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12/14/2015 10:23 AMAs 2015 draws to a close, North Branford’s proposed Dog Park has found a home and the Town Center development project is gaining some momentum. Meanwhile, the town awaits state findings on the J.J. Sullivan bulk propane wetlands site plan; and a proposed town-private fields deal with CT Sportsplex has been moved to the back burner.
TOWN TAGS DOG PARK HOME:
In 2012, the Town Council approved an idea brought by grassroots North Branford Unleashed to help bring North Branford’s first dog park. The council agreed to dedicate at least an acre of space in the Swajchuk property (former Augur farm land off Route 22) to the new park; should North Branford Unleashed meet a council challenge of raising $10,000 toward installation expenses. The money was raised in about a year’s time; then, the project seemed to stall. This past September, on the advice of the Town Council, North Branford Unleashed leaders Eric Hodgson and Helen Lope de Haro began working with the Parks and Recreation Commission to renew efforts to bring about the park.
Now, the dog park has an official parcel of land tagged for its home at Swajchuk, Town Manager Michael Paulhus told The Sound on Dec. 11.
“We had a meeting with Recreation Commission and they approved a location on the Augur site near the farmhouse on Forest Road,” said Paulhus. “So the Town Council is going to take that up again in January. Hopefully, they’ll have some information and action so they can give the organization the go-ahead and proceed.”
The next steps will be to “...move into a collaborative effort” with North Branford Unleashed, said Paulhus, “to look at design and phasing-in; and if they need to do further fundraising.”
TOWN CENTER DEVELOPMENT GRANT:
Last week the Town Council went into Executive Session to discuss Centerplan Development Co.’s (Middletown) current concept for a privately-held Town Center development on current town-owned land on Route 80; but information concerning a possible state grant to help the town clear old buildings off the property was made public knowledge during the regular portion of the Town Council meeting.
Paulhus said the town has applied for approximately $200,000 in a “brownfield” grant to help cover the cost to take down the empty Community Center and the old wooden town building at the four-acre site, which also includes the former Wall Field.
While the site may not fit the classic definition of a brownfield (usually an industrial site with known contaminants), it fits into a category that views properties which are “...more of eyesore of vacant buildings; and clean-up as needed for lead and asbestos and demolition. It has to be tested and removed in a certain way,” said Paulhus.
Periodically, the state Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) offers municipal brownfield grants and a new application round for those grants recently opened. The application pursues “environmental remediation,” Paulhus explained.
“We went after a DEEP remediation or brownfield development grant; now it’s sort of a wait and see,” said Paulhus. “As part of the process, we plan to meet with DEEP in January to discuss it. After you submit, they ask for sit down meeting to discuss the grant; and we’re happy to do that to champion our cause.”
The tear-down would help create a clean slate for future mixed-use development of the parcel. Adding dwelling units was one of the primary suggestions made by residents and town leaders three years ago, when participating in two town-wide charrettes to create a guide for the property’s future developer. The charrettes were led by Yale Urban Design Center and organized by the town’s Economic Development Committee
In July, by Town Council vote, Centerplan was selected as “preferred developer” to bring about that vision. Center Plan has since notified the town it does not have residences included in its development plan, a cause of concern to the council.
J.J. SULLIVAN APPLICATION AWAITING STATE DECISION
As recently reported in The Sound, nearly one year after taking over the town’s review process for J.J. Sullivan Fuel Co.’s 40 Ciro Road bulk propane inlands wetlands site plan review, the state DEEP has still not made any decision on the matter. However, on Nov. 20, the town received the state’s first invoice for it services, a charge of $5,894.91 that’s due by Dec. 17.
Last week, Paulhus told The Sound he was expecting to connect soon with the DEEP in response to his request for news on whether the DEEP has completed its review. He said the invoice implies work has been done and that could mean things will move forward soon.
“We’re looking to get an update,” said Paulhus.
The DEEP decision on J.J. Sullivan’s inland wetlands site plan application is needed before the town’s Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC) can re-open its decision-making process on zoning regulations which apply to the application.
SPORTSPLEX PLAN SLOWS DOWN
In August, North Branford-based business Connecticut Sportsplex approached the town with a shared-use fields idea that had some traction – and created some concerns. The idea is that Sportsplex would assist with field upgrades, with fixes to include some artificial turf infields. Four field upgrades were needed to meet Sportsplex’s standard of use. The business would schedule overflow tournaments and games on those fields with approval from the town’s Recreation Commission. Sportsplex’s proposal was reviewed by the Recreation Commission in late September. At that time, a major private player involved in the town’s field use, North Branford Little League (NBLL) gave the commission word that NBLL conditionally approved of the plan. Sportsplex sought a 50/50 share of expenses for a four-field fix. The town would pay $150,000 of the $300,000 cost. However, the commission noted three additional fields which could benefit the town with a similar fix, including some needed by NBLL. To assist, Sportsplex offered to help the town receive low industry pricing to upgrade the three added fields; an estimated $200,000 expense for the town. Added to the $150,000 four-field cost; North Branford would have to come up with $350,000 to upgrade all seven fields.
The commission then forwarded the Sportsplex proposal to the Town Council for review. Since that time, “...it’s gone silent,” said Paulhus last week. “I’m not sure if might be revised down the road and discussed in the spring. For now, it’s on the back burner.”