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03/23/2018 02:17 PMAfter rolling along as unfinished business for months on the Town Council agenda, the 5.9 acres of park-like land in the center of North Branford, at 1599 Foxon Road, has been designated as "open space town property."
After some discussion on March 20, the council arrived at the conclusion that the land could be designated as "open space town property" and perhaps have some future infrastructure, such as a gazebo, installed. At present, there is no money in the town budget to allow for installation of such infrastructure at the site. Also, at least as it was discussed during the council meeting on March 20, the possibility remains the land could be sold off in the future, if the town found the need.
Councilman George Miller (D), who had been raising questions on the fate of 1599 Foxon Road at recent town council meetings, finally got his answer on March 20, after making a motion that the Town Council declare 1599 Foxon Road as "open space town property." The council voted 7-1 in favor of the motion.
The Discussion
With 1599 Foxon Road listed under "Unfinished Business" on Town Council agendas since November 2017, "At some point, we're going to have to do something with this," Miller told the council, opening the conversation ahead of the vote on March 20. "I don't know if the council is interested in this [but] there needs to be some agreement on what the direction is."
"We have to make a decision as to whether we're going to put it on the market or let it be a park," answered Mayor Mike Doody (R).
Some council members, including Anthony Candelora (R) and Marie Diamond (D), felt it would be a good idea to have a "fresh set of eyes," such as the new Economic Development coordinator position, perhaps together with the Town Planner, review considerations for best property use before the council decided what to do with the land.
Miller said the property had already undergone thorough review.
"We've had quite extensive information on what the market [value] will be, how it will affect taxes, and at least two town-wide hearings on it, following the Economic Development Commission's initiatives for it," said Miller "And the consensus of some majority of the citizens was to keep it as a town green. So unless there are some other decisions being made, I thought that was the decision the council was to going to continue to pursue and respect."
Back in 2014, the property came on the radar as being ripe for a "town center" mixed use development (commerce, retail, residential, with some pedestrian-friendly ways and open space), following two Economic Development Commission (EDC) public charrettes. By spring 2016, that idea was put aside by the council, after the EDC's recommended "preferred developer" (CenterPlan, Middletown) failed to show an interest in undertaking development meeting the "town center" charrette model. Next, the council ordered removal of the old town buildings at 1599 Foxon Road in attempt to make the parcel more marketable. The land was cleared in early 2017, pulling down the former Community Center and Center School buildings as well as clearing remnants of the former Wall Field Little League diamond.
Following the land clearing, Town Assessor Dave Ambrose used a"highest and best" techniques property appraisal to determine the town could likely sell 1599 Foxon Road for approximately $551,000. At that point, the council decided to gather public input to help determine if the property should stay on the market for development and future tax revenue; or be retained for use as open space. In October 2017, the pros and cons were discussed at a public hearing which drew about 60 (see the story here ). At the hearing, 14 people spoke out, with a slight majority of eight speaking in favor of turning the land into a town use space akin to a town green.
On March 20, Councilman Al Rose (R) said he still supported having 1599 Foxon Road used as a type of town green, but added it should also be recognized that, "...everything's for sale."
"Just like this [Town Hall] is for sale," said Rose. "If somebody comes along with the right amount of money, we'll move somewhere else."
Rose also suggested the town could consider raising outside funds to install a gazebo or some other passive, town-green style infrastructure at 1599 Foxon Road, while adding, "...but I would still be all ears for somebody coming to say what they could do there. [If] you put a gazebo there, you didn't make it so you can't sell it."
Councilman Joe Faughnan (D) said his thinking is, "...once it's sold, it's gone; and no matter how [many] restrictions or controls you try to impose on it, invariably [if] somebody has business needs, they're going to change it."
"There's very little open space on this side of town, and I think it's a benefit to the town and the citizens. It can be a point that can be used for the Memorial Day parade, which on this side of town is taking people's lives into their hands, going out on Route 80 to try to celebrate a national holiday," Faughnan continued.
Faughnan said his preference is to retain it as such, "...but I understand there are other economic restrictions that limit our ability to do things like that [with] no money to pave walkways, put in benches or put in a gazebo; all of which would be positives for the town."
Voting in favor of the motion on March 20 were Mayor Doody, Deputy Mayor Rose Marie Angeloni (R), councilman Thomas Zampano (R) and councilmen Candelora, Faughan, Miller and Rose. Council member Diamond voted against the motion. Councilman Robert Viglione (R) was not in attendance.