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10/29/2017 07:01 AMA public hearing on October 25, on whether to keep 1599 Foxon Road as open space or sell it for development to add to tax revenue, showed those who came out to speak were slightly more in favor of keeping the land as public open space, with several asking for use akin a town green.
Arguments for both sides of the coin were given by 14 residents who brought their opinions the Town Council at the hearing in North Branford Auditorium. In addition, Town Manger Michael Pauhlus said he had received 12 letters from residents giving their input and the letters will be able for the public to review as part of the written record of the hearing. The subject will next be taken up by what will be a newly-elected Town Council following the November 7, 2017 elections.
At the Oct. 25 hearing, which drew about 60 attendees, a screen above the stage showed projected images of the site at ground level and in arial views. The 5.95 acre parcel, once home to the baseball diamond of Wall Field as well as a one-story brick Community Center (originally built in 1979 as Town Hall) and wood-framed Center School (built in 1920), has been at the heart of a "town center" development discussion that began in 2014. At that time, the discussion was guided by two public charrettes organized by the Economic Development Commission (EDC); with the recommended outcome to sell the property to a developer interested in producing a "town center" mixed use space with buildings for commerce, residences, potential open space and area-connective paths for vehicles and pedestrians.
In the spring of 2016, after a "preferred developer" (CenterPlan, Middletown) failed to show an interest in undertaking the "town center" charrette model; the council ordered removal of the buildings at 1599 Foxon Road in attempt to make parcel more marketable.
Following the 2017 demolition and clearing of both buildings, Town Assessor Dave Ambrose used a "highest and best" techniques property appraisal to determine the town could likely sell the property for approximately $551,000. At that point, the Town Council decided to further review the property, with public input included, to determine if it should stay on the market for development or be retained for use as open space.
By Zip06/The Sound's tally, at the October 25 hearing, six residents voiced their support for developing the property and eight spoke for keeping it as public open space.
On October 25, saying she was speaking as citizen and not on behalf of the EDC, of which she is a member, resident Elizabeth Kaplan of Middletown Avenue described the potential tax revenue the town would gain if the site were to be developed.
Saying she was a "big proponent" of open space, Kaplan noted North Branford has 770 acres of open space, and further stated, "I love the 200 acres we have" at the town's Swajchuck property.
The Swajchuck land on Route 22 includes several playing fields, and is home to the annual Potato and Corn Festival as well as recently adding in spots for the town's annual Christmas Tree Lighting event and the town's new dog park.
Kaplan said economic times are difficult and developing 1599 Foxon Road is a "golden opportunity."
"It is a marquee space," Kaplan said, adding, that, while the town wouldn't have "a lot of controls" over the development of the property, the charrette's vision for the space can be emphasized with the developer.
"We can talk to the developer [and] it can be [about] open space for walking trails and things like that," Kaplan said, later adding, "What if this developer wanted to buy [nearby Central Plaza] and have a sister property; and have a whole enclave of beautiful development with the two properties? Maybe other property owners on Route 80 would jump on the bandwagon and want to develop their properties; because they see how beautiful 1599 [Foxon Road] could be."
Kaplan also noted she spoke with Ambrose that day to get a sense of what tax revenue a 1599 Foxon Road development could generate for the town.
"Basically, what he informed me was at maximum use, this property would be valued at about $2.3 million. So with that being said, that would be about $50,000 worth of [annual] taxes," she said.
If the developer applied for North Branford's commercial development tax abatement program, the $50,000 per year in tax revenue would be generated after the first five years, Kaplan noted. Under the program, the property taxes would be approximately $10,000 in year one, $20,000 in year two, and $30,000 and $40,000 in years three and four; with $50,000 going forward as of year five, she said.
"I don't know about you, but $50,00 is nothing to sneeze at," Kaplan told the Town Council.
Speaking as a citizen, Town Council member Al Rose of Valley Road, said he envisioned the space as a park and added he'd also talked to Ambrose on October 25.
"I see little a New England-style park sitting there. I see sidewalks from the Marshfield Apartments all the way back up to the elderly housing," said Rose, adding, "I do want to talk to the economic development, for everybody who thinks we should do this to raise taxes."
Rose said he received the same figures from Ambrose which Kaplan shared earlier, "...then I went a little bit further."
"Using every square inch, including the businesses and putting in residential, he could come up with about $2,260,000 in value... [and the] taxes it would generate are $53,000 a year after the fifth year...but then I went a little bit further and looked at how he was developing it to come up with this number," said Rose.
Noting the development's residential square footage caluculations would allow for what he anticipated would be four apartment dwellings, Rose said, "...all we need is four kids to live in these apartments, and at $15,000 [educational cost per student], that's $60,000 a year to educate them; and we just lost money by selling the park."
Norwill Drive resident Andy Constantinople said he wanted to see it as park space, adding there is parking on the site already as well as a basketball court that can be refurbished.
"I was pretty sad to see Wall Field go. I was hoping my kid would play there like my father did and like I did," said Constantinople. "I pay taxes ...and every time the mill rate goes up, I don't like it either. But I don't see development or anything [there] that will bring the mill rate down."
Constantinople added the North Branford Route 80 area has property and empty buildings on the market already being offered for development.
"We have plenty of things that can be developed already," he said. "What we don't have is a public park... it's a perfect setting."
Some residents who supported the open space idea went to the point of requesting the space be converted to become North Branford's town green, offering a public space in the town center as a gathering point for parades and other community uses, similar to town green use enjoyed by other area towns, such as neighboring Branford.Resident Sara Querfeld of Valley Road suggested such a town green could also become the new home of the town's war monuments, which are now relegated to a small strip of land left beside First Congregational Church following the state's recent expansion and widening of Route 80.
Basswood Drive resident Jack McCoy recognized the beauty of the site, but noted the town has plentiful open space and ball fields already. He said he felt the best decision for the town is to develop 1599 Foxon Road.
"One on hand I'm nostalgic; but I'm also Yankee pragmatic. We need tax money," McCoy.
Dudley Harrison of North Street said there is no dedicated public open space in the North Branford center.
"Northford's got all kinds of parks and ballfields on that side of town; we've got nothing on this end," said Harrison. "We need something in the center of town, on this end of town."