City Already Dealing With Brownfields

At their monthly meeting Monday night, the city's Economic Development Committee heard a final plan to deal with some of the city's brownfields-- a plan already being put into action.

The report, done by the firm of Milone & MacBroom, was funded by a $400,000 grant from the EPA. Clusters of "brownfields"-- vacant industrial sites with probable pollution problems -- were identified in the North End and just south of downtown. Among the plan's recommendations were acquiring properties in the North End and developing them for needed parking. The city has already begun this project, acquiring property behind Eli Cannon's Tap Room, formerly home to Mid-State Auto Body.

City planner Bill Warner said just doing contamination testing (also with EPA funds) made the properties more likely to be developed, as testing is so expensive. "We're way ahead of most cities regarding this. Other cities are filled with these brownfields, they don't turn around," he said.

Richard Harral, of Milone & MacBroom, said "This is the first time a city has implemented some of the recommendations before the final report is even presented", complimenting the city and its staff for moving so quickly.

The committee also voted unanimously to extend the lease on a community garden run by Middletown United Fathers. The garden is located on Long Lane and the current three-year lease has just one year left on it.

Larry Owens told the committee his group wants to hold classes, develop a walking path with native plants, and implement other plans. Many of those plans are contingent on partnerships with merchants and other community organizations. But those partners would be more comfortable knowing the lease would not soon run out, according to Owens, who is studying at UConn to become a master gardener. The committee voted to extend the lease to five years. City planner Bill Warner noted that the group had "cleaned up the property nicely".