Sharon Economic Development Committee 28 May 2008
In Attendance
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Alan Lurie |
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Rob Maidman |
Jeff Seul |
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Susan Price |
robert.price4@comcast.net |
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Roni Thaler |
rthaler@townofsharon.org |
Suzie Peck |
George Bailey |
MPAC |
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Barbara Nadler |
Library |
Ira Miller |
Finance |
Chuck Goodman |
Finance |
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Ted Phillip |
Finance |
Christine Turnbull |
Conservation Commission |
Dave Crosby |
WMAC |
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Kathy McCabe |
McCabe Associate |
Abby Charest |
Wright Pierce |
Kevin Olson |
Wright Pierce |
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Eamon McGilligan |
Wright Pierce |
Michael Lablanc |
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Rich Benevento |
Land Strategies |
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Michael Baskin |
PO Square Revitalization |
Betsy McGrath |
Conservation Comm |
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Review of meeting notes from previous meeting. Meeting notes reviewed and accepted.
43D application is posted on the web.
Presentation by vendors on background, timelines, deliverables.
Revenue Targets
New Business Creation: $250 - $500k on 15 parcels, 38 acres of undeveloped lands; $2.5M - $3.5M for 20 acres on S. Main.
New Revenue Sources: $200 - $500 in new revenue or offset costs.
Business Development: $500k to $1.5M in new taxes over next 10 years as businesses upgrade their facilities in PO Square.
Kevin Olsen presented for Wright Pierce. Reviewed their history; their plan on examining waste water alternatives. Study will look at existing conditions; assessment of alternatives; preliminary site assessments, and their recommended plan. Consideration of groundwater discharge permit. Discussion of what might come next. Consideration of land use scenarios, and will develop water flows for those. Consideration obviously of the nutrient loading into the aquifer. Review of permitting requirements for town and State. Selecting two sites using assessor database, as well as input from community. Their analysis will then indicate if Sharon has the space and soil to handle the effluent. May be a six month schedule.
Michael Baskin suggests a “wait” in the Land Strategies work to allow the Wright Pierce water study to synchronize on water availability and use. Rob Maidman – Michael’s comment struck a resonant chord; and there is some discontinuity in the timeline of the two vendors, and part of the answer is that Suzi and Rob will be synchronizing closely to make sure the gap does not grow beyond reasonability. One of the big questions is for sure – does water drive development; or does development drive the water – so we need to just make sure they are working in concert in the design of the recommendations.
Kathy McCabe presented onto her role in public communication and why this question is a perfect example of the need to have a public discourse to examine all choices and then build into the economic and water use models. Allowing recommendations to float out into the public dialog is useful in allowing community education and understanding of the decision making. The decision matrix is critical not just in making choices, but also in helping the community understand why certain choices are recommended or not. A schedule targeting the end of this year is worthwhile so that we are positioned for the next funding schedules from the State.
The second task that Kathy has is to create the “streamlined permitting” document. Creation of this document will be built with reviewing all rules and regs, and assembling a master timeline so that any developer can reference this document as a roadmap. This document will be created in consultation with town staff and committee members. The timeline for this will be on the order of 4 – 6 months with a handbook delivered in the Fall, in an electronic version as well as on paper. The handbook will include the forms and applications.
Roni Thaler provided some background on the earlier rounds of review and design of PO Square. Once we move forward with the water concern, she anticipates the owners will begin to get engaged.
Ira Miller asked about the “90 day timeline for approval” to which Kathy referred. Sharon’s PO Square currently has a 90 day decision cycle in the zoning regulations, subject to extensions by various boards or the applicant.
George Bailey presented on the half-dozen or so of 40R approvals, the legislation indicates it needs to be with ½ mile of the site. We have the tools, and we need the waste water. The challenge is to do an exception to get the train station into the zone; and allow mixed-use housing. The MAPC had an all day meeting on the metro future, towards reducing pollution, less car generation, and so on, and this site will receive a positive reception. Ben Puritz commented – there is an initial payment as well on-going payments. So the financial incentives are certainly worthwhile to pursue. The corridor concept is fairly flexible. Commonwealth Capital is a state funding agent that looks positively on this integrated approach.
9:10 Next Meeting: Last week of June, 7.30 pm, Sharon Town Hall
Business owners’ outreach discussion.
9:10 Adjourn