SEYMOUR – The Board of Selectpersons at its June 18 meeting voted to put town-owned land on Prospect Street up for sale despite opposition from neighbors.
Following an executive session, the board unanimously voted to authorize Kurt Miller, the town’s chief administrative officer, to solicit bids for 100 Prospect St. The executive session, a closed-door meeting allowed when officials talk about potential real estate deals, lasted about 45 minutes.
The 7.5-acre vacant tract, which the town acquired through a tax foreclosure, is between Woodside Avenue and Swan Avenue on the Oxford border. Neighbors over the last year have asked town officials to not sell the land, citing concerns of it being developed and lowering their quality of life. Click here and here for previous Valley Indy stories.
The deadline to submit bids is noon July 21. The sealed bids are scheduled to be opened later that night during the Selectperson’s meeting at 7 p.m. at town hall.
The land, according to town land records, is zoned as multi-family residential. It has an appraised value of $42,400 and an assessed value of $29,680.
Shelton-based developer AJ Grasso approached the town last year about purchasing the land. He already owns 18 acres surrounding 100 Prospect St., according to Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis.
Grasso previously told The Valley Indy he wanted to purchase the land as part of a residential development. He said he can develop the surrounding land even if the town doesn’t sell him the town-owned piece.
Drugonis said the parcel at 100 Prospect St. is landlocked and the town has no use for it. The Seymour Planning and Zoning Commission, last year, made a positive referral regarding the land, with members saying the town has no use for the parcel.
However, dozens of abutting property owners have told town officials otherwise. During the board’s June 18 meeting, six neighbors spoke against the town selling the property.
Debbie Zamoic-Alterio, of neighboring Oxford, said she has been in contact with officials from Aquarion Water Co. about an aquifer there and said the property plays an important role in protecting the area’s water supply.
“This is a horrible idea,” she said. “You want to bend a knee to a developer – it makes no sense. Are you that desperate for money that you have to sell this piece of property?”
Drugonis said the land cannot be developed into anything meaningful for the town, like a park or trails, because of its terrain and the fact it can’t be accessed directly. She said the board researched the property and conducted its due diligence before deciding to solicit offers to sell.
“This land does nothing for the town of Seymour, it’s landlocked,” Drugonis said. “We know it has an aquifer. We’re offering the land to anyone who wants to purchase it. We’re not hurting for money for this piece of property and we’re giving the abutting landowners the right to purchase it.”
Drugonis said whoever buys the land, and potentially wants to develop it, will have to go through local land-use boards and various state agencies for approvals.
Kenneth Gagne, of Swan Avenue, said the land should be preserved.
“We’re here over and over again to say basically the same thing: we don’t want this, we don’t want them to destroy the mountain, we don’t want them to ruin our foundations,” Gagne said. “Nobody on that hill wants it. I’m going to lose property value like you won’t believe.”
Jessica Ruthenburg, of Swan Avenue, said her family has lived next to the property for several generations.
“I ask you to care about the land and the people, but it feels like you’re giving us away for profit,” Ruthenburg said.
Carol Papale, of Swan Avenue, also spoke against the sale, citing concerns of displaced wildlife, blasting, and a decrease in existing property values.
“I vehemently oppose the destruction of the pristine woodlands on Prospect Street,” Papale said.
Former First Selectman Robert Koskelowski said during his administration two proposals to develop the land were denied. He stood with the neighbors, saying if the town sells the land and someone tries to develop it, “you’re going to ruin that part of Seymour.”
Selectman Phil Wilhelmy said the board weighed all of its options before deciding to put the property out to bid.
“Every possible conclusion was discussed, and I think this is the fairest and gives the people that have brought these concerns to us the best possible outcome,” Wilhelmy said.
Selectman Scott Andrews concurred with Wilhelmy.
“We’ve been talking about this for many months and now we needed to move forward with this,” Andrews said. “We have to make tough decisions at times and not everyone is going to be happy, but we did our due diligence. We have no use for that piece of property, none whatsoever.”
The board’s June 18 meeting can be watched in its entirety on YouTube.