Date: Fri 03-Sep-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

Vouros-Yankee-Drover-parking

Full Text:

Town Will Surrender Parking Rights For Drover Property

BY STEVE BIGHAM

Yankee Drover property owner John Vouros went before the Board of Selectmen

Monday to modify a deed that currently allows the Meeting House to use his lot

for parking.

Mr Vouros has had a friendly agreement with the town to use the lot. However,

he is on the verge of selling the property and wants to ensure the buyer that

if and when a new restaurant is built, the town will not start parking cars

there.

According to town attorney and land use officials, however, the public could

not legally park on the lot, no matter what is stated in the deed. Local

zoning laws state that each property is allowed parking only for that

property. All other cars that park there would be considered in violation.

"Zoning regulations do not allow other people to be parking on your property,"

noted Borough Zoning Enforcement Officer Jean St Jean.

Therefore the parking rights in the meeting house's deed are illegal. Zoning

regulations would take precedence over the deed, Mr Rosenthal said.

In response, Selectman Bill Brimmer moved to authorize Town Attorney David

Grogins to send a letter to Mr Vouros' attorney confirming that the Meeting

House does not have parking or sewer rights on the "Old Yankee Drover"

property.

Mr Vouros said he expects the new owner will allow the Meeting House to use

the lot at certain times of the day as a "good neighbor thing." And, until the

property is sold, Mr Vouros said the meeting house is still welcome to the

lot.

"Continue to use it," Mr Vouros told Don Studley, president of the Heritage

Preservation Trust, which leases the Meeting House from the town.

Mr Vouros purchased the former Yankee Drover property from Newtown

Congregational Church in 1982. At the time, he planned to rebuild the

restaurant which was destroyed by fire in 1980. However, he said a lack of

money prevented him and his investors from following through on the plan.

Mr Vouros, a teacher at Newtown Middle School, declined to name the Drover

property's prospective buyer.