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The Board of Selectmen (BOS) unanimously approved buying a house and a vacant lot next to the Community House to provide additional parking for the proposed multi-million dollar expansion and renovation. The BOS also unanimously approved the Department of Recreation to manage and maintain the former Branford Hills School property.
The house, located on a .16 acre lot at 26 Church St.; and the adjacent .28 acre vacant lot at 28 Church St., are both owned by Anne Szeligowski. The lots are next to the Community House, which is slated for a major renovation as a recreation/senior center.
Diana Stricker Photo
First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove (pictured)said purchasing the lots will enable the town to provide more parking and better traffic flow.
“It was clear it was advantageous for us to purchase those two parcels,” Cosgrove said at the Wednesday night (BOS) meeting.
Parking has been a major concern since the Community House was identified as the location for the new senior center, and several seniors questioned how much parking would be available. Previous plans for the project indicated 102 spaces would be created, including five handicapped spaces. There are currently 87 parking spaces at the Community House. It was later estimated that the proposed neighboring property would add 30 spaces.
Diana Stricker Photo
The lots have been discussed before, and Cosgrove said funds to purchase the properties and demolish the house were included in the allocation approved by the Representative Town Meeting (RTM) (and the Board of Finance (BOF). The BOF learned about the proposal to purchase the two lots when project funding was discussed in October.
When asked by the Eagle, Cosgrove said the cost of the properties is a total of $273,000; and the demolition cost is $30,000. The properties are appraised at a total of $335,800, according to the town web site.
Diana Stricker Photo
The board (pictured) held a closed executive session to discuss a “possible land acquisition” prior to the vote. No attorney was present at the executive session.
Overseeing Branford Hills Property
The Board of Recreation will now be responsible for management and maintenance of the property at the former Branford Hills Elementary School, which has been demolished. The town has been using a portion of the land for recreational use.
“This will just officially put it under the Recreation Board’s purview to allow them to make decisions and appropriate funds and direct the department to make some additional improvements,” Cosgrove said.
Third Selectman Jack Ahern asked about plans for the park.
“We’ve already been making some improvements,” said Alex Palluzzi Jr., director of the recreation department.
Cosgrove said there are plans for a small playscape and to clean up the area. “Our plan right now is to keep the large open field as an open field,” said Cosgrove, adding that there might be a need for it during the proposed renovation and construction of the Walsh Intermediate School.
The Branford Hills property was in the news in recent weeks when there was a question of possibly using it in a land swap with Parkside Village I, which is located on South Montowese Street. Talks have been underway regarding construction of a new Parkside complex, which houses low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities.
The RTM formed a special committee to look into a possible swap, but it was later determined they did not have the jurisdiction to make that decision. In addition, the Branford Hills property was slated to be used for recreation, since there are no parks in that district. When the RTM agreed in May 2015 to tear down the deteriorating Branford Hills School, it was understood that the land would become a park, according to a statement by Cosgrove at the time.
Oyster Beds
Benjamin Goetsch, who works in the shellfish industry, questioned a proposed motion regarding an oyster seed bed co-management agreement between the Branford Shellfish Commission and Midstate Shellfish for 26.3 acres located at the Branford River in an area known as the “Upper Branford River Oyster Seed Management Area.”
Goetsch said that area has been designated a “natural seed bed” of the Town of Branford since 1885. He said it is meant to be open to the public and that it can’t be leased out to anyone for exclusive use. He said he recently discussed the matter with the Branford Shellfish Commission.
Goetsch asked the selectmen to take time to review the issues with the commission.
Cosgrove said he would talk with the Shellfish Commission, who made the recommendation, and with the town attorney.
The BOS did approve a motion for an oyster seed bed co-management agreement between the Branford Shellfish Commission and Midstate Shellfish for 24.94 acres on the Branford River known as a “special co-management area.” The board also approved a lease agreement between the Shellfish Commission and Nicholas Pastore for bed #551.
Goetsch said there were no issues with those two areas.
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That's an expensive parking lot.