THE REGULAR TOWN COUNCIL MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER AT 7:04 P.M. BY CHAIR CYNTHIA L. GIBBONS. MEMBERS PRESENT: FRANK BAINER, ROBERT DOYON, DELORES FRANKS, PATRICIA GEARY, CYNTHIA L. GIBBONS, THERESA GRAVELINE, GARY V. HODGE, EDWARD MILLER. ABSENT: SHIRLEY SABO
MAYOR'S REPORT: SUGGESTED WORKSHOP DATES
MOTION MADE BY D. FRANKS, 2ND BY E. MILLER TO APPROVE MEETING DATES AS NOTED ABOVE. UNANIMOUS
CHAIR, C. GIBBONS TO CHECK WITH THE PROSPECT PAGES CONCERNING PUBLISHING MEETING DATES.
GUESTS: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, CHAIR PETER HUGHES INTRODUCED PETER BURNS FROM DECARLO & DOLL CONCERNING BUSINESS/COMMERCE PARK. AREA ON SCOTT ROAD ZONED INDUSTRIAL FOR 25 YEARS. QUESTION IS DOES TOWN WANT A COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENT. "COMMERCE PARK OF PROSPECT" - OPTION OF TOWN AS TO WHAT WOULD LIKE PARK TO BE LIKE. MR. BURNS REVIEWED INCREASE IN POPULATION AND STATE FEELS IT IS A GOOD IDEA, STATE TO MATCH WHAT TOWN SPENDS. OVER 50 COMMERCE PARKS IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT. THREE TASKS DONE - PRELIMINARY ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW, PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT ON PARCEL DEVELOPMENT; PRELIMINARY MARKET REPORT. ENVIRONMENTAL MAP REVIEWED, SOIL CONDITIONS, WETLANDS. 176 ACRE SITE, 2 PIECES ARE PRIVATELY OWNED, 15% GRADE OR LESS. 14 PARCELS OF LAND, 52,000 SQ. FT. OF NEW COMMERCE SPACE. ADVANTAGE TO A COMMERCE PARK ALLOWS FOR ARCHITECTURAL CONTROL, ETC. ISSUE IS REALLY ABOUT FUTURE TAXES. AN OLD FOUNDATION WAS ALSO FOUND WHICH REQUIRES MORE RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENT IN PHASES ALSO IS AN OPTION. HANDOUTS: STATUS REPORT TO MEMBERS BASICALLY A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION. MR. BURNS POINTED OUT THAT CONNECTICUT IS RANKED 4TH IN SURVEY, THERE IS A DEMAND FOR ACREAGE. WOULD GET MONEY BACK OVER A PERIOD OF 5-7 YEARS, WHEN PLAN IS COMPLETED THE COST & BENEFITS WILL BE KNOWN. STATE OF CONN. IS EXPECTING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TO CARRY ON WITH THE PROJECT PLAN AND CONTINUE WITH FINAL PROJECT PLAN. BORINGS NEEDED TO DETERMINE CONDITION OF SOIL. COUNCIL WOULD AUTHORIZE THE SALE OF LAND, THE PROJECT PLAN ALLOWS FOR CONTROL AND PROTECTION. $350,000 IS THE TOTAL BUDGETED. PRESENT OWNERS ALREADY HAVE AN A2 SURVEY WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE VERIFIED. TOPOGRAPHY MAP WAS SHOWN TO MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
C. GIBBONS QUESTIONED OWNERSHIP OF THE PROPERTY. PETER HUGHES - OWNED BY THE ESTATE, DEVELOPER HAS THE OPTION TO BUY. WORKING ON A TIME-LINE. COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS NOT READY UNTIL TIME LINE AND STUDIES ARE COMPLETED. NEED FOR TWO INDEPENDENT APPRAISALS WHICH WOULD BE REVIEWED BY THE STATE. MR. BURNS STATED THAT ROAD IMPROVEMENTS AND ASSEMBLY OF THE LAND IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE.
THERESA GRAVELINE QUESTIONED IF RMK'S (DEVELOPER) PRICE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AND ISSUE OF SPENDING MONEY UNTIL THEY HAVE A BALLPARK PRICE. PETER BURNS STATED THAT THE STATE OF CONN. WILL NOT BE A PARTNER IF PROCESS IS NOT FOLLOWED. T. GRAVELINE - QUESTIONED IF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION HAS DISCUSSED WITH RMK AND ENCOURAGED TO GO FORWARD. PETER HUGHES - WHATEVER APPRAISED VALUE IS RMK WILL ACCEPT.
DELORES FRANKS FEELS WHAT IS MISSING IS CONTINUITY. THIS IS A MAJOR STEP FOR THE TOWN OF PROSPECT.
GARY V. HODGE POINTED OUT THAT THE MARKET IS THERE. QUESTIONED WHAT NEXT STEPS WILL COST - INDICATED IN BACK OF PRELIMINARY MARKET REPORT. $77,270 TO DO PROJECT PLAN.
FRANK BAINER QUESTIONED WHAT IF PROSPECT BACKS OUT WHAT WILL DEVELOPER DO. TOWN WOULD STILL HAVE CONTROL OVER IF DEVELOPED, STATE AND TOWN COULD TAKE BY EMINENT DOMAIN.
PATRICIA GEARY - BASIC PROPOSAL RECEIVED, BOTHERED THAT RMK DOESN'T OWN. "FAIR MARKET VALUE" WOULD BE PRICE NOT APPRAISED VALUE.
THERESA GRAVELINE FEELS THIS IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY BUT CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MARKET IS CONSIDERING OTHER INDUSTRIAL PARKS WITH FOR SALE SIGNS AND ISSUE OF WHEN I-84 WILL BE REDONE.
MR. BURNS - AN ENGINEERING, TRAFFIC AND DETAILED MARKET STUDY WOULD BE DONE.
T. GRAVELINE THOUGHT ALL OF THE QUESTIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PRELIMINARY MARKET STUDY.
TOWN SPENT $6,000 FOR A FEASIBILITY STUDY, MR. BURNS INDICATED THAT PROCESS PROSPECT IS TAKING IS NORMALLY NOT DONE AND REITERATED THAT THERE IS A MARKET.
EDWARD MILLER - QUESTIONED IF NEXT PHASE WOULD TELL IF LAYOUT WOULD GENERATE ENOUGH MONEY. MR. BURNS - 2.9 ACRES WOULD BE THE SMALLEST PARCEL, LARGEST APPROX. 8 AC, FINAL PLAN MAY HAVE VARIATIONS. ALSO REITERATED THAT TOWN CONTROLS SALES AND FINAL PLAN.
MOTION MADE BY P. GEARY, 2ND BY D. FRANKS TO ADJOURN. MEETING ADJOURNED AT 9:24 P.M.