The Seymour Board of Selectpersons in a screen shot taken from YouTube.
SEYMOUR – Three people asked elected officials May 20 to stop the sale of town-owned land on Prospect Street to a developer.
“Do you even know what that mountain does? Start clearing trees and blasting, and you run the risk of landslides,” said Deborah Zamoic-Alterio, an Oxford resident.
Zamoic-Alterio is part of a group of people who live near the property who don’t want to see it developed. About 50 people spoke on the matter at a public hearing in April.
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Seymour officials are discussing whether to sell 100 Prospect St., a 7.5‑acre vacant tract between Woodside Avenue and Swan Avenue on the Oxford border, to AJ Grasso, a developer based in Shelton.
Woodside Avenue resident Michael Renkewith said he opposes the sale. He cited the roles of the town’s various land-use boards as well as the town’s plan to preserve natural resources.
“Don’t sell the property,” Renkewith said.
Derby resident Ralph Cappiello spoke against a land sale on behalf of the friends and family he has residing on Woodside Avenue.
“I have some concerns, and I’m sure you’re all aware about the caves above Woodside Avenue,” Cappiello said. “Has there been any engineering studies to what could happen when you blast? If any of those caves collapse and there’s any kind of a landslide, it’s going to be a catastrophe that’s going to go down in the history books.”
The three people made their statements during the “public portion” segment of the May 20 Board of Selectpersons meeting.
The Selectpersons then discussed the potential sale in executive session, a closed-door meeting allowed when officials are talking about real estate deals.
The officials did not take action nor comment on the sale after the executive session. The executive session lasted about 35 minutes. Seymour Town Attorney Richard Buturla and Kurt Miller, the town’s chief administrative officer, also attended the executive session.
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.
Grasso already owns 18 acres surrounding 100 Prospect St., which the town acquired at some point through a tax foreclosure, according to Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis. The town-owned property is landlocked by Grasso’s land.
Grasso told The Valley Indy last month he wants 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.
The Seymour Planning and Zoning Commission made a positive referral regarding the land at its meeting in February, with members saying the town has no use for it, according to their meeting minutes.
