State to vote on tax district
Published: April 23, 2008
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EmailBy Leslie Hutchison
Record-Journal staff
February 23, 2008
SOUTHINGTON - Legislation that would allow the town and a developer to create a special tax district for the former Ideal Forge site is before the state House of Representatives. The bill was approved by both the Commerce and Finance Committees earlier this month.
Approval of House Bill 5936 by the House and Senate would pave the way for an "interlocal agreement" with Southington and Meridian Development Partners LLC of New York City to create the tax district. The district could then issue bonds, at no cost to the town, for development of the 14-acre Ideal Forging site at Center and High streets.
The bill provides the legal structure for the taxing district to issue up to $10 million in bonds to provide services and fund infrastructure improvements at the old factory site.
The cleanup of the site will require an approved plan from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Supervisor David Ringquist said a conceptual remediation plan was submitted by Meridian about two weeks ago.
"There is a general agreement that it appeared what they are planning is suitable to us." A more specific plan will be required, he said, that explains exactly how conta-minates on the site will be contained, or removed. "They could leave some soil in place with a cover to prevent migration."
The proposed development, called Greenway Commons, would contain 260 condominiums and 22,500 square feet of retail space.
