017 bidding process seeking optional sites drew limited results, BHA determined the only other viable location, other than to re-design some of the plans for 115 South Montowese, would be the former Branford Hills School site.
"They were trying to go through a process," Cosgrove told Zip06/The Sound. "They had identified this as a potential site; and they wanted to know what the potential was for that. I then encouraged them to do some far greater public outreach, because that is not a decision that lies unilaterally with the First Selectman. So the Housing Authority then had a meeting (April 5), then the Housing Authority followed up with a letter to the RTM asking them," about the potential use of the former Branford Hills School land.
In response to the letter, the RTM Branford Hills School Usage Committee called the April 26 public meeting, at which the decision was made to take no action on the request from BHA and Beacon.
"I feel that the Housing Authority is trying to solve a specific housing issue," Cosgrove told Zip06/The Sound, immediately after April 26 meeting. "I think we can all agree there are housing needs that are necessary in our town. However, as a town, we need to approach this from a long-term planning perspective. That's a greater discussion, and, I think, the broadest type of discussion. Several different needs exist in the town. One I hear a lot is senior housing at the intermediary level – they want to sell their home, but don't want to take their nest egg and put it in high end (senior) housing. That's something I hear a lot that we're missing. I think, as we move forward with the Plan of Conservation and Development, that discussion will be at the forefront."