Date: Fri 24-Nov-1995

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

Commerce-Rd-selectmen-FHH

Full Text:

Town Will Be Asked To Buy Commerce Road Property

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

A town meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 6, to vote on a $130,000

appropriation for the purchase of a 4.8-acre parcel on Commerce Road.

First Selectman Bob Cascella said the land would provide access from Commerce

Road to the bypass road which is scheduled to be constructed through Fairfield

Hills next year.

"This is something concrete that we are doing for economic development," Mr

Cascella said. "The town will be given 22-plus acres at Fairfield Hills as a

result of the jail agreement. We'd like to see the state match that with 22

more acres to create a state-town economic development park.

"This road will be the gateway to the park," he said.

The source of the $130,000 will be the town's capital non-reoccuring

expenditures account.

The land, 6 and 8 Commerce Road, is located on a broad curve in the road just

west of The Prudential Insurance Agency. The land is owned by the Federal

Deposit Insurance Corporation, a US -government backed agency which acquired

it in a repossession.

Mr Cascella said the FDIC originally wanted $200,000 for the property but

agreed to $130,000 after lengthy negotiations. In the last property

revaluation, done in October 1985, the land was valued for tax purposes at

$107,310, which was considered 70 percent of the fair market value of the

property at that time.

The Planning & Zoning Commission approved the proposed $130,000 purchase on

October 5. The Legislative Council voted 9-0 in an executive session on

Wednesday, November 15, to recommend the purchase to a town meeting.

This week the Board of Selectmen scheduled the town meeting for 7:15 pm on

Wednesday, December 6, in the Middle School. It will precede the Legislative

Council meeting which is scheduled to begin at 8 pm.

The selectmen also scheduled a town meeting for 7 pm on December 6 on a

proposal to abandon a 25-foot easement on Old Farm Hill Road in the Horseshoe

Ridge Road development. Developer Paul Scalzo explained that the original

walking easement, a footpath, went through two lots. An easement through one

lot will be retained, he said.