Town of Newtown
Economic Development Commission Meeting
July 21, 2009 – 7pm
Multi-purpose Building, Riverside Road, Sandy Hook
PRESENT: Chairman Robert Rau, Wes Thompson, Catherine Adsitt, Don Sharpe, Martha LaMarche, Robert Morey
Liz Stocker, Director of Economic and Community Development
Public: Keith Beaver, Acme Realty
1. Call to order – Robert Rau called the meeting to order at 7:21pm
2. Minutes of June 16, 2009 Meeting – Minutes approved. Motion to accept by Don Sharpe. Seconded by Robert Morey. Minutes approved unanimously.
3. Public Participation
a. Presentation – Development of 164 Mt. Pleasant Road. Presented by Keith Beaver, representing ACME Real Estate. WSA Commission requires approval from EDC that this project is considered Economic Development in order to go forward with project. Project is a 2-story, 16,000 square foot mixed use, restaurant, retail, office building with potential for up to 13 tenants. 130 parking spaces. 3 acre site. Approximately one to one and a half year completion date. Will build to suit. Motion to notify Planning and Zoning and WSA that the EDC endorses this project as Economic Development was made by Robert Morey. Seconded by Don Sharpe. All in favor. Approved unanimously.
4. Reports
a. Director of Planning and Community Development – Liz Stocker – Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Sandy Hook Design Center upgrades are ready to be started. Phase 1 included the sidewalk area on Church Hill Road. Phase 2 and Phase 3 will extend sidewalks up Riverside, Glen and Washington in Sandy Hook. Motion to endorse Phase 2 and Phase 3 of the Sandy Hook Design Center was made by Robert Rau. Seconded by Robert Morey. All in favor, unanimously approved. Tech Park field study discussed to find emerging trends, define target sectors, sub-sectors, marketing targets, evaluating current businesses & where growth areas are, how to be ready when economy comes back. Larry Kenny was discussed as being able to process such field study. Fee for Larry Kenny’s analysis would be $7500-$8000. Discussion ensued over projects, priorities for EDC. It was decided to table consideration for Tech Park Analysis until budget is solidified. Third topic for consideration is an enhanced listing
for Newtown in the Business Facilities Magazine which partners with NE Developers Association. Enhanced listing in directory is $395/year. All in favor. Enhanced listing approved unanimously. Liz also reported on Fairfield County Commercial Real Estate Organization that holds meeting on a monthly basis. EDC and FFH could sponsor a meeting in Newtown at FFH. More details will come forward in next meeting.
b. Sub Committee Reports
i. Business Advocacy/Retention (Adsitt, Sharpe, Morey, Howard)
1. Signage – Don Sharpe – Don, Wes, and Bob along with George Benson had meeting to facilitate discussion how to come to an agreement between Planning & Zoning and business owners over signage. Chamber of Commerce sent P & Z a letter with a proposal for Temporary Signage Policy. This policy includes a suspension of existing regulations on signs for a time frame of at least six months due to economic conditions. C. Adsitt sited articles on the impact of signs and is opposed to the addition of any signage in town. Lively discussion ensued on positives/negatives of additional signage for businesses. EDC while promotes business also has to take into consideration the character of the town. EDC in sympathy with adjective of letter but not with means to
get it done. A meeting with P & Z, Chamber and EDC will be scheduled to see if all can agree on a solution, subject to approval of commissions.
ii. Maximization of potential sites for Economic Development (LaMarche, Bolinsky, Sharpe, Kreinik) – Martha LaMarche reporting. Breakfast meeting with Liz Stocker. List of commercial/industrial zones available was discussed; these sites will be introduced to website in an interactive way. Also, outreach to businesses for financial information, SCORE, etc. Sub-committee will incorporate as much as possible on this subject into website within the current budget for website.
iii. Facilitate the Maintenance/Development of Agricultural businesses (Thompson, Morey, Howard) – Wes Thompson reporting. Handout on summary of sub-committee progress. Special note on Governor signing $1B Dairy Farm Bill, which will help CT Dairy farmers. Progress made by sub-committee in July included, reviewing GIS map and detailed tax records with Liz Stocker to identify a larger list of names, contacts and tax info, Liz and Wes plan to visit a cross section of farm businesses to ask about perceived issues. Farmers Market closed down at Lexington Gardens has moved back to Sandy Hook. SH Farmers Market did not follow protocol, farmers would be willing to relocate back to Lexington Gardens once procedure is followed and exception is applied for.
iv. Alternative Energy – Tech Park (Kreinik, Bolinsky, Thompson) Will meet via Webinar next week regarding PPA.
v. Evaluate/Upgrade as needed EDC Marketing aids (LaMarche, Adsitt, Thompson) Initial meeting with SandoMax, new vendor for EDC website, vendor wanted to know scope of website and what EDC would like website to encompass. Adding more information to make dynamic, more detailed. There should be a website to share with other members of EDC in August.
5. Old Business – Liz Stocker reported she had a meeting with engineer, George Benson, land use agency to discuss permits. Local agencies first discussed how bldg lots would be used. 1st lot – 1 bldg. 2nd lot – 5 bldgs. 3rd lot – strip reserved for solar park. George Benson has ability to sign off on configuration of lots. Solar site and WSA could be merged as one site. Access to 3rd lot a concern for maintenance of solar field…this needs to be worked out. Biggest issue – access to solar panel land, WSA discussion on Aug. 13th. Conservation restrictions on Tech Park ultimately will impact who you can attract for possible tenants, developers.
6. New Business – Financial Seminar/Business Seminar – details to be determined.
7. Adjournment – Motion for adjournment was made by Robert Morey and seconded by Don Sharpe. Adjourned at 9:40pm
Respectfully submitted by:
Julie Obre, Clerk
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