Sharon Housing Partnership Meeting August 11, 2009

Meeting Minutes- Approved November 17, 2009

 

In Attendance: Alan Lury, Lou Modestino, Susan Saunders, Mary Tobin, and Warren Kirshenbaum

Also in Attendance: Gino Chitvanni and Mr.Chitvanni

 

7:30PM

Meeting with the Board of Selectmen- Johnson Drive

The members met with the Board of Selectmen to discuss the ongoing discussions with the owners and abutters of the land on Johnson Drive.  Susan Saunders informed the board that the owner of the land abutting the site, Mr. Sadak, had met with the SHP and that he was in favor of affordable housing being developed on the property. Susan Saunders related that he was willing to sign off but only if the site was used for housing and not commercial development. She also mentioned that the SHP was in the process of submitting an application to the CPC for funding as the next step in the process. The CPC money would be used to do a preliminary development feasibility and site planning assessment.  

 

Mr. Sadak’s brother-in- law was present at the Board of Selectmen Meeting. He expressed concern that the driveway easement to this property must remain as it presently exists. He also noted that he has a private well and does not want development to affect his water quality. Bill Heitin stated that “the Board was interested in moving forward with the affordable housing purpose.” Mr. Chitvanni stated that he was “willing to work with the Sharon Housing Partnership” to develop this site as affordable housing.

Ben Puritz informed the Board that designating this Town owned land for affordable housing needs to go before Town Meeting.

The Board of Selectmen voted unanimously to support the Sharon Housing Partnership’s efforts to move forward with this initiative.

 

7:50PM

The members of the SHP and the Chitvannis reconvened in the downstairs meeting room.

 

Johnson Drive

Mr. Chitvanni stated that the Town of Walpole had agreed to supply water to the site and that water was only “150 feet away”. Susan Saunders explained that the Mr. Sadak that spoke at the earlier BOS meeting was not the owner, but a renter. It is the owner who will have to sign off on the easement and the owner has agreed to housing. Warren Kirshenbaum volunteered to look into regulations concerning disposal of Town property and the rights of Town boards regarding first refusal. 

 

Application to the Community Preservation Committee

The group briefly discussed the application for funding for the Johnson Drive feasibility study. It was unclear whether this application had been submitted and if so whether it could still be amended. Susan Saunders will contact Jane about this. The application will be discussed at the next CPC meeting on Wednesday August 19th. Susan Saunders will send an e-mail to the group to confirm time and place.

 

Update on Moving Built Homes from Hunters Ridge

Susan Saunders explained that the Sharon Housing Authority had unanimously voted not to allow a newly built home from the failed Hunter’s Ridge development to be moved onto Housing Authority property. This site would have been feasible because a tie in was available to the already existing septic system. The lack of available land, the cost of moving the homes and building new concrete slabs, together with the cost of building new septic systems, make moving these homes unfeasible.  Unfortunately, these three new homes will now be demolished. Susan Saunders mentioned that there had been discussion concerning Town owned land next to the Sacred Heart site. Ben Puritz indicated that this land was not a possibility for affordable housing.

 

Glenview Property

Work continues and is progressing.  A significant amount of rehab was needed to prepare the home for sale. New appliances, new carpeting and problems with the heating system added to these costs. It was unknown when the property would be ready for sale.