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08/02/2016 04:30 PMDiscussions over the possible development of the Page’s Lane property are moving forward after the Board of Selectmen (BOS) approved continuing conversations with potential developers on Aug. 1. Interest in developing the Page’s Lane property, possibly for a waste water treatment facility, has stemmed from the town’s hope to bolster development near the train station.
The town acquired the Page’s Lane property, a 14-acre parcel, on Whitfield Street in the 1970s. The possible creation of a waste water treatment system is a part of a recommendation included in the original Town Center South Plan developed in 2007.
To assess possible development options, the town submitted a request for qualifications (RFQ) to interested parties earlier this spring. While the original plan for the property was a waste water system, the town was open to considering a variety of development options for the land. The town received two proposals back from the RFQ, which were then reviewed by the Page’s Lane Development Committee.
Town Planner George Kral said one proposal was received from the Luchs/Horton/Gaudio group and the second was from the David Adam/Petra real estate group.
“The proposals are very different,” he said. “The proposal by the Petra/Adam group was to develop the property itself with residential development on the Page’s Lane property.”
The proposal put forward by Luchs/Horton/Gaudio was for a waste water system.
“The committee did feel [the Petra/Adam proposal] was too ambitious and would potentially have the most adverse impacts,” he said. “The committee unanimously preferred the proposal made by the Luchs/Horton/Gaudio group. This proposal conforms to the Town Center South Plan more or less and would have the least impact on the neighborhood and the environment.”
The Town Center South Plan was created to encourage transit-oriented development, particularly residential, in the area south of the Green toward the train station and marina.
From this point, town officials will now assemble a second RFQ to submit to the two applicants to help flesh out further details about the project, including possible environmental and economic impacts.
“The phase two process would invite the two proposers to submit detailed proposals which would itemize in much more detail the nature of their project and also answer a series of questions we have identified so that the BOS and the town can evaluate the merits of the proposals,” he said.
While a decision may be a ways off, if a proposal is selected, the town will enter into a development agreement with the proposer, which would include a series of contingencies, according to In-House Legal Counsel Pam Millman. She said next steps will also allow residents to voice their opinion.
“Any time the town sells a piece of property, if that is what the town eventually will do, we have charter town meeting requirements so there will be ample opportunity for the public to get involved,” she said.