#MIDDLEBURY
By TERRENCE S. MCAULIFFE
The Middlebury Economic and Industrial Development Commission (EIDC) at its June 28 meeting discussed the possible economic benefit of a proposed winery on town-owned land on Nichols Road. It also unanimously approved the Benson Woods design as specified in a final development plan reapplication.
EIDC Chairman Terry McAuliffe told commissioners about a preliminary proposal by Jon and Ana Bosman of 236 Shadduck Road to work out an agreement with the town to rebuild the old barns on the Peck Homestead on Nichols Road with a similar look and design as the originals and make them into a working winery. The proposal is still being formulated, with the general concept of a long-term lease of the town-owned property for construction of replica barns that would be used for winery operations and wine tastings, tours, etc.
The Bosmans own three acres of adjoining property and need at least five acres for a farm winery permit. The Nichols Road house has been preserved by the Middlebury Historical Society since 2011 after it was saved from being burned. The 133-acre property it sits on was given to the town of Middlebury in 2001 by the Connecticut Water Company with a conservation easement to the Middlebury Land Trust.
After some discussion Commissioner Frank Mirovsky said he supported the general concept and all commissioners agreed. Commissioner Armando Paolino said the idea was good aesthetically, but the financial benefit to the town needed to be shown. He said such wineries could be the basis for a successful business, but required many years of investment along the way to get there.
Commissioner David Cappelletti said any agreement needed to specify what would happen if the business wasn’t successful. Members discussed the net economic benefit to Middlebury, with trade-offs between possibly losing property tax revenue to farm operations or a low- or zero-revenue lease agreement versus an attraction bringing in visitors who would shop and dine in Middlebury.
Attorney Jennifer Yoxall of Carmody Torrance, Sandak and Hennessey represented Middlebury Land Development LLC, developers of the Benson Woods Planned Residential Development. Also in attendance were Derek and Agnes Kochanowicz of Westfield Development LLC, construction contractors for Benson Woods.
Yoxall explained that Benson Woods was a 79-unit development being built in three phases, with a 1,200-square-foot community building. She said most of Phase 1 was complete, but the homes weren’t selling as fast as desired because of the economy. She said the permits finally expired after being renewed and extended over the years since 2001-2002.
Yoxall distributed site plans, elevation diagrams, landscaping plans,and construction progress plans to commissioners, saying the plans were exactly the same as originally approved by the EIDC in August 2001. After discussing the construction progress, the commissioners unanimously approved the architectural scheme of Benson Woods and will send a letter to the Planning and Zoning Commission in support of the reapplication.
In other business, McAuliffe reported the Board of Selectmen awarded the zoning regulations update contract to Plan III LLC of Woodbury. The company was one of eight bidders who responded to the streetscape, design guidelines and zoning regulations request for quotations that went out for bids in January. The entire project is estimated to cost about $100,000 with $30,000 already appropriated for the zoning regulation update. McAuliffe said he appeared before the Board of Finance at their June 8 meeting and discussed recent accomplishments and plans of the EIDC and the need for funding the design guidelines and streetscape plans, estimated to cost $35,000 each.
Also in other business, Mirovsky said he had reached out to Kevin Bielmeier, NewMilford’s economic development director, for an update to their goals and vision documents. Mirovsky told commissioners New Milford has a well-developed set of plans that could serve as a basis for organizing our own plans. He agreed to see if EIDC members could meet with Bielmeier.
The next regular meeting will be Tuesday, July 26, at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Hall Conference Room.
