Developer consents to review of Plymouth Rubber site

After several failed attempts at rezoning the former Plymouth Rubber site off Revere Street, the site’s owner, Canton Development Properties (a subsidiary of Napleton), has agreed to spend $40,000 for an independent study of the financial, traffic, and environmental impacts involved in the development of the 40-acre property, with a goal of completing the study by early fall.

Selectmen Chairman Bob Burr and Town Administrator Bill Friel announced the agreement at Tuesday night’s selectmen’s meeting. Burr said the study will be headed by Attorney Mark Bobrowski, who has represented the town on previous Chapter 40B zoning matters.

Burr said the purpose of the study is to have an unbiased third party give a thorough report to all town officials and residents before the project goes to town meeting for possible rezoning. Burr said that the town had requested a similar study in the past but that CDP has only recently agreed to pay for one.

In other news Tuesday night, Stephen Black, an independent energy consultant, reported more favorable terms for the town in a renegotiated contract with Southern Sky Renewable Energy, the developer of a 15-acre solar farm at the former Pine Street landfill.

Black reported that the federal government will not approve a contract allowing the town to share in the profits of the solar farm in the latter stages of a previously agreed to 20-year contract. The two sides renegotiated and Southern Sky has agreed to increase its lease payment to the town for the last 10 years of the deal while also agreeing to cover capping and drainage costs amounting to $165,000.

Black said beginning this year (FY13), Canton will receive a lease payment of $300,000 and save an estimated $46,000 in electrical costs. The lease payments will increase 2.5 percent each year for the first 10 years and then increase to $430,238 in years 11-20.

Black also addressed concerns raised by Canton resident Ed Kodzis in a letter to the editor that appeared in the Citizen on June 21.

Black agreed with some of Kodzis’ points and refuted others, particularly his statements about the lease payments and the annual electricity savings. Black also refuted Kodzis’ assertion that Southern Sky would be billing the town “double for electricity,” or that the “more kilowatt hours Southern Sky produces, the more costly it is to the town.” Regarding the second statement, Black said the opposite is true.

Black also refuted the letter’s claim that the power generated by the solar farm would not impact the town’s demand charges. In addition, he refuted the notion that the developer had a “non-bid contract,” noting that the project went out to bid in 2010 and Southern Sky submitted the most favorable of the five received bids.

In other news:

* Selectmen approved the traffic plan for the upcoming repair work at the Reservoir Pond Dam on Pleasant Street. Beginning Monday, July 16, and lasting until mid to late August, traffic on Pleasant Street will be detoured via Washington and Sherman streets during weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Pleasant Street will be open to through traffic at 4:30 p.m. each day and on weekends. The street will be open to emergency vehicles and school buses at all times.

In a related matter, Friel received notification from the gas company that gas main construction is being readied for Legion Street, Pinewood Road, and Chapman Street later this summer and for the balance of the year. Friel said he will inform the utility companies not to schedule any road work that would impact the traffic from Pleasant Street until the dam repairs are completed.

* Recreation Director Janet Maguire said she will use $5,000 from the Rec. Department operating budget to make up the shortfall from the recent July 4^th celebration. Expenses totaled $31,000; donations came in at $8,500 and selectmen committed $17,500. The selectmen all agreed that the celebration was popular with residents and was well run by the Recreation Department and Recreation Commission.

* Police Chief Ken Berkowitz said some of his officers assisted in a Monday afternoon search warrant leading to the arrest of a Canton man involved in a major cocaine distribution network. Rafael Vasquez, 28, was one of 14 people arrested and charged by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. Berkowitz also reported that Police Officer Sean Becker has returned safely from a tour in Afghanistan.

* The Government Finance Officers Association has awarded Finance Director Jim Murgia with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting — one of the GFOA’s highest honors — for the 2011 fiscal year.

* Selectman Sal Salvatori reported that Eagle Scout candidate Vicente Chappuzeau has painted more than half of the town’s 1,400 fire hydrants.

* Residents from York Street and Indian Lane are invited to attend the selectmen’s next meeting on Tuesday, July 24, to discuss traffic safety. Also at this meeting, selectmen and the School Committee will choose a new School Committee member to fill the term of Liz Salisbury, whose family has relocated to Pittsburgh.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jul 12 2012. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.