Over the past several months the question of whether or not the Village Board should sell the property at 381 Putnam Street, former site of the Putnam Hall / Knitting Mill, to Mr. David Sullivan for the construction of three apartment buildings containing a total of ten two-bedroom apartments, has led to a very emotional debate amongst Villagers: those who favor the plan and those who feel that the proposed structures "do not fit" with the rest of the buildings on Putnam Street - nearly all of which are dwellings of elegant Victorian style built in the late 19th century.
Proposed Construction.
I am not "taking sides," but - rather - have urged the Village Board to consider with what difficulty and at what cost the municipality acquired property upon which to construct the new Fire House (1989) and the new Municipal Hall (2003).
None of us can see into the future, but I believe that it is not a question of "if" but of "when" there will be a need for that vacant parcel and have sent the following letter to the Mayor and members of the Board of Trustees:
"You’ll have to admit that I’ve been very quiet about the whole
381 Putnam Street business and have not “taken sides,” but NOW there’s something that I really want to say:
I think that The Mayor and Village Board’s decision to ask for a zoning change on the property at #381 Putnam Street so that they can sell it to Mr. Sullivan for a ten-unit apartment complex is misguided and short-sighted.
Don’t they realize how unique this parcel is and how valuable it is to the Village? Aside from the fact that it has cost taxpayers $220,000.00, making it one of the most expensive building lots in within the Village, it is the only remaining such parcel of vacant property – one that the Village of Waterville could very well want to use for another purpose in five, ten or twenty years.
No: I’m not adamantly opposed to the construction of new housing units in the Village but I am adamantly opposed to unnecessary sacrifice of funds – in this case, about $200,000.00 – and the sale of public land unless there’s an overwhelming crises looming! Is there really that much need for ten additional apartments? Does the future of the municipality depend on the taxes that it would gain from the sale of the land? I don’t think so!
Dave Sullivan is a very likable fellow. The Mayor and some of the Village Trustees undoubtedly consider him a good friend, but their first responsibility should be to the Village and to make the most of the taxpayers’ $220,000.00 investment.
To Mayor Ostrander and Trustees Bogan, McNamara, Treen and Woodhouse: Please reconsider. Do NOT vote for a zoning change.
Leave the zoning on that plot “Industrial,” for the time being.
Spend another few thousand dollars (a comparative drop in the bucket) to plant some grass and a few trees; bring some benches from Main Street and put the “traveling kiosk” there – it would make a dandy little park that many villagers would enjoy.
The best way to protect that parcel from undesirable industrial development and preserve it for future municipal use is not necessarily by changing the zoning.
If someone asks, all you really need to do is say,
'No: that land is not for sale.' "
Please take notice:
A Public Hearing will be held on
May 11, 2015 at 7 p.m.
at the Village Municipal Hall, 122 Barton Ave.
The purpose of this meeting is to receive public comment on the proposed change of zoning from industrial to planned development on the property located at 381 Putnam Street, Waterville, NY.
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